"It's hard to argue with this. As of today, NASA has walked off the cliff and is now in free-fall. However in 1970, when the decision was made for "slow death", NASA was a very impressive research and technology development organization (world's best). Many of mankind's best engineers and scientists were either working directly for NASA or subcontracted to NASA. NASA had the world's best aerospace facilities, including wind tunnels, computer facilities, machine shops, etc. The whole aparatus was there to send humans to Mars or the Moon. All that was required was for the political establishment to say "do it" and NASA had the technical capability to quickly achieve the goal. Unfortunately the political establishment had not the slightest interest in pursuing new Space objectives. Funding a Mars program was not an option. So were they supposed to tear down a national treasure and throw away billions of dollars worth of technical capability? In 1970, NASA was the pride of the nation. That was the political dilemma. The politicians had no further goals for NASA but were unable to turn NASA "off". They had summoned the demon without knowing the spell of dismissal. Slow death for NASA was their only political option."

I agree- politically there probably was no other course. For a president to authorize the termination of NASA, it would mark the end of his political career- nor could you get Congress to do it.
But the temination of the Apollo NASA wouldn't neccesarily mean the end of this technology, the people would go elsewhere. And at this point in time NASA was less than 10 years old- this techology didn't all sprout from NASA. NASA was mostly taking exist technology knowhow and redirecting it for it's purpose. [Few people who were working at NASA "grew up" with NASA]. The affect could have a benefical result of returning this "type" of technology knowhow into the market. And I wouldn't completely end NASA, but return it what role it was performing before- so you still have the pure reseach type activity- X-planes, etc.

And even at the early time there was a need for launchers, so the Saturn V hardware and people, might have been able to find a market for the Saturn V- or a modified form, say only use second stage for commerical launches.

But politically, yes, practically impossible- particularly at that time.