The Candidates and their positions on Space Exploration

[finknottle]

Not much attention has been given to the visions the candidates have for space.

 

Clinton had her policies out early, and Obama eventually came out with one. It's interesting in that he seems to view manned initiatives as not worth the money, and in fact will shift a large part of NASA's funding to the Dept of Education pay for the first year of his pre-kindergarten initiative. The development of the space shuttle replacement, the 2020 mission to Mars, and the return to the moon will all be placed on 'hold.'

 

Here's a compilation for those interested in the topic. Comments?

 

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1028/1

http://mwvastronomy.com/blog/?p=5

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...ace_policy.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6...bama_their.html

[Alaska Darin]

We can fix education simply by throwing more money at it...

 

I guess a small amount of credit goes to Obama for saying how he plans to pay for something.

 

NASA is one of the very few government "programs" that is a significant economic generator. I'm sure they're not perfect (they weren't when I worked there) but I doubt cutting back their funding will fix what ails them or be good for the American people in the long run.

 

Wanna pay for stuff with outdated government programs? I bet I could find a list of 10 that are more expensive and wasteful than NASA without much trouble. Of course, they'd likely be pet Democrat giveaways like FSA...

[molson_golden2002]

We can fix education simply by throwing more money at it...

 

I guess a small amount of credit goes to Obama for saying how he plans to pay for something.

 

NASA is one of the very few government "programs" that is a significant economic generator. I'm sure they're not perfect (they weren't when I worked there) but I doubt cutting back their funding will fix what ails them or be good for the American people in the long run.

 

Wanna pay for stuff with outdated government programs? I bet I could find a list of 10 that are more expensive and wasteful than NASA without much trouble. Of course, they'd likely be pet Democrat giveaways like FSA...

 

How many times do you have to tell me there is no difference between the party's until you will believe it yourself?

 

And the thing to cut is the military, but this nation has been so bombarded with the propaganda that were are on the verge of being destroyed by an "Axis of Evil," or whatever, that Obama could never suggest cutting that bohemith pork project that devours everything in sight.

[molson_golden2002]

Not much attention has been given to the visions the candidates have for space.

 

Clinton had her policies out early, and Obama eventually came out with one. It's interesting in that he seems to view manned initiatives as not worth the money, and in fact will shift a large part of NASA's funding to the Dept of Education pay for the first year of his pre-kindergarten initiative. The development of the space shuttle replacement, the 2020 mission to Mars, and the return to the moon will all be placed on 'hold.'

 

Here's a compilation for those interested in the topic. Comments?

 

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1028/1

http://mwvastronomy.com/blog/?p=5

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...ace_policy.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6...bama_their.html

Tough call. The space program is a very important reseach and development program. Really, this is another tragedy of the Bush era. He created these massive deficits that can't go on. Somethings got to be cut and taxes have to be raised.

 

BTW, investing in young children is a good bet for the future as well. And that does take money, but if it helps them be better citicens in the future its well worth it.

[molson_golden2002]

Nick Kristoff has a good point, somewhat along these lines today:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/opinion/...l?th&emc=th

 

 

“The message is, let’s change light bulbs and let’s be more efficient,” Mr. Pielke said. “But let’s do more than that. The solution lies in transformational technologies.”

 

Solar power is one of the most hopeful technologies but still produces about 0.01 percent of U.S. electricity. The U.S. allocates just $159 million for solar research per year — about what we spend in Iraq every nine hours.

 

Other renewable technologies, including wind power, also merit far more investment; it’s appalling that subsidies continue to support oil and coal, and that money should be diverted to renewables. Since 1979, U.S. spending on energy research has shrunk by approximately half, taking inflation into account. Spending on military research, meanwhile, has more than doubled and now amounts to roughly 20 times what is spent on energy research.

 

_____________________

 

Unbelievable!

[John Adams]

Not much attention has been given to the visions the candidates have for space.

 

Clinton had her policies out early, and Obama eventually came out with one. It's interesting in that he seems to view manned initiatives as not worth the money, and in fact will shift a large part of NASA's funding to the Dept of Education pay for the first year of his pre-kindergarten initiative. The development of the space shuttle replacement, the 2020 mission to Mars, and the return to the moon will all be placed on 'hold.'

