Understanding the Balance Between Science and Humanity

Although most of us are more familiar with the portrayal of extraterrestrial threats through Hollywood films than through NASA's efforts, few would wish to meet their end due to space debris. We value the predictive abilities that information from the cosmos offers. Telescopes are indeed scientific wonders.

However, the funding for space exploration often overshadows that allocated for famine relief. This reflects a concerning and elitist prioritization of knowledge acquisition over the fundamental need for food security. When children succumb to prolonged malnutrition, we must reflect on what truly matters.

Should we not have prioritized providing essential resources to the citizens of Puerto Rico before reconnecting the Arecibo Observatory? While this action won't eradicate global poverty, it is alarming that abstract scientific endeavors take precedence over restoring hospitals and infrastructure to operational status. Can't we address these critical needs before turning our attention back to the telescope?

Facing Global Development Challenges

We have yet to meet the Millennium Development Goals established in 2015. Four years later, extreme poverty persists, universal primary education remains elusive, and environmental sustainability is not ensured. Although some progress has been made on other goals, our response has often been to rename failed initiatives. In 2016, global leaders launched the "bold and transformative" 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

We possess knowledge about Mars, including its volcanic basalt crust, which could range from 6 to 30 miles in thickness, and its soil composition of sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium.

While figures like Elon Musk may embark on journeys to Mars—building their own rockets with personal finances—taxpayer dollars should not fund such ventures. Congress is not using public funds to support Musk’s aspirations; if he wishes to travel through the solar system at 17,000 mph, he will do so at his expense.

The Funding Imbalance: Space vs. Human Needs

NASA's budget has exceeded $21 billion annually. Following a 35-day government shutdown over border wall funding, NASA received an additional $1.6 billion beyond its original request. American taxpayers have also allocated a billion dollars for NASA to explore Jupiter, capturing stunning flyby images at speeds over 130,000 miles per hour. While impressive, such endeavors should not be our priority.

The advancements in technology are indeed remarkable, yet the proposed budget cuts to Medicare by $845 billion highlight a troubling trend: we are aiming for the stars while neglecting our own needs.

It is disheartening to critique the pursuit of knowledge when educational funding declines, test scores fall to among the lowest in developed nations, and educators remain underpaid. Yet, should we prioritize extravagant space missions over essential services such as healthcare, education, and public safety?

A Call for Responsible Resource Allocation

I do not wish to pay for private ambulance services or security; I do not want to depend on wealthy philanthropists for environmental conservation. Military spending should not overshadow all other funding priorities in our society. I want my taxes to support essential services: emergency response, law enforcement, libraries, and public parks.

If we can afford to fund exorbitant military contracts while many personnel struggle to cover their own expenses, we can certainly allocate funds for universal healthcare, free education, and community programs.

To those who dismiss discussions on resource allocation as unrealistic, I remind you that taxation is an inherently social practice. Spending taxpayer money on services that benefit the populace aligns with democratic socialism. Why not invest in our society? What ultimately defines a community?

We often hear a false dichotomy between local and international assistance, but experts agree: there is enough wealth in the world to eliminate poverty. The challenge lies in equitable resource distribution, not scarcity. We need not choose between aiding starving children abroad and addressing poverty at home.

As we consider our priorities, it is clear that they are dangerously skewed. If we can fund astronomical projects, can we at least agree that no child should go hungry?

While I prefer funding NASA over military endeavors, I must question whether space exploration represents the most effective use of our collective resources at this moment.

As President Eisenhower famously stated, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."