[Blueflare]

Going to America is definitely not the same as going to Mars...
The more obvious comparison is the international space station. The first people to live on the surface of Mars would effectively live on a space station, just, on the surface of a planet. And it would have to be a one way trip, because getting there and back will not feasible for a long time.
We send food and stuff to the international space station all the time. Mars is obviously WAY further but I think we would be able to do it. Meanwhile the scientists could begin the long, slow, difficult process of terraforming Mars. They may never get to come back, but they get to terraform Mars. And that is AWESOME. I refuse to believe that people cannot be found to sign up for that. I'd sign up if I thought I could be of any use.