 

Here's a compilation for those interested in the topic. Comments?

 

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1028/1

http://mwvastronomy.com/blog/?p=5

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...ace_policy.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6...bama_their.html

 

If the government is going to steal my money, I'd prefer it was spent on space over pre-K.

[Alaska Darin]

How many times do you have to tell me there is no difference between the party's until you will believe it yourself?

It's funny that you can't get the simple point. At the end of the day, the parties are almost completely alike. The only difference is who their "master's" are. Neither is "fixing" a damn thing, simply spending money we don't have on things we don't need.

And the thing to cut is the military, but this nation has been so bombarded with the propaganda that were are on the verge of being destroyed by an "Axis of Evil," or whatever, that Obama could never suggest cutting that bohemith pork project that devours everything in sight.

Try applying that logic equally to the rest of the pet programs you love so much. Then you'll be getting somewhere. No difference.

[/dev/null]

What if Ferdinand and Isabella had decided to spend their money on education instead of 3 ships?

What if Ponce DeLeone had funded government health care instead of going to look for the Fountain of Youth?

 

I guess NASA should just hold a bake sale. That Hubble Space Telescope really doesn't serve much purpose anyway

[finknottle]

What if Ferdinand and Isabella had decided to spend their money on education instead of 3 ships?

What if Ponce DeLeone had funded government health care instead of going to look for the Fountain of Youth?

 

I guess NASA should just hold a bake sale. That Hubble Space Telescope really doesn't serve much purpose anyway

 

On a related note, the only time I ever wrote a cranky-old-man letter it was to NASA, blasting their risk-aversion, back when Golden was having a hissy fit over commercial passengers in space and doing everything he could to block it.

 

I think I used the line "What if Ferdinand and Isabella cancelled the Columbus voyage because the sure loss of some sailors lives would be unacceptable?"

[molson_golden2002]

1) What if Ferdinand and Isabella had decided to spend their money on education instead of 3 ships?

 

 

2) What if Ponce DeLeone had funded government health care instead of going to look for the Fountain of Youth?

 

3) I guess NASA should just hold a bake sale. That Hubble Space Telescope really doesn't serve much purpose anyway

1) There would have been a lot of happy "Indians"

 

2) Who cares? You do understand we can't live in space, yet people could and did live in Florida, right?

 

3) Gasp!!! Tax money on another government program? Psssst, government can't do anything right, remember?

[/dev/null]

1) There would have been a lot of happy "Indians"

 

2) Who cares? You do understand we can't live in space, yet people could and did live in Florida, right?

 

3) Gasp!!! Tax money on another government program? Psssst, government can't do anything right, remember?

 

1 - There would also have been no United States of America. No US Constitution, no "Give me liberty or give me death", no Marilyn Monroe, no Big Macs, or any of the other things everybody loves to hate and hates to love about America. There would also have been no George W Bush for you to rag on 10 times a day.

 

2 - And there was a time people thought that if you sailed to the west you'd fall off. We can't live in space now, but we never will be able to if we don't start looking for a way off this rock. This rock with 6+ Billion people (and growing) all competing for limited resources

 

3 - Unlike most other government programs NASA actually sees a return on its investment. I would however like to see more private sector initiiatives in space exploration

[Booster4324]

1) There would have been a lot of happy "Indians"

 

2) Who cares? You do understand we can't live in space, yet people could and did live in Florida, right?

 

3) Gasp!!! Tax money on another government program? Psssst, government can't do anything right, remember?

 

1) Who would have been conquered by different Europeans albeit at a different date.

 

2) You do understand people are living in space currently, as we type...right? Now mind you, they are there to determine the best way to, you know, figure out HOW to live in an environment without natural gravity, with limited resources and in a vacuum.

 

3) I should note that you argue poorly. Not in this particular thread or any other particular political thread. I mean most of them when taken as a whole. You may have the occasional point, but the sheer volume of your, poorly worded as well as poorly thought out, posts simply overwhelm them. Keep in mind, I am still somewhat of a liberal.

[Booster4324]

1) There would have been a lot of happy "Indians"

 

2) Who cares? You do understand we can't live in space, yet people could and did live in Florida, right?

 

3) Gasp!!! Tax money on another government program? Psssst, government can't do anything right, remember?

