greer%utd201.dnet%utadnx@utspan.span.nasa.gov (08/29/89)
>From: eplrx7!leipold@louie.udel.edu (leipold) >$1. (As a matter of fact, I think allowing people to vote with their >taxes would be a good idea. Let Congress and the IRS make up forms so >you can figure how much you owe, but then _you_ decide what percentage >of what you owe goes to what part of government. But I digress from >sci.space...) Say, I had that idea too. I've included it on my list of justifications for Space Exploration. About a hundred million income tax returns are filed each year in this country, and it would only take four million taxpayers paying an average of $3500 a year to fund space exploration at its current level. It's helpful to imagine that it's already happening that way, so if someone gripes about having to pay for Voyager, say, just tell them you paid for it and they can pay for whatever they want. Another good statistic is that Americans spent $17G on entertainment last year! People who say space program money would be better spent on <insert worthy cause here> should be asked to forgo movies, TV, music, all forms of entertainment. Nor, for that matter, should they be allowed information or activity of any kind which is not conducive to the furtherance of <insert worthy cause here>. One more thing is that most people overestimate the amount of money spent on space exploration by 10 to 30 times! A friend of mine who teaches a beginner's astronomy class tells me that none of his students has ever guessed as low as NASA's actual budget, which amounts to about 1% of the total. Most students guess in the 10% to 30% range. In a similar vein, some people respond well to a "rearrangement of priorities" argument, for example, the fact that about 30 Voyager missions could be done for the price of the one B2 bomber developed so far is a real eye opener. Of course, there are always those incorrigibles who say that all tax monies are taken by force and that we shouldn't even be arguing about how to spend them but should just stop taxing. ---- "Drive Friendly or Die" | Dale M. Greer Proposed Texas License Plate Motto | Center for Space Sciences -- Anonymous | University of Texas at Dallas | UTSPAN::UTADNX::UTDSSA::GREER The opinions are my own, and may or may not reflect those of my employer.