I disagree with your point about the crew size being limited by politics. The limitation today and into the future will be the number of seats on the "lifeboat." Even the Soviets always maintained a Soyuz capsule as a lifeboat should the crew need to evacuate. We did the same thing with Skylab. A Soyuz capsule only seats 3 people so that was the limit on the crew size. Occassionally, Mir had more than 3 people on board but that was only when another Soyuz was there.

The ISS still depends on the Soyuz for lifeboat capability. Even if the ISS hadn't had big overruns and the CRV wasn't put on the back burner, it would've been at least another couple years before the CRV was operational. The only other option is to keep two Soyuz capsules docked to the ISS. Until we get more Soyuz capsules or a CRV, the ISS crew size will be limited to three people. As for the CRV, it's still needed. Perhaps the funding will be restored or perhaps one of our international partners will build it. Just because something is needed, it doesn't necessarily mean that only American taxpayers can pay for it.

As for the ISS, will someone please wake me when something interesting happens? As painful as it is for this lifelong space enthusist to admit, the ISS bores me to tears. It has turned into a money pit that is sucking the life out of the space program. Those who believe we're going to the moon or Mars anytime soon are kidding themselves. If space enthusists like me are being bored by the ISS, imagine what the general population must be thinking about the space program. Without broadbased political support, more complicated and expensive projects will have a very hard time getting funded.