that no nation on earth is more dependent upon its assets in space than the United States. Policy, like music CD's and novels, often needs a hook. I offer this one: At the height of the Iraq war, the United States was spending close to $1 billion per day. For about 20 days of that budget, we could easily support NASA and find the solutions needed to keep our nation preeminent in space. The Chinese often rightfully calibrate their plans for the future in increments of 50, 100 or even 200 years down the road. With regard to our human space program, a President McCain or a President Obama needs to emulate that thinking. Should that not happen, the logical progression of our destiny may be at risk. 7 Comments It's not just the space program, funds are depreciating in medical research as well. Funding levels are currently at about one-third what they were just 8 or 9 years ago. A problem, as implied by the author, is the future. With funding levels to low, there is no incentive for young talent to move into the field of science, but rather to consider more lucrative and secure means of employment. At the moment it is quite apparent we are losing the future for our children, and our children's-children, on many fronts. Wrong!! With every crisis comes opportunity. Now is the time to radically change the mission of NASA to devote all it"s resources -- money and minds -- to combat