This petition is to double the NASA budget by 2016.
Can we afford it?
Yes.
Currently, the NASA budget is less than 1/2 of 1% of the Federal Budget, or 1/200th the Budget. In other words, an EMBARRASSINGLY tiny amount.
This would require another 1/2 of 1%. Numerically speaking, that's reducing the Defense budget by appx. 2.5%, or by 1/40th to pay for it.
Is this unprecedented?
No.
The NASA budget was double it's current amount in 1991. During the height of the Apollo program, it was slightly less than 4.5% of the Budget. Doubling it is a small step, fiscally speaking.
With it, and with the help of burgeoning space industries, we can explore the moons of Jupiter, we can have the moon base, we can have everything and more.
Let me ask you, how much would you pay for the Universe?