But the cost continues to rise. A second reason why governments cannot deliver goods and services efficiently is that they are subject to political pressures. Indeed, if decisions are not made on a basis of market demand, then politics is the other alternative. In the case of government spending on technology, businesses compete for corporate pork. For example, recipients of taxpayers' money through the Department of Commerce's Advanced Technology Program include Xerox, IBM, and Dupont, all no doubt fine companies but hardly poor, struggling newcomers.
Political pull is their to the federal pocketbook.
Better government approaches. The most economically and politically viable approach to a Mars mission, based on market principles, is the Mars Prize approach, supported by House Speaker Gingrich. A version of this approach was considered in 1988 by a Commerce Department led group looking at ways to return to the Moon. But these funds still will prove difficult to secure. A way to make such a prize-based approach politically and economically practical might be for advocates of a Mars mission to back the elimination of the planned Space Station and privatization of the Shuttle as a means to turn over civilian space activities to the private, civilian sector where it belongs.