Chris says:

>>>I'm a US citizen! The money spend on MER is mine as much as it is yours!<<<<

But you know that our contributions are chicken feed in comparison to what everyone else is forced to collectively contribute. That's why you don't feel the pain as much when money's squandered, as you would if it were your own money and you were pursuing a competitive prize:

http://www.spaceprojects.com/prizes

And as long as the status quo remains as it is, prices won't come down low enough in our lifetime to enable us to visit our neighboring planet.

>>>> If you don't like how much is spend at NASA or how much deficit we carry I suggest you try to kick Bush out of the White House in 2004! <<<<

His lack of space-related reforms regarding NASA prizes (instead of DARPA prizes) and his inaction regarding the recognition of private property rights in space remind me of what preceded his Administration. But whereas the former president trimmed government through reductions at the Pentagon (a noble goal), Bush is privatizing as much of the bureaucracy as he can...and it's going to be politically facilitated by increasing deficits:

http://www.spaceprojects.com/bureaucrats

I am pleased that Bush is doing this. The bureaucrats jealously killed privatized Mir, and numerous other potentially promising space ventures. That we should be forced to continue to subsidize such gluttony is outrageous.