The Corporatisation of Space?

It seems that the Sainted Obama wants public money out of space travel to clear the way for more corporations.

It seems that Richard Branson is a canny fellow: his launch system doesn't need much more development to provide Earth-Orbit capability. Once the Shuttle is retired, he'll have the only U.S. based method of putting people into space.

If I was the European Space Agency, I'd get cracking on modifying the automated delivery vehicle for the ISS to carry people. Knowing how badly US corporations have done getting to space in the past without serious backing from the taxpayer, I'd say its worth the investment to get into a pretty limited club.

If I were the Russians, I'd be saluting Saint Obama, as very soon they'll have the monopoly on manned earth-space vehicles for a while.

If I were the Chinese.. well actually I haven't a clue what the Chinese having a manned earth-space capability when the US don't would mean, but it does show the paradigm shift in world economics.