It's politics that led to NASA's creation.
It's politics that led americans to the Moon.
It's politics that led to the Shuttle with 2 SRB's.
It's politics that led to the ISS at 51° inclination.

So far, even 40 years after Gagarin and Glenn, without politics, there's nobody up there, no Peggy in space and.
However, even with 2002 politics, there's nobody outside of LEO.

But, here's an e-mail sent by James Oberg on the FPSPACE BBS, received from Fred Gregory, nr 2 at NASA:

Subject: Speaking Out

Seems as though, even after telling the crowd last Wednesday that it is OK to combine NEXT and Eileen's science and the medical stuff as the beginning of several road maps with milestones that acknowledge the possibility of leaving Low Earth Orbit, there are still some who are afraid to take the next step without getting further permission. Those folks will be left at the station. Research driven exploration is where I am heading. If an email of this type will help, share this one with your folks and let's get rolling. We need the convincing arguments that only your folks can help provide, to plan for follow on activities once we are cleared of our past sins and omissions. And we need those requirements right now! Fred

Raoul