Public funding for the manned space program,
Chris, not only did you not experience the war in Vietnam, you didn't watch Apollo get cancelled. If you were older you'd know how the two were linked.
I don't think public support for manned flight to Mars has any depth - not enough to survive any economic pressure. The reason for that opinion is that I watched what happened to the space program during the war in Vietnam.
My concern with the impact hazard is not a mania.
I'm glad you can live with EELVs being used to launch the CEV. My guess is that's probably pretty much what will happen.
That guess is based on experience. It's not directed at you personally, and perhaps when you get some experience you'll understand that.