and we simply don't have the facts about Mars yet.

Goldin planned one lander, but one lander isn't going to do it either.

Whatever your personal opinion is, does not matter, any more than mine does;
Whatever your hopes, does not matter, any more than mine or anyone elses does

The facts are what matters to the people who will have to sign off on this,
and all the rationalizations, all the insults, all the tantrums in the world will not affect their judgement.

Now personally, I spent a good deal of effort trying to get the software necessary for the long range rovers required to clear this obstacle, while the effort failed in the US, it suceeded elsewhere.

I still hope that long range Mars rovers might be done on a commercial basis. We'll see.