Good point.
I've often said, we'll really colonize space when we can make money at it.
From what I know now, I think the short-term profit opportunity is tourism. Elon Musk thinks he can make tourist money putting people on the Moon. but long-term, I like the idea of asteroid mining.
I approve of Obama's current "privatizing" moves on space transportation. I suspect it's more about cutting something out of government he has no interest in than any dedication to private enterprise, but the results will be the same.