[McGruff]

I think the two things that most damaged Newt in Florida were 1) his attacks on Bain Capital from the left, and 2) the moon colony idea, which I think was something he mentioned out of desperation.

I wonder what your opinion of this was.

Returning to the moon and building an outpost there is not new. Until three years ago, it was U.S. policy and billions of dollars were spent on that idea.

Staying on the moon dates at least to 1969, when a government committee recommended that NASA first build a winged, reusable space shuttle followed by a space station and then a moon outpost. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush proposed going to the moon and staying there.

Sixteen years later, in 2005, his son, President George W. Bush, proposed a similar lunar outpost, phased out the space shuttle program and spent more than $9 billion designing a return to the moon program.

George Washington University space policy director Scott Pace, who was NASA’s associate administrator in the second Bush administration and is a Romney supporter, said the 2020 lunar base date Gingrich mentioned was feasible when it was proposed in 2005.

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/01/31/experts_say_gingrich_moon_base_dreams_not_lunacy/

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Well, why didn't Reagan build a moon colony? Why didn't Bush 41 or Bush 43? You've cited a lot of talk, but nobody actually doing it.

I'd say the reason it didn't happen during any of those Presidencies is because of the cost. So now, at a time when both our immediate and longer-term fiscal peril is much worse than it was for Reagan or either Bush, now is the time to spend all that money?

And I've read that article. It's full of space geeks applauding Gingrich generally for putting emphasis on space. Gee, that's a suprise. Like asking a car salesman if he thinks its a good idea if you buy a new car.

But in any case, even that article has quotes saying how the promise of a permanent lunar colony by 2020 was "out there". And it is a huge leap from saying that someone is "technologically feasible", and saying it actually is practical, and an intelligent use of taxpayer money.

Anyway, if you want to support this, feel free to contribute what you want out of your own pocket. Just keep your hands out of mine.

[WVNan]

When Newt made the statement about a moon station, he was talking to an audience of NASA employees and unemployed NASA ex-employees. How can anyone fault him for giving them hope of a better future and a reason to hang in there?