Posted on 01/25/2004 9:12:37 PM PST by jwalburg
Prescott: Have you heard what the president is proposing now?
Howell: Something about exploration, isn't it?
Prescott: Right. He wants to send a crew out into the great beyond to explore uncharted territory. Have you seen the price tag?
Howell: Yeah. And I understand that much of the funding goes into the pockets of the president's close buddies. One of the guys in charge served as his personal secretary for years, and the other is his good friend, William Clark.
Prescott: There should be an investigation.
Howell: Definitely!
Prescott: It's almost as bad as that Louisiana Purchase deal earlier in the year.
Howell: Talk about wasting taxpayer money on frivolities! No one was even asked about this. The president just went ahead and squandered all this money on a bunch of wasteland no one will ever use!
Prescott: You're telling me!
Howell: How much was it? Twelve million dollars??? Man, you could do a lot of important things with 12 million dollars.
Prescott: Our sailors are being starved from Navy cutbacks and we are going to send 47 men to scamper around the wilderness at government expense? And you know what? Everyone thinks this exploration deal was because of the Louisiana Purchase, but I happen to know that the president was making plans for this back in January, BEFORE there was even talk about purchasing the territory.
Howell: That's pretty incriminating stuff! The Congressional Budget Office should get on this right away.
Prescott: No, I think we'll need a special investigator for this one. The thing is, it isn't 12 million. The public is being told it's 12 million - as if that wasn't enough - but really it's 27 million, with interest figured in. Talk about deficit spending!
Howell: You're kidding me!
Prescott: No. I've looked at the figures. This stupid idea is costing taxpayers 27 million dollars! And for what? It's all a public relations move for Jefferson.
Howell: I heard he thinks that by adding all this land we'll seem big and bad to the Europeans. They won't want to mess with us.
Prescott: That, and the stupid Northwest Passage idea. Northwest Passage! Only pea-brains believe in that Northwest Passage theory. But there's Jefferson for you.
Howell: I understand the vice president has some shady motives for this expedition, too.
Prescott: Aaron Burr! That guy's got ulterior motives in everything he does. And this Lewis and Clark thing is no exception. You knew he lost his seat in the New York Assembly when suspicious financial dealings were leaked to the public, didn't you?
Howell: I heard something about that.
Prescott: Well, now I hear he's been scheming to build up a Trans-Appalachian Empire using new land from this Louisiana Purchase.
Howell: Talk about conflict of interest!
Prescott: I wouldn't be surprised if this whole deal was secretly engineered between Burr and the French. Jefferson is just a puppet, you know. He's been a failure at diplomacy on his own. Burr's behind everything.
Howell: Well, just look at the mess Jefferson made of the Declaration. "Endowed by our Creator!" You'd think the new Republic was run by Church of England fanatics, with language like that inserted in the thing!
Prescott: Did you know that Burr's grandfather was that preacher, Jonathan Edwards? The two of them are in the pocket of the religious right, that's for sure. The explorers have already started this asinine trip, with no real public input, no hearings, no committee debate, no environmental impact reports - nothing! They're taking 6 tons of supplies along, mostly to bribe Indians with. Six tons! And much of it on a stupid keelboat.
Howell: Wonder how far they'll get.
Prescott: I don't know, but there are sure better things to be done with that kind of money. You know what Fisher Ames says about the Louisiana Purchase? "Now - we rush like a comet into infinite space!" He's right! This is a crazy idea. And the Lewis and Clark business is even crazier.
Howell: About as crazy an idea as going to Mars! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Donna Marmorstein writes and lives in Aberdeen. You can contact her at dkmarmorstein@yahoo.com.
I think that the US Space Program promises to be a boon to the Red Chinese economy beyond their wildest dreams.
We'll get the glory and they'll get the technology.
--------------------
Basic research as part of the program would probably have economic benefits. First things and prerequisites first.
You discourse leads me to suspect you are not the scientist you say you are. If you will privide me with definitions og BCC, FCC and Hex crystalline structures and their campatabilities, I might believe you claim to background.
Huh? Where? I never once called anyone on this thread uneducated, a fool, unimaginative, or a plethora of other terms I was thinking. And I only used the term, "Little Earthers" just once. I've been very polite in the face of extreme shortsightedness.
perhaps such a costly venture capitalized by public funds should be carefully weighed as to tangible benefits versus capital outlay, especially in light of the magnitude of the outstanding federal debt already accumulated to date. Is that too much to ask?
OK, consider this - will you be proud that your granddaughters and grandsons graduated from Beijing University? Because that's the only place they will get a quality education in the future without continued R&D (including space exploration) in the United States. We have thrown gazillions of dollars at "the poor", we have dumbed-down our educational system so little Johnny doesn't feel bad that he can't pass basic math...and as a result, we have raised a crop of individuals who cannot reason and simply want to sit in front of the TV with their microwave popocorn.
You are questioning the relative merits of research which can propel the US far into the future versus sitting on our arses accepