Robert Zubrin wrote in his Case for Colonizing Mars that while the moon is very close to earth, has an abundance of valuable helium-3 and oxigen can be found everywhere, there are also strong caveats.
"Carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen are only present on the Moon in parts per million quantities, much like gold in seawater. Oxygen is abundant on the Moon, but only in tightly bound oxides ... require very high energy processes to reduce."
"...the Moon, which is so dry that if concrete were found there, Lunar colonists would mine it to get the water out."
Plants can't grow at a 28 day/night cycle and couldn't be planted in a greenhouse anyway because of the needed protection of solar flares and the resulting increase of heat.

These arguments thought speak against a colony on the Moon where people are going to live. A research base thought could cope with these problems and would probably be possible to fund in cooperation with other nations, until companies make enough profits to take over.

I am curious to see your next articles! Keep at it!