Yes, we took the land we live on from the native inhabitants and that was less than glorius.  But the idea that the United States had a destiny to become a bastion of freedom, liberty and the last, best hope of mankind was and remains the greatest of human aspirations.  For some of us, manifest destiny represents that idea that this once beautiful, green planet was never intended to be our home from cradle to grave and that "...go forth and multiply..." means more than just over populating this tired, ruined Eden. 

I have lost interest in our national elections as our leadership seems interested only in personal power and in nothing of real, lasting value. 

The defining moment for all humanity came at 4:17:40 P.M., Eastern daylight time on 21 July, 1969 when all the peoples of this planet cheered as the Eagle landed on the moon.  For that moment all humanity stood united as one as we looked up at the moon that night in the wonder of realization that we'd taken the first step towards becoming a mature species. 

Then we turned inward and with ever increasing focus on our navels began to expend our blood, treasure, and future on transitory goals of little value to us and no value to humanity. 

I am past "What are they THINKING?" and simply do not have a clue.  There are no problems on this Earth not soluable by the exploration and settlement of space, and I mean none.  Whether medical, resources, food, the environment...whatever your pet interest...the answer is not in completeing the destruction and desecration of Mother Earth.

But don't take my word for it.  Maybe Neil Degrasse Tyson can make you think

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbIZU8cQWXc 

If it does, then consider this:  http://penny4nasa.org/Penny4NASA/Home.html.

The March of Dimes ended polio, a great victory.  A penny from each our our federal tax dollars is critical to ensuring the survival our our children and their descendents, and a chance for this planet to heal. 

Without it, there will be no hope of "...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  With it, there are no limits. 

Dave

All of this occurred when people began to say, "Why go into space when people on Earth are hungry, dying of disease, etc, etc." So they got on their computers, watched talk shows on their HDTV, and raised a ruckus about $600 screwdrivers and the like. So NASA's budget was cut. Since NASA's budget has been reduced, people are still hungry, dying of disease, etc, etc.

Isn't it ironic that so many things that enrich our lives, so many things that help increase food production, so many medical breakthroughs are the result of technology developed by NASA. Because of space exploration integrated circuits, microprocessors, space age polymers and many more discoveries were put into the public domain. Without this sort of development, future efforts to feed people and cure diseases will be hampered. Ironic and so sad.

Yeah, DR.  I tracked one of those 600 dollar screwdrivers one time.  Turned out to be a bargain.  It's demagogues like the Arkansas guy who single handedly killed the Super Conducting Super Collider who put that kind of stuff out there with no context.  Of course there are cost overruns!  Designing the first of anything that has never been built isn't something you can predict precisely.  There was almost NO technology in the SCSC that wasn't brand new, as with the Apollo, the Shuttle, the ISS, and now with the Webb Space Telescope.  It's why we refer to space as a "frontier." 

Of course, I'm sure a nice Chinese made Stanley screwdriver would work just fine in space, as would a toilet from Home Depot.

In any event, we spent more on TARP than we've spent on NASA in it's entire history.  Wonder which had the better ROI...

The very WORST ROI figures I've ever seen still showed NASA as the single greatest ROI engine our tax dollars have ever been spent for. 

I think the second was WWII.  Personally, I remain for the first option.

Dave

Mallette:

In any event, we spent more on TARP than we've spent on NASA in it's entire history.  Wonder which had the better ROI...

Dave

In addition, our fundamental societal values seem to be changing when the “markets" place a value of $100 billion on Facebook. 

Facebook then spends $1 billion to buy Instagram, which is a free photo sharing program launched in October 2010 that allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter to it, and then share it on the social networking services.

Fjd:

In addition, our fundamental societal values seem to be changing when the “markets" place a value of $100 billion on Facebook. 

Even is a person is so short sighted as to not be able to see the essential nature of space exploration to human expansion and survival, they should at least appreciate the economic advantage.

I don't think it too much of a stretch to note the economic decline of this country...which we've been told we need to adjust to and accept...seems to track our withdrawal from an active space program pretty much precisely.

Going back as far as Rome history records that nations who cease to expand, contract.  There is no such thing as "stasis" for an economy.  As imperial conquest is out of style (and good riddance) we can either expand into space or into cooking hamburgers for the world. 

Much of our technological lead came from the space program.  Today it's coming from Facebook.  Yeah, that bothers me.

