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From: fc@spuxll.UUCP (fc)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia,net.astro
Subject: Re: NASA Budget Cuts!
Message-ID: <654@spuxll.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-May-85 12:28:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: spuxll.654
Posted: Fri May  3 12:28:49 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 7-May-85 22:26:25 EDT
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Xref: watmath net.space:3879 net.columbia:1415 net.astro:609

The best argument I can think of to pursuade the non-space-interested citizen
that NASA budgets should not be cut is to ask them where we would be today
if, in 1492, Queen Isabella had given Columbus's funding to the poor instead.
If no-one had funded Columbus (and successors) can you imagine how overcrowded
Europe would be today if all the people here of European ancestry were born
there instead.  Also, look at how many millions of people world-wide are
now fed by our huge grain farms both here & in Canada, etc.  Who, in 1492,
could have imagined 747's capable of delivering 200,000 pounds of food
from the US to Africa in half a day?  Who, in 1985, can imagine what immense
benefits will flow to Earth from Mars, the asteroids, etc. in 500 years?