Let's Play Politics

Bless you! I'm getting seriously tired of the "we can't do anything" contingent. The way I see it, if I am going to seek a meeting with a Presidential candidate, senator, etc., I need to have a presentation ready which contains facts and figures: what the Mars Landing program is estimated to cost, a comparison of what a program to assemble/launch solar power satellites would cost, and a realistic projection of how long it would take. If we can make a persuasive case that the government's/taxpayers' money would be much better spent on the latter, it might make a very attractive campaign issue for a Democrat who wants to run against the Bush Administration's record and proposals. I have a pretty good general sense for why this is desirable, but I don't have the hard data needed to support a proposed course of action. Is this something you could help with? And am I totally off-base in thinking that the money it will take to get to Mars would pay for a pretty good chunk of future non-fossil fuel energy independence?