 

1) Who would have been conquered by different Europeans albeit at a different date.

 

2) You do understand people are living in space currently, as we type...right? Now mind you, they are there to determine the best way to, you know, figure out HOW to live in an environment without natural gravity, with limited resources and in a vacuum.

 

3) I should note that you argue poorly. Not in this particular thread or any other particular political thread. I mean most of them when taken as a whole. You may have the occasional point, but the sheer volume of your, poorly worded as well as poorly thought out, posts simply overwhelm them. Keep in mind, I am still somewhat of a liberal.

[Alaska Darin]

I should note that you argue poorly. Not in this particular thread or any other particular political thread. I mean most of them when taken as a whole. You may have the occasional point, but the sheer volume of your, poorly worded as well as poorly thought out, posts simply overwhelm them. Keep in mind, I am still somewhat of a liberal.

Welcome to the party, pal. Molson is the only one here who doesn't know Molson's an idiot. The coolest thing is when he calls someone else an idiot for making a lucid point, all the while puffing his chest out. High comedy.

[Booster4324]

Welcome to the party, pal. Molson is the only one here who doesn't know Molson's an idiot. The coolest thing is when he calls someone else an idiot for making a lucid point, all the while puffing his chest out. High comedy.

 

I called him out a couple of other times. Lately, I am trying to be nice to everyone, well everyone except those who dish it out.

[John Adams]

1 - There would also have been no United States of America. No US Constitution, no "Give me liberty or give me death", no Marilyn Monroe, no Big Macs, or any of the other things everybody loves to hate and hates to love about America. There would also have been no George W Bush for you to rag on 10 times a day.

 

Bit of a logical stretch there, eh?

[VABills]

I talked to a friend over at NASA right after I saw this. Her response was classic.

 

Children we want to spend more money on you so you can learn more and be real smart. However there won't be any jobs available that take advantage of that knowledge.

[Pete]

1 - There would also have been no United States of America. No US Constitution, no "Give me liberty or give me death", no Marilyn Monroe, no Big Macs, or any of the other things everybody loves to hate and hates to love about America. There would also have been no George W Bush for you to rag on 10 times a day.

 

2 - And there was a time people thought that if you sailed to the west you'd fall off. We can't live in space now, but we never will be able to if we don't start looking for a way off this rock. This rock with 6+ Billion people (and growing) all competing for limited resources

 

3 - Unlike most other government programs NASA actually sees a return on its investment. I would however like to see more private sector initiiatives in space exploration

I am with you on this one. NASA is money well spent!

[Chilly]

I talked to a friend over at NASA right after I saw this. Her response was classic.

 

Children we want to spend more money on you so you can learn more and be real smart. However there won't be any jobs available that take advantage of that knowledge.

 

While I do agree with your position, I think that is overstating it a tiny bit.

[molson_golden2002]

1) Who would have been conquered by different Europeans albeit at a different date.

 

2) You do understand people are living in space currently, as we type...right? Now mind you, they are there to determine the best way to, you know, figure out HOW to live in an environment without natural gravity, with limited resources and in a vacuum.

 

3) I should note that you argue poorly. Not in this particular thread or any other particular political thread. I mean most of them when taken as a whole. You may have the occasional point, but the sheer volume of your, poorly worded as well as poorly thought out, posts simply overwhelm them. Keep in mind, I am still somewhat of a liberal.

 

 

First off I have nothing against space exploration per say and I think its fine. But the comparison to the Spanish mission to the new world is silly. Totally different. Great there are a few people set up in artificial environments at great cost to live and do experiments, wonderful! But if the argument is, as was posted, should we spend to explore up there, or should we spend to fix our world down here, I'm all for fixing the only world I will ever probably live on. Hopefully we can do both.

 

As for thinking my posts suck, so be it. I do argue poorly here, yes. I do not put much effort into them I admit, but then again I feel I am answering morons generally and not much effort is needed. Also, do you know how many replies I get per post? I mean they just come out from under every rock to attack me from everywhere. I don't have the time--like a few other posters do to write 24/7-- out a reply. I'm not going to appologize for that. I have a core set of beliefs and spew them with venom I admit, but if you feel I have not answered when you "called me out" I will put you at the top of my reply list.

 

You are a liberal, so? Liberals don't disagree or something? What's your point?