A gigantically expensive space trip in the middle of a so-called war (in which we can't provide sufficient troop strength nor protect those that are there)?
The Best weapon of mass destruction is the one that took out the dinosaurs. It makes everything the Islamofascists come up with pale by comparison.
Only an ongoing presence in space can provide us the wherewithal to deal with space-borne problems, as the recent cometary impact probe should demonstrate.
Moreover, Mankind's ultimate destiny lies in expanding to other worlds, or perishing here. That particular factor in the Drake equation is the biggest unknown in our future.
Better than paying for welfare mommas and foreign aid for despots that hate us.
You might also ask, " Has Free Republic become socialist"? This is statism with all the bark on: agreed national goals, huge pointless expenditures, crackpot visionary schemes, playing to a minority cadre with an agenda, and ignoring the emerging private sector in this field.
This is NOT what made America great; it is what kept Mussolini small.
Yep, you would think it was the 1960s again. (/sarcasm)