Projects of this complexity are difficult to mothball, and the costs of restarting are very high. We've seen that with the F-22 fighter. What we really need a

Projects of this complexity are difficult to mothball, and the costs of restarting are very high. We've seen that with the F-22 fighter. What we really need are politicians who can grasp the ROI of basic science (which is what I believe the JWST is) and have the will to prioritize it. Sadly, politicians with both brains and courage are a rare breed.