Do you think we are justified in spending so much money on the space program when children starve?

Question

And the planet we live on is polluted and mistreated? Shouldn't we spend our monies and our energies cleaning up this planet and caring for our people?

Answer 1

I can't believe how many people ask this without asking themselves this: Do you really think a $13million dollar satellite REALLY costs $13million? NO! $13million dollars were pumped into our economy to make the satellite. That $13million dollars reflects all the salaries of all the people who worked on it. And it creates more jobs than you can imagine, and not all of them are scientists. My dad works at Lockheed Martin. There is a Taco Bell, and a credit union at his work place. As well as mental health professionals, janitors, secretaries, file clerks, security guards, cafeteria workers, even child care professionals! When Lockheed Martin got the contract to build the next space vehicle, it was announced that they would hire 1,000 new employees in the Denver area, but it was estimated that this would actually create 3,000-4,000 more jobs. And that is JUST in Denver, most of the work won't be done here. Exploring space IS feeding our starving children. All of these people pay taxes, too, and the government will still have money left over to feed some hungry kids. The point is, the best way to feed them is to make sure mom and dad can work!

Now I will agree with you on one thing... We could be creating a lot of jobs trying to figure out how to solve our pollution problems. However, more money is going towards this than you know. There just aren't any good solutions, and we can't fix it by just throwing money at it. Most of our pollution problems come from burning fossil fuels. Most of our fossil fuels are burned because of one of two reasons: 1) People trying to commute for work (so those kids don't starve). 2) Getting food to the supermarkets (so those kids don't starve). Oh, yes, and creating electricity so we stay warm and all that food doesn't go bad. Very few cities have a public transportation system that works well enough to be a viable option for most commuters, and most of us can't afford hybrids, either. So, how do we alleviate this? Well, make better public transportation, and explore space so mom and dad have better paying jobs and can afford that hybrid!

Answer 2

That's a long-standing question, and one that I don't have an easy answer to.

There are good things that space exploration does for us - in addition to advancing human knowledge, a lot of technology that we use today was either developed by or for NASA. Someone will probably provide a list.

Having said that, when you consider priorities and per-dollar spending, it's difficult not to come to the conclusion that we could be using that money in a much more effective way. I could say that not just about the space programme but many other things too (defence comes to mind).

Still, it's not me in control of national budgets... sigh...

Answer 3

properly genuinely i think of that answer is a splash hypocritical & controlling. Mary is quite saying that if I genuinely have to any extent further money, that I artwork quite perplexing for, that is as much as somebody else to approve what I spend it on? if it quite is the case, does she provide her better spending money to infants in want or does she spend it on issues she needs? Why are human beings continually comparing pets to young ones? i'm able to't get a canine bc extremely I ought to undertake a ravenous toddler? I dont have young ones now bc I cant take care of to pay for them and am too youthful to wish one!! Im basically 21 and nevertheless want to do issues that having a toddler wouldnt enable yet I nevertheless make sufficient $ to attend to to pay for a canine and the neccessary care. Thats stupid good judgment and she or he ought to have a glance at her very own disposable income till now she analyzes mine :0)

Answer 4

Why the hell shouldn't we explore space, the way things are going we might need to live there one day,.

And if that happens it will be those who said we shouldn't spend money on the space program complaining not enough was spent.

Answer 5

If we do not establish viable breeding populations off planet, we may suffer the destruction your silly god demands and no longer exist as a species. War, disease, asteroids could all spell the end of us. Want to end starvation on the planet, just stop having so many children and lower the population too two billion and put some eggs in other baskets ........out there.

Answer 6

Catholics can start cleaning up this planet and caring for people by allowing the use of condoms.

A majority of providers of medicine and other clinical care in Africa are Catholic Missionaries. If the Pope says no to condoms then the people of Africa get no condoms. As Africa is the country with the highest HIV infection rate, they would need condoms to prevent infection because, lets face it, the missionaries may believe in abstinence but the locals sure as hell don't and regardless of their beliefs, they should not be condemned by a religion that ultimately governs their fate.

Answer 7

I agree with you 100%. I have always said that all the money we are spending on the space program, can go to the homeless, or pollution, or rebuilding communities that's been rundown. I can care less about whats going on on Mars or the Moon. We've taking God out of our school and out of our homes and out of the government. And until out country stop pushing God away nothing will flourish in this Nation.

Answer 8

It is not reasonable to spend billions of dollars in space program when children not only in africa is starving but so many poor people in america itself would have beneficiate a decent life if those money were spent on eradicating poverty, create more job, build cheap houses for the poor... and so on.

The politicians are thirsty of power like vampires after blood.

And instead of making donations to churches and so called social club, go give money directly to the poor, you are assured that your money have gone to the poor rather than to the catholic multi national business' bank account!

Answer 9

I believe we should do both. In the wide scope both are important. We can clean up the earth but we cannot replace the elements taken from it. Eventually for the human race to survive we will need more and it will have to be done by looking outward.

If we feed our children and educate them properly in the mathematics and sciences they can help in this endeavor so both are important to survival.

Answer 10

I think that the space program was nice back when our economy was stronger but now there are too many pressing problems needing attention and money to continue with this 'exploration'. I feel the same way about America's military presence in the world.