File image of the last American flag to be hoisted on the Moon
Posted on 12/29/2008 11:02:22 PM PST by tricky_k_1972
Time To Raise The Warning Flag On US Space ProgramFile image of the last American flag to be hoisted on the Moon |
Houston TX (SPX) Dec 29, 2008
The Coalition for Space Exploration, the leading collaboration of space industry businesses and advocacy groups, announced today the release of a statement by James Lovell, who served as part of the crew of Apollo 8 - the first human voyage to a celestial body in December 1968. Apollo 8's successful mission to orbit the Moon paved the way for Apollo 11 to realize U.S. President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the Moon before the close of the 1960s.
In a recent editorial, Lovell points out that "a recent analysis of the costs of government bailouts due to the housing crisis, the credit crisis and other economic woes tallies up to $8.5 trillion - more than the cost of all U.S. wars, the Louisiana Purchase, the New Deal, the Marshall Plan and NASA space program spending - all combined and adjusted for today's dollars.
"Why the necessity to bail out these mismanaged, short-sighted industries that are consumer based when a federal agency with strong management and awe-inspiring deliverables finds itself strapped for cash? Today's NASA is at a crossroads - it is suffering under economic stress, desperate for the necessary funding to continue its magnificent work. It too faces an uncertain funding future tied to 400,000 to 500,000 federal and civil contractor jobs."
Lovell went on to comment, "NASA can be counted on to confront key issues here on Earth, from global climate change to energy independence to aeronautics research. As has been the case for over 50 years, there's a payback to the public for investing in your space program."
Lovell concluded, "It is imperative that NASA receive sufficient funds from the national budget to move on to the next phase of space exploration under the Constellation program.
Provided that President-elect Obama holds true on his promise of $2 billion in additional funding for the program, NASA will be able to continue its great work and ensure that hundreds of thousands keep their jobs, allowing the work and dollars for the space program to remain within the U.S. economy.
This is not a bailout for the agency, but necessary financing to accomplish all that NASA has been tasked with doing."
To view Lovell's complete comments, please click here
One point that really sticks out for me:
"In a recent editorial, Lovell points out that "a recent analysis of the costs of government bailouts due to the housing crisis, the credit crisis and other economic woes tallies up to $8.5 trillion - more than the cost of all U.S. wars, the Louisiana Purchase, the New Deal, the Marshall Plan and NASA space program spending - all combined and adjusted for today's dollars."
That says alot.
It’s an ad link, sorry didn’t get it removed.
I really wish his heroship had not brought up the climate change issue. NASA has not exactly covered itself with glory on that one—hello? James Hanson? Hello?
Yes...it does.
Anyone who can't get this point across to people might want to try this...
Take our current obligations (IOUs and promises we've given, such as money owed, veterans benefits promised [think of how a similar legacy weighs on GM, etc.], Medicare, etc.)...
and round it down to 65 trillion dollars.
That's $50,000,000,000,000.
Now, figure there are about 100 million households in America, but maybe half of them aren't expected to pay into things via income tax, so 50 million contributing households.
Divide 50 trillion by 50 million... and you get an obligation of $1,300,000 per taxpaying household in America.
$1.3 MILLION DOLLARS for each American taxpaying household!
Tell people to just stop and think...what if tomorrow they woke up and they had a weight of $1.3 million dollars on their net worth, having to pay interest on it as they paid it off...how would they view their finances?
How many could actually make good on what they've promised via their representatives?
The piggies are starting to squeal at just the thought of losing their place at the government trough. Somehow the I don’t think those who lost their investments, savings and/or jobs will be too sympathetic at paying more taxes to keep government-paid employees from sharing their pain.
China would be happy to take the reigns and delight at an anemic NASA.
Currently .7 percent of the federal budget is spent on NASA.
NASA could disappear tomorrow and it would make no difference at all in our economic problems, for a while, in ten, twenty years, it will start hurting bad as other nations press outward and reap the rewards.
NASA is smart money spent on the future.
Definitely...as long as it's administered well, and pols keep their noses out.
I have no hope for any other results for NASA for the next few years. They have way too many plant embedded amongst people who might actually produce viable results.
thanks tricky_k_1972!
NASA is now a costly flight of fancy
The Advocate | 01/28/08
Posted on 12/29/2008 5:47:05 PM PST by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2155899/posts
Yep, that's the way Clinton used it, remember Goresat?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triana_(satellite)
We need to end NASA, and rethink, redesign the space program from the ground up.
Fuhgeddaboudit. O’bamana republics don’t go to space.
I admire NASA but I admire my husband too....and nobody gives a rip about his lost pension and retirement......and his work has been just as noble as Nasa's IMO....
cut out the fancy penisons and make them pay like what I pay for medical, and then come begging for more money..
I admire NASA but I admire my husband too....and nobody gives a rip about his lost pension and retirement......and his work has been just as noble as Nasa's IMO....
cut out the fancy pensions and make them pay like what I pay for medical, and then come begging for more money..
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