I watched Newt’s space speech the other day. Not only did I learn a few things, I was inspired. Then, last night’s debate really twisted his words and intent on space.
What people are not seeing is that a moon base is not the end goal. Just as JFK vowed we would be on the moon by the end of the 60’s with really no idea how it would happen when he uttered those words, Newt’s aspirations are really intended to unleash the creativity of American minds. By issuing this challenge, he is fostering a renewed emphasis on science and math with the results bringing untold advances in metals, composites, propulsion, who knows what else?!
As far as the governments role in financing these endeavors, the issuance of prize money makes perfect sense. Rather than underwriting an entire program, spend just a fraction of that amount as an enticement to some entrepreneur who will do all they can to claim the prize without the built in cost of bureaucracies. Let businesses compete with each other for the best and brightest, develop new ancillary technologies that they can profit from and ultimately claim the prizes that they will pour back into further development.
Newt thinks outside the box.
Yes! I really liked the prize idea. After all, as he pointed out, Lindbergh flew to Paris...for a $25,000 prize.
And it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than supporting the NASA bureaucracy doing its Muslim outreach.
Here's the fraction of taxpayers' money a conservative would spend: 0.