re: Because Politicians Are Timid and Can't Do Calculas and Economic or Engineering Calculations
Ok, I read your entire post, but your first line is just that, tops:
[Politicians are too timid to commit to Mars due to the higher perceived risk to life.]
Oh, I know we can get to Mars and back for science sakes, geology, microbiology (yikes), but there's time, there's time... they are there, the moon and Mars for their own sake.
