Don't sweat it. This kind of talk comes out every time there is any setback in the space program.
Its a charge lead by people who aren't against the space program per say but are generally looking to pick up more tax dollars for their own pet programs. What type of programs might you ask? Well, here are my favorites:
- the arts (nice paintings in a funky building, we can all go there to marvel at our collective creativity as an asteroid is about tp pummel the planet)...
- most social welfare programs (we can all pat each other on the back for saving those few truly in need, maybe the welfare for life folks could be stacked up to create a planetary sheild)....
- Congressional Pork projects, too many and some so mind boggling as to defy description (describe these in book form it would be enough to cushion the impact of any asteroid)....
... my very favorite - Gov inefficieny on all levels, I had heard stories and thought nobody could be that apathetic; but alas, as a civilian contractor I've seen both good people go Gov and the Gov lifers, they just loose all sense of productivty and sit around waiting to retire.
Personally, I'd love to get hold of the airwaves and demand an end spending tax money whenever someone comes out of a gallery/museum without a smile, or a child grows up 2nd or 3rd generation welfare, or some half-wit political appointee gets a Gov job pushing paper at a redundant, unecessary desk in a building that should never have been built.
Barring that wonderful day I thank the powers that be I can at least crank up SFC and turn on the news to watch the slow progress of our half-assed species toward the stars.