Max Jacobs on Bush's space vision

Via Common Sense & Wonder

There is always a reason why not to explore, not to be bold. I'm sure there were people telling the various European exploreres (sic) not to sail across the Atlantic, but thank God they did. Imagine if the discovery of America was delayed a couple of hundred years? The world would be so completely different and I think also would be much worse off. After all there was a very good reason why so many people across the world have risked everything to come here. Just because we don't really see the immediate benefits of exploration doesn't mean that they won't be massive over time.

Yes, I would rather private industry do all this since they would probably be able to do these things more efficiently. But barring a Bill Gates turning his sights away from Malaria and onto space, I wouldn't hold my breath for anything other than Hilton building a hotel in space. At this point, I will take any sort of research in space I can get. If it has to come from NASA, so be it.