A useful way to spend $1 Trillion

Thinking of common sense uses for the focus of our national might is more the exception than the rule when it comes to government, so let me take a moment (inspired by the latest PJTV segment on 'they stole our future, but cannot break our will' - I recommend you take the 10 minutes to watch) to propose an idea:

Instead of spending $1 Trillion on a useless, archaic, socialist, economically bankrupt, authoritarian health care system, here is an idea that could help stimulate innovation and social advancement:

Permanent Human Mars Colony: Cost = $500Billion
For the price of half of the non "free" health care system (since it does little more than mandate rationed coverage), humanity can build a fully functional permanent settlement on the surface of the red planet. In fact, it has been theorized by Dr. Robert Zubrin and the Mars Society (of which I am a proud long-time member) that the cost of a rudimentary continuous supply mission would be a mere $50 Billion - or 1/20th the cost of the upcoming downfall of our society.

Suppose, for a moment, the innovation necessary to adapt sustained human existence on a planet extremely harmful to our way of life. Just as innovation leaps led us out of the dark ages and eventually into the industrial age, imagine if we find that we are currently in a special dark age when it comes to adaptive living and interstellar travel. What can humanity learn about resource management, about environmental adaptation, about species survival, advanced communication, or even advanced and efficient space travel and transport... the possibilities are endless...

The social authoritariat may have stolen the future of our fathers and grandfathers, but our will is unbroken, and our time to take hold of the future is at hand.

The year is now 2010. Where will you be standing in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years? And where will human perseverance, ingenuity, and innovation lead us in that time? Live to inspire, and you will find yourself in awe at the ability of your fellow man...