On Forbes on Fox, the latest excuse for an assault on federal programs was the $3 million appropriation to NASA to learn how to lobby Congress. Host David Asman used that as a pretext to throw the baby out with the bathwater and abolish NASA. He “asked“ panelist Mike Ozanian, “What about just getting rid of NASA? Let the private sector do it?”

Mike Ozanian said space exploration is very important. But, he added, “This is something out of a Tony Soprano episode. It’s taking money and then teaching, forcing somebody to pay money to get it back.

Asman sneered, “And forgive us Tony Soprano because you know you’re much better than they ever were.”

While Asman would have you believe that NASA is some huge money suck, the truth is its budget is about half of one percent of the total federal budget. NASA’s spinoff technology has provided a host of consumer benefits. Its research is designed to benefit everybody, not just meet the goals of a rich benefactor.