Bush’s Plan for Space vs. Unmet U.S. Needs

Re “ ‘Worlds Beyond’ Are Goals of Bush Space Plan,” Jan. 15: In a time of substantial budget deficits, the question regarding President Bush’s proposed manned lunar/Mars program should not be how much will it cost. The question should be: What will it provide?

How much medicine, medical care and food will it supply? How much education will it fund? How much polluted air and contaminated water will it clean? How many highways and bridges will it repair? Proper priorities should be considered.

Albert A. Glick

West Covina

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I have an idea for Bush. Instead of raising the NASA budget 5% a year for the next few years, how about finding a way to lower health insurance premiums by 5% for even one year? Mine have been going up 15% to 20% annually for almost a decade.

Tom Silvestri

Calabasas

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Re “Let’s Boldly Go Where Man Has Gone Before,” Commentary, Jan. 14: Harrison Schmitt eloquently states several good reasons for returning to the moon, yet ignores the essential political one. He and astronaut Eugene Cernan were the two last men to walk on the moon. This sad statement reflects our former, bolder history -- when we traveled to the moon, planted our flag, came home and never returned. Our children continue to ask, “Why?” Returning there, in an effort to learn how to go farther and to learn how to explore this last frontier, is something we can proudly show our children instead of explaining how we gave up.

Kevin Cousineau

Lompoc

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When Bush couldn’t cope with the economy at home, we invaded Iraq. Now that he can’t cope with Iraq and, quite frankly, with most of the world, he wants to invade the moon! Dear higher authority -- whoever you are -- let this new year pass quickly, before his genius spends any more billions that we don’t have, and save us with any new president.

Leila Heim

Manhattan Beach