For some reason I wasn't able to post
my response on Nipper Wolf's survey
[Moon or Mars?] below...Must be a software filter.

So I'll give my answer now, but first...
What can America afford now?
Could it afford going to the moon
[without raising taxes]?
Or can it go to Mars [without raising taxes even more]?

And furthermore, America now
has the Atlas-5...
The most powerful variant of Atlas-5 to come will be able to put 25.8 metric-tons into LEO [Astronautix.com];
that works out to 9.6 metric-tons...to the moon.
Compare 9.6 metric-tons to the
3-seater Soyuz which is only 7 metric tons.
Use three of the most powerful Atlas-5's!
One to send a habitation/laboratory module to the lunar surface; the second to send an open-cockpit 2-seater lunar lander in LLO; the third to send a 3-seater lunar orbiter.
Now you know my answer, Nipper Wolf.

cheers

Jacob