i wish we'd get to mars already. and we technically can and should have. but SOMEONE'S generation put MINE in debt. assholes.
Yes, we can thank the US Government for this. They chose to borrow money so that they could spend more than they really had. One day it will catch up and bite us citizens in the ass. If the US Government is ever pressured into paying its debt, they will beat it out of us citizens by raising our taxes to pay for their reckless spending. While we are working two and three jobs to pay our taxes, the US Government will see that they suddenly have more cash flow, and find even more things to blow our money on.
Right now the US govenment owes

dollars. (12 Trillion at time of writing )
As for mars, I say scrap that. There are much more important things that need to be taken care of.
We don't need to blow 2 Billion on a new spiffy space toy and 500 Million to launch it.
Thats the problem with our government, they would say "Oh goody, lets do it... It will create jobs, so its ok. Worst case we'll just raise taxes or on welsh on our debts"