Maybe the smart first step is to colonize the moon
Makes civilization significantly more fault-tolerant. Allows us to develop new resources on the moon. Allows us time to work on the medical science necessary to sustain humans in a space environment we are not designed for. Allows us to build (hopefully) a launch complex on the much lower-gravity/no atmospheric-drag moon environment so that we can build larger and better-shielded interplanetary vehicles. And it gives us time to develop better propulsion technologies.
Maybe Mars is just a bridge too far right now.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
