Why are we wasting so much money on NASA when we can use this money for the poor?

Question

If NASA is so great why can't they figure our global warning or cooling whichever you believe or how to 300 miles out of a gallon of gasoline, now that would really impress me.

did your mothers ever tell you two wrongs do not make a right. Just because we have an unpopular war going on this justifies wasting 17 billion dollors on NASA. If you liberals are so worried about the poopr and health care, why not put this 17 billions dollors towards the children?

apparently i struck a nerve with you liberals so I consider this question a success.

to EAC: Well if Jesus said NASA is okay then I guess its okay with the poor.

Eri: 17 billions dollors of taxpayer money is not small amount. It may have cured one cancer patient, made christimas a little better for some children, not all. It could be use to hire more police and maybe save lives. how many lives can NASA scientists say they have saved?

Angela c: You know I see this alot of yahoo answers and that is a person is unable to answer a question so they bring up another answer like the war in Iraq. When your mother caught you stealing cookies from the cookies jar did you respond, oh Johnny did it also. I do believe the war is a mistake also but you are confusing the two issues.

Answer 1

Government funded research, like what goes on at NASA can go places that commercially funded research can't. There are more dollars available, and there isn't a profit motive or shareholders demands. Government research is free to collaborate with universities in a way private concerns aren't.
Yes, of course the downside is inefficiency. TANSTAAFL.
The points raised about the size of the NASA budget are true enough; it's miniscule compare to what's pouring out daily for Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security/social service programs. So, in point of fact, US taxpayers are already pouring a lot of money into helping the poor. Trouble is: **money doesn't solve the problem**.

It really comes down to money priorities - as long as there are noticeable problems, there will be people squawking that "We" should be spending on those problems and not on stuff that doesn't look important (to those people). The picture is much bigger than that...

Answer 2

Why are you so worried about the poor. Every one here in the US has an opportunity to get an education. There is all kinds of informative programs stressing the need for education. The poor in this country usually lack education and training for good jobs. I realise there are going to be some that say they are educated and still poor. If the poor dont want to be poor get yourself educated and get better jobs. The money spent on NASA will not make a dent on the poor. NASA has brought to you a lot of the things you enjoy. Computers and technology for cell phones and video games and fast food and ready to eat food and instant drink mix. All kinds of wonderful things come from NASA. Dont knock the program

Answer 3

Why do people always assume that if we decided to cut NASA's budget, all the money would go directly to poor people?

Listen up. NASA's annual budget of about 17 billion dollars is the SMALLEST of any gov't agency. We're wasting twice that much PER DAY in Iraq - killing people.

They figured out global warming. Now if only anyone would bother listening to them about how to fix it.

Answer 4

Because while we always have the poor, we wouldn't always have NASA.

"
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
" John 12:3-8



As for global warning or cooling.

Well, you can only survive it, but currently we have no power to manipulate Earth.



As for increasing the miles per gallon on gasoline.

Some just damn lucky we don't use water as fuel, considering how expensive water is.

Answer 5

Why are we wasting money on internet? Baseball games? Video games? Snack foods? I'm sure there's something you're wasting money on.

I believe that NASA should be there. I know this sounds dumb but what if an extraterrestrial force was going to wipe out our planet and NASA could save us?

Answer 6

Please consult your own federal budget (I'm not American...) and compare the numbers for HEW (who really do feed the poor) and NASA. See how long it takes HEW to spend NASA's annual budget.

Addendum: this forum owes its very existence to NASA research, in several different ways. The fact that you can ask your question shows that you have benefited from this supposed waste of money.

Answer 7

You could feed more people on the money spent in one month on warfare than on the money spent in a year by NASA.

Answer 8

Yeah, why don't we feed the poor, cure the sick and free all who live in bondage!

Stupid question!

How about this? Why are we wasting so much money on idiots who ask questions like this? You sound like a beauty contestant during her interview. Please!!!

Answer 9

There will always be poor people, some may ask why are we wasting our money on them.

Answer 10

If you care so much about the poor, let them live with you.