Rumors are rampant about Bush making an announcement to send a manned mission to Mars, amongst a few other things. While I appreciate the notion of such a mission, I have what I think is better idea.

Let's continue with the relatively inexpensive unmanned missions and spend the estimated Half-a-Fuckin'-Trillion-Dollars on some pragmatic things...oh, like Getting our own planet's environment under control before we go and fuck up Mars, and then..THE UNIVERSE!!

I love this shit.

Bush Will Propose a "Responsible Budget"

January 9, 2004 ? The White House says President Bush will propose a "responsible budget" even though he's reportedly about to propose two hugely expensive manned space missions.
Senior officials say in a speech next week, the president will unveil plans to send U-S astronauts to build a permanent station on the moon. They say he'll also set the goal of sending Americans to Mars.

Estimates of the costs of these ventures top half a (T) trillion dollars -- which is roughly the size of the federal deficit for the current year alone.

But Press Secretary Scott McClellan says Bush intends to keep to a course that funds important national priorities, and then -- in his words -- "holds the line elsewhere."

Among those criticizing Bush's plan is Nobel prize-winning physicist Douglas Osheroff. He'd rather see NASA concentrate on more affordable robots, like the "Spirit" rover that just arrived on Mars.

This is what you reap when you have a "C" student in the oval office. Bush has never met a spending bill he didn't like. Vetoes? Nary a one.

Fortunate son's should be excluded from handling the affairs of State until they have demonstrated leadership ability.

Let's run down the list quickly.

1) Without additional spending, deficits extending into the foreseeable future

2) Unfunded or underfunded Bush domestic programs

3) DoD budget equal to the rest of the planet combined

4) World markets cashing out of dollars -- gradually now, but if a panic ensues -- look out below!

5) Iraq. No one knows how much money we're going to throw at that country because of the neo-cons little experiment 500 billion is a reasonable estimate.

6) Another 500 + billion for something that Bush knows nothing about, yet apparently spends most of his waking there.

Plus there is Afghanistan, and potentially more neo-conquests.

McSmellan is a bald faced liar. This sort of BS puts Ari to shame. (yeah, the "McSmellan" bit is juvenile)

America needs to keep fiscally baffled fucktards like this out of office.