Here’s my different take.
In 1980 or so, Reagan precipitated the fall of the Soviet Union by pushing them with a huge defense initiative—Star Wars—which they felt they had to match, but were economically unable to do. Economic over-reach put a lot of stress on the old USSR.
The US has long felt it has to match every showy, prestigious initiative. If a Russian-Chinese space program were advertised, and we tried to match it in our current economic straits, it cause us a good deal of economic strain. Cloward-Pliven by a different name?
Me, as a Heinlein-bot, am deeply embarrassed by our "Space Program" with that dog-eared shuttle thing and the 8th grade Science Fair Projects in Space. Where's MY Moon-Base? MY Mars Colony? MY asteroid mining operation? (Keep answer clean!)
Seriously folks, our space thing is just so 60's!
Me, as a Heinlein-bot, am deeply embarrassed by our "Space Program" with that dog-eared shuttle thing and the 8th grade Science Fair Projects in Space. Where's MY Moon-Base? MY Mars Colony? MY asteroid mining operation? (Keep answer clean!)
Seriously folks, our space thing is just so 60's!