"If I were advising the President, I would suggest that he declare that the mission of this new effort is to develop the technologies and techniques to mine, process, and use lunar resources, specifically, the hydrogen and oxygen of the lunar poles,"

This is not a valid precurser technology for Mars. Do you honestly think that recovering water from permanantly frozen lunar soil at a few percent will compare with recovering stuff that is 50% or more by volume? It will be much easier on Mars. Why pound your head on the wall for technology that's not needed? Yet another bogus claim for a lunar precursor to Mars. Over and over we see stuff that's possible but hardly practical as a reason for going to the Moon first.

Mars makes a better platform than the Moon for exploring the rest of the solar system from the standpoint of resources available and self sufficiency.

Regards,
Mark