Moon first?

A mars mission would produce useful technologies
for realistic and reasonable space ventures (please do
not reply to this by telling me mars is not
realistic). However, how long do we have to live off
of NASA spinoffs, that is not how society should be
benefitting from space.

Another reason why mars would be a harmful
undertaking is that it would turn into another Apollo:

Senator A: "Why go to mars?"

NASA Guy B: "Because abc and d"

Special interest guy C:"Sounds good"

NASA Guy B:"We have landed on mars and discovered a
few interesting things about soil."

Special interest guy C:" You accomplished abc and d,
why stay on mars?"

NASA Guy B: "BUT?!"

Mars would act as yet another barrier, we are not
ready to handle it as we should.