If this is true then Obama needs to say something right now

[csziggy]

18. In the 1960s the space race was used to get education budget increases

For years, educators and parents had tried to get school budgets increased to help pay for more teachers and facilities for the Baby Boom generation. But they were ignored. Once JFK declared the Space Race, suddenly science & math programs, school labs, and education in general got more money because it was realized that we needed more scientists and engineers to go into the fields that supported the Space Race and the Cold War.

Another push to get humans into space would be a great motivator to finance our education. We can't keep importing our technical personnel - we need to educate our own.