Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?". Your opponent's style: Richard Feynman

Fix earth first as we have no money

Your argument proves the opposite of what you think. If we're broke, Mars colonization becomes *irrelevant* to the equation, not decisive. Earth's problems aren't unfunded because of space budgets, they're unfunded because of political choices. NASA gets 0.5% of federal spending. Cutting Mars doesn't magically unlock billions for healthcare or infrastructure, it just disappears into other military or corporate priorities. Meanwhile, space investment generates jobs, technological spinoffs, and long-term economic returns. The real question isn't money, it's priorities. Why assume we must choose at all instead of asking why we've decided poverty is acceptable?