Who wants to go to Mars?
Note to Steve Nielson, you do not need the permission of the President of the United States to go to Mars.
In the CNN/YouTube Republican debate on November 28th, Steve Nielson asked if any of the candidates would sign a pledge to the Mars Society to send an American to Mars by 2020. Being the flavor of the month and a big government Republican, Mike Huckabee got to deliver the first non-answer. Governor Huckabee enumerated the benefits of space exploration while remaining noncommittal on which projects he would fund. Tom Tancredo got to respond and play the traditional Republican. Still his answer focused on our inability to pay for a trip to Mars. It would have be a pleasant change of pace if someone pointed out that the President doesn’t have the authority to send anyone to Mars and that Steve doesn’t need to ask permission if he wants to go to Mars.