Posted on 06/16/2010 11:34:36 AM PDT by Starman417
Any surprise that Obama's mediocrity rears its ugly head once again. This time by moving to kill the Constellation program, the program to get man on the moon...permanently, and then to mars.....how does he do it? As his Chicago upbringing has taught him
Constellation aimed to build upon what was arguably America’s greatest technological achievement, the first lunar landing of 1969, by launching new expeditions to the Moon and to Mars and worlds beyond. Mr Obama proposed in February that it should be scrapped because it was “over budget, behind schedule and lacking in innovation”, but he has met opposition in Congress, which has yet to approve his plan.The head of Nasa, Major-General Charlie Bolden -- an Obama appointee -- has now written to aerospace contractors telling them to cut back immediately on Constellation-related projects costing almost $1 billion (£690 million), to comply with regulations requiring them to budget for possible contract termination costs. The move has been branded a “disingenuous legal manoeuvre” and referred to Nasa’s inspector-general for investigation. “It’s bordering on arrogance by the Administration to boldly and brazenly go forward with this approach. It shows a blatant disregard for Congress,” said the Republican Congressman Rob Bishop, of Utah, whose constituency stands to lose thousands of jobs. Two weeks ago the Senate passed legislation that compels Nasa to continue work on Constellation unless Congress directs otherwise. That legislation is due to be signed into law by Mr Obama this month while Congress continues its deliberations over his proposal to cancel the current space space progamme.~~~Distinguished space veterans, including the first and last men to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan, have complained that the abandonment of Constellation will set America’s space capabilities on a “downhill slide to mediocrity”. They say that, while Mr Obama has outlined a vision for Nasa that includes sending people to Mars at some point, it lacks a concise plan for developing the rockets and spacecraft to get them there.
[snip]
Obama has gone out of his way to ensure everything this country stands for...innovation, excellence, pioneering...goes by the wayside. We are to be nothing but average. No better then the rest of the world and no worse.
This program requires all the traits that has made America great. It would allow us to explore the moon with new technology, investigate the origins of our universe all the while striving to get mankind onto our nearest planet.
Read more at floppingaces.net...
NASA is little more than a jobs program.
Yet people here somehow connect it with patriotism, etc.
The Chicago thuggery against the will of the American people continues.
He is killing America’s future. NASA is our nations future.
The nations that lead on the frontiers, dictate the course of human history.
Obama is managing and orchestrating the decline of the United States.
In just 50 years, Democrats have taken America from winning the space race to winning the race to the bottom. There’s a special place in the afterlife for today’s liberal.
“Obama favors this to take our astronauts to the space station instead of our astronauts riding Russian rockets as shuttle retires.”
Makes you wonder who really won the Cold War.
This is one issue I agree with Obama on. We just have different reasons for opposing NASA. His problem with NASA is that the benefactors of this massive bureaucracy and middle class welfare system are simply not the favored class he represents.
I oppose NASA for the same reasons I do for almost everything else the federal government is doing. Someone show me in the constitution where the federal government is empowered to take money from me to give it to a bunch of dead meat bureaucrats to build space rockets? Unlike Pete Olson, Hutchison, and Cornyn from Texas, I’m just not a hypocrite when it comes to pork for my state. I’m against all the pork and all the grand ideas the fickle majority has for the federal government. I want less government, more freedom.
Incorrect. Space exploration especially the manned moon mission was indeed a stunning achievement by this nation. it is an example of what great countries do. What does the roman colisseum have to do with anything?
Ah, dang.
Obama is aborting everything he can get his hands on.
To boldly redistribute wealth, where no one has redistributed wealth before.
If these criteria were used against all Government programs, we would have a trillion dollar surplus.
NASA may be a jobs program, but it is number 22,499 on the list of things that should be cut. Start at the top and work your way down Edward Demmings style.
Our manned programs heve put us on the verge of being able to crack rocks on Mars with a geologist's hammer, and answer the question of the ages: Is there life?
Yet people here somehow connect it with patriotism, etc.
Imagine that.
Yea! Galactic voyeurs!
I can't understand why that doesn't inspire.
“The current policy is to think about things, launch nothing, do nothing and build nothing.”
- Astronaut Story Musgrave
"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;" U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, clause 8.
This clause seems pretty straightforward in giving Congress only the power to regulate patents and copyrights, but has been stretched to cover promotion of art and science generally (blame the Smithsonian Institution; Congress wasn't sure whether it had authority to accept Smithson's bequest, but decided to take the money and follow his wishes anyway.)
“Just wondering, what are the benfits of a manned space program over an unmanned space program besides the gee whiz factor of humans in space?”
Medical breakthroughs.
Engineering breakthroughs.
Repair and retrieval of satellites and orbiting machinery.
General technological advancements that stimulate industry.
Inspiration to future scientists and engineers.
National pride and prestige (sorely lacking today).
National defence.
Species longevity by not being permanently bound to a single planet.
That enough for you or should I go on?
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