http://www.thespacereview.com/article/59/1
Jeff Foust writes a good review on the recent buzz over the new vision for
the possible new space policy directions. I found one aspect severely
lacking in the article, though.
It looks like economic and ecologic reasons are totally neglected like
possible triggers or drivers for "the space vision".
Quote:
"What this review makes clear is that there is widespread interest in
developing some kind of vision for NASA in the form of a goal or goals for
human spaceflight beyond Earth orbit. Beyond that general interest, however,
there is little consensus regarding not only what that vision should
be-Moon, Mars, asteroids, or elsewhere-but how that vision should be
developed among the executive and legislative branches and the general
public. That dissonance is a recipe for yet another space policy failure."

As you see, the possible "visions" on the table are only what one would call
destinations. I'd see no purpose on visiting the moon, if it werent for
turning it into economic benefit for humankind later on. I'd think selling a
destination, like it was done with Apollo, would be a tough trick to pull
off the second time around.
But selling a better future for people or their children, either through
potential for clean energy sources from space ( SPS) , prospects of getting
a chance to visit the space for themselves ( space tourism ), utilizing
other vast resources from space apart from energy to make for better living
on earth. That could actually sell, if a coherent plan is put forth, with
measurable progress milestones. Of course, one of the methods to implement a
coherent plan is through a destination like moon, but the reasons for going
there should be clearly stated, and actually serve some useful purpose.
So its still a question of finding a appealing purpose of being in space,
which, then, can be tied to a destination to drive the developments better.
I havent heard of any serious speculations on what that new underlying
purpose might be. Until now, its been a generic "to explore and advance
humankind, expand frontiers". A tough sell which is hard to get behind.

-kert