Perhaps Mars gets the press because it is what interests people not the other way around.

Off course public funds should be spent with some concern for what the public is interested in.

They should also be spent based on scientific interest. Again Mars wins as the links I posted earlier point out.

Private funds should of course be spent based on personal interest and or potential for proffit. Near term profit motive is where I think the Moon most likely has an edge.

Moon folks, Mars folk, and NEO folk should all be friends. The common interests are enormous especially in the face of enormous shared obstacles to our goals.
My comments were for those who seem to deny the difference in public interest between Mars and the Moon.

Regards,
Mark