More fucked up Republican priorities:

NASA’s earth science budget has declined 30 percent since 2000. It stands to fall further as funding shifts to plans for a manned mission to the moon and Mars. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, meanwhile, has experienced enormous cost overruns and schedule delays with its premier weather and climate mission.

As a result, the panel said, the United States will not have the scientific information it needs in the years ahead to analyze severe storms and changes in Earth’s climate unless programs are restored and funding made available.

WTF? Why the focus on Mars? Do the Republicans want to evangelize the Martians, if any?

Or is Mars their exit strategy from the planet?

NOTE And get a load of this weird press release from NASA:

“This first decadal report will be valuable in our strategic planning within our Science Mission Directorate,” NASA said in a statement. “NASA supports the Administration’s science policies and priorities, including the way forward on Earth observing systems.”

Has Bush’s “way forward” Christianist dog whistle infected the entire government?