Speaker Pelosi Skeptical of Manned Space Funding

Cynics have been saying for a while now that the present NASA has essentially become a jobs program, with NASA supporters saying that view is too cynical. Here it is in as many words.

Regards,
Mike Combs

FYI,

"Top US Lawmaker Skeptical of New Space Funding"
http://www.google. com/hostednews/ afp/article/ ALeqM5jj8HatReJg eIoHl88c48JICxGK SQ

: Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was personally
: skeptical of manned space missions and warned that NASA's future
: funding could depend on whether it was likely to create jobs.

: Pelosi vowed "harsh scrutiny" of all spending requests and said she
: would be asking "what is the mission? How will the money
: effectively be spent, in what period of time, to create jobs,
: compared to what?"

snip
: "Everything is in competition for the dollar, and a judgment will
: be made as to what it does in terms of job creation, because this
: is what we are doing now," said Pelosi.

: The speaker paid tribute to the US moon landing, saying it was
: "like magic" and underlining "our economy benefited enormously."

: "But, again, we have to see dollars well spent creating jobs,
: accomplishing the mission," said Pelosi.

Mark Reiff