Liberals believe that if we dream smaller — if we renounce space, discard technology and basic research — that we’ll be forced to concentrate on our immediate earthside problems. In fact, the opposite will occur. Dreaming small means that not only do you not achieve the goals you think will you achieve, but that you backslide and worsen your situation.

But the joy of taking things away is one too many people will not relinquish. And that fact is driving a lot of these discussions.