[The Other Harry]

You're the one being obtuse. "Why?" refers to your ENTIRE post. Hence, it was an open-ended question.

That's too easy on your part. Try a pointed question next time.

[Frank_Discussion]

Okay: Does you attitude always resemble a constipated badger, or is this just a special day for you?

[mikenola]

Every Mars thread here in FR gets some naysayers.

The "why" for me is that exploration and discovery is quintessential to the American spirit.

Now, I know some say let's privatize space exploration. To which I answer, why hasn't it happened yet?

Bill Gates, or Lockheed Martin are more than welcome to send a manned mission to Mars, nothing is stopping them, so why haven't they?

I think the founding fathers recognized that there are areas private industry either cannot or will not enter into. One could argue this was the intent behind the commerce clause.

There have been a remarkable number of "firsts" with these Mars missions, each of which is a building block to the end-goal of human colonization of space; which IMO, the federal government has a legitimate national interest.

Flame away :) ....