Shuttle Replacement

For years NASA sold the public on the idea of a reusable space vehicle that could be taken aloft on a small booster rocket or from the bottom of a jet, like the X-15 and then sent into orbit. The idea was that the shuttle is like putting a tracker-trailer into orbit and what is really needed is a people-mover; the equivalent of a mini-bus or van. So why did they scrape this idea and return to the space capsule concept. In stead of flying a space-plane back to earth, astronauts will now land in the water with a thud. Seems like we're going backward instead of foward in rocket design. Any thoughts? I wonder what the astronauts think of this idea, as I don't think they were real fond of not being in control of the landing process.

I suspect it's less expensive and safer to use throw away craft than to have to tear them apart and recertify them for launch every time.

General info:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/index.html

New Rockets Named:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/spacecraft/ares_naming.html

Amazing what a few minutes of internet searching will find...

I think that the Russians were right to focus on big dumb rockets for getting things routinely out to space. We need to focus on something that is super simple and that works.