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January 15, 2004
School roof leaks worth it
NSS Director Marianne Dyson's letter to the Houston Chronicle was published on page 31A, January 15, 2004. Reprinted with the author's permission. "School roof leaks worth it"Regarding the Chronicle's Jan 13 article, "Most want money spent on Earth": The people who said that money spent on space should go to domestic programs would be very disappointed if that actually happened. The small amount of money [going to space programs] would not make any difference in health care's skyrocketing costs, and the nation would lose a program that's been proven to motivate kids to study math and science. NASA's entire budget ($15 billion) is less than 1 percent of the federal budget, compared to Defense at 17 percent, and Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlements at more than 55 percent. If spent on health care, it might buy a box of Band-Aids for each person in the U.S. Yet this money invested in our space program will get our shuttles flying safely again, finish our space station, reap billions in economic spin-offs, and inspire the first women to go to the moon and Mars. Spending this money on space may not fix leaky school roofs, but it may help the kids endure the hardships knowing that there's a bright future waiting for them. Marianne Dyson, Houston
Posted by apsmith at January 15, 2004 03:52 PM
