Forget the moon, help folks here on Earth

I just saw the landing in the ocean of the Orion, which circled the moon and landed in the ocean. I am impressed.

But then the story was followed by the next goal of placing some sort of a station on the moon that people could somehow live (or survive) on, and I began to wonder about the priorities of this great nation.

Do we not have hundreds of thousands of fellow Americans who are homeless and/or millions who need food assistance on a monthly basis? And what about other Earthlings who need water and food assistance?

I never was in a position to invest in the stock market. I am a Vietnam veteran who is approaching 80 years of age and live primarily on Social Security with my wife. If we didn't spend billions of dollars on the moon project and countless billions of dollars on military expenses, would I then receive a few hundred more dollars each month in addition to my Social Security check? 

If it was put to a vote, which I now believe it should be, I know which box I would check. I was never a fan of the song, "Fly Me to the Moon."

JAMES RICHARD JOHNSON

Clark Fork