Should the United States fund spaceflight to Mars? Why? Or Why not?

Totally, especially if we get some say on who we send. I can think of two people running for office right now that would make good candidates for a manned mission to Mars.

I'm kind of torn on this. On the one hand NASA does great science and as an aspiring Planetary Geologist I am excited by the prospect of manned exploration of another planet. On the other hand, I know that a private firm would do it more cost effectively. I think that contracting a private company might be an option where we can get legitimate science done at a fraction of the cost.

No. There were good and valid reasons for establishing dominance in near space. Anyplace from near orbit to the Moon is a platform for offensive and defensive military action. However, beyond the Moon there are economic opportunities. Mining asteroids. Colonization. These are the purview of private industry. If they can figure out how to make a profit from it, let them. But look at NASA's budget today. They cost even more than they did when we went to the Moon. When we had a fleet of shuttles in service. And what are we getting for our money? Nothing even close to providing a return on investment.

100%. The technology we'll uncover through this mission will benifit our nation in ways we could never imagine.

Absolutely. Our nation gained vast amounts of scientific, medical, and technical knowledge from the space programs of the 1960s through the 1980s. Did it become commonplace? Yes. Is it really so 123, ABC as it appears? Light years from it. If I was in my Twenties and single, I would have applied for the Mars missions in a heartbeat. Space and the deep seas are basically all that's left for us to explore. Humans need exploration to both expand our knowledge of who and what were are in relation to where and why we are, but we need it to continue to capture our imagination. When we stop dreaming about what's out there or down there, we stop so much more that really separates us from our animal kin. We must dream. We must explore. Or we become mere passengers, and dull ones at that.

Absolutely, and beyond. At some point we will go extinct, either through our own doing or through a natural disaster (i.e. supernova). If we hope to survive as a species, we have to go to the stars. The astronaut illustrates that there are challenges associated with it and that is true. Space is very dangerous, but without risk there is no gain. I just wish our space program didn't stall after the Apollo missions.

Yes. Think of the advancements we would make .

Yes the US should help fund a mission to Mars.No we shouldn't do it alone.

Yes. Stephen Hawking has it right when he says "It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster on planet Earth in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million. The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until we have spread the load."

http://bigthink.com/dangerous-ideas/5-stephen-hawkings-warning-abandon-earth-or-face-extinction

Without doubt. Some of the most basic things we take for granted today came from NASA (Some examples listed below). The technology developed to get people to Mars would be invaluable in future exploitation of the Solar System. Plus, there's a hard, cold reality that people rarely talk about: there are a finite number of resources on this planet, and we're doing little to replace them. They're going to run out eventually -- personally, I give it 500 years or so, but that's just my armchair scientist talking -- and then...we either go somewhere else, or we die off. Never mind catastrophic events that might kill us off anyways.

Artificial limbs
Baby formula
Cell-phone cameras
Computer mouse
Cordless tools
Ear thermometer
Firefighter gear
Freeze-dried food
Golf clubs
Long-distance communication
Invisible braces
MRI and CAT scans
Memory foam
Safer highways
Solar panels
Shoe insoles
Ski boots
Adjustable smoke detector
Water filters
UV-blocking sunglasses