Michael Gallagher writes:

Sticker shock is one possility, but why would politicians who shelve
ouy $1 trillion in bailouts shirk at $50 billion or $500 billion
spread out over decades to actually go someplace in space? Is there
something else going on, some psycholigical aversion to goint to far
from "mother Earth"? Did they just watch ALIEN a few times too many?
What?

Assume that a Mission To Mars works right. I'll even give you
it coming in on time and within range of the original budget estimates,
even though those traits have not been among those that past major
space projects have been renowned for. How many people benefit, and
how much do they benefit? How soon do these benefits arrive? Do these
benefits outweigh the costs? What of these benefits could be achieved
with a lesser expense? How inconvenient would it be it to wait for
these benefits?

Now do me the favor of assuming the bailout of financial
institutions works half as well as its proponents hope. Again, how
many people benefit? How soon do those benefits arrive? Do those
benefits outweigh the costs? What of those benefits could be achieved
with a lesser expense? How inconvenient would it be to wait for those
benefits?

I suggest the answers to both sets of questions are not
materially affected by the movie _Aliens_.

--
Joseph Nebus
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