Dave

Dave thanks for your post and the links. Degrassi makes some powerful points, especially on the relative bargan of NASA. It's not a question of "can we afford it?" It's a question of "can we afford not to do it?"

Saw this on last night's Jon Stewart: http://www.hulu.com/watch/349285/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-elon-musk#s-p1-sr-i1

Elon Musk is the founder of Paypal, Tesla Motors and SpaceX. He's hired quite a few astronauts and engineers from NASA to do what he is doing. He's got the dream.

Remember that during that time our economy was so strong that we spent more money on yellow paint on the highways than other countries whole budgets.

JJK

Indeed, JJ.  Dollars spent on space generated enormous profit and just as important created a worldwide image of America as THE place for science, technology, and engineering.

Now, we are the place for Walmart and McDonalds.  I do not want to believe that we've become so fat, happy, and passive we no longer have aspirations to lead.  You cannot feed the world by simply giving away food.  You will run out and not be able to buy more.  You feed the world by developing new technologies and resources for the future.  Lunar minerals alone that are already known to be there right on the surface would supercharge our economy beyond calculation.

We are neither leading, nor following, nor getting out of the way.

For those of the "...but we have so many problems here on Earth variety" fine, spend 99 cents of very dollar with a lot of it going down terrestrial black holes...but why not spend a penny on the future?

Dave

Just dont dig into my wallet for your space asperations...Leave it to the private secter to  to do this,, it will be cheaper..Otherwise GSA will have more money to party in Vegas

Maron Horonzak:

Just dont dig into my wallet for your space asperations...Leave it to the private secter to  to do this,, it will be cheaper..Otherwise GSA will have more money to party in Vegas

So, you support the rich getting richer and the rest of us spending our money on Afganistan and the DEA? 

My new heros are Rutan, Musk, Branson, Diamondis, and others.  They are putting their money where the collective dreams of those of us who believe in our species and that it should actually someday create a real civilization without war, hunger, or limits.  By the end of this century one or more of these ventures will make Apple, Exxon, and the like look like mom and pop shops.  Those who want their children to be well off would do well to purchase a small amount of stock in all who will sell it, as only a single hit will eventually return incredible profits.  And, while the spinoff to all humans will be wonderful, it's the investors and owners will profit in an enormous way both in raw riches as well as the power of controlling the gateway to the resources of space that will become increaseingly essential as we complete the destruction of this planet in the next century or so. 

However, national security, science, and government should be involved as well.  As to "digging into your pocket" for a few bucks a year that return the extraordinary returns on investment (again, even by the very most conservative and critical estimates) I can't help but ask where you would prefer a penny on the dollar of your taxes be spent?  If you know ways to use tax dollars more effectively to create more jobs, more opportunities for business, enhance national security, and generally promote the future for our children I am all ears.

The only use of tax dollars I've ever heard being compared to the space programs returns was World War II. 

Dave

PS - Peter Diamandis shares your view.  Why would he want to share a 20 trillion dollar haul with you?  Check it out at around 2:10 seconds into the clip. 

Just because you screwed yourself away from the dinner table and cant support your kids,,Dont expect my tax dollers to send your kids to school...As far as wars,,,My dad died on a merchant ship sending food and supplies to europe when it was torpedoed by Hitlers subs,,  It cost over 10 billion dollers to collect those moon rocks,,,Let your childrens children eat those rocks,,,  Yes i support the rich,,I,m one of them,,,And i feed many many children in my company,,I love the Capitalistic way and not the socialistic way..

Excellent, Maron.  We're in line on just about everything except human survival.  I am for it.

Dave

Actually the biggest problem I see is that this we can not plan anything further out than 4 years. You can't do much in four years. The Chinese and some Arab nations have multigenerational goals and plans for the future. 

Well lets see now the space program got us thefollowing things:

1...Internet (NASA IN 1968)

2...Computer mouse 1969

3...Miniture electronics

4...Digital media

5...Computer processors

6...Networks for communication

7...High speed printers

8...Hard drives

9...Advances in metalurgy

10..Advances in medicine

11..Unix

JJK

seti:

Actually the biggest problem I see is that this we can not plan anything further out than 4 years. You can't do much in four years. The Chinese and some Arab nations have multigenerational goals and plans for the future. 

I agree, but can any of the multi-ethnic nations, like those in North America and much of Europe, sustain a collective vision that could take generations to achieve?

That's one of the few advantages that monocultural nations ruled by despots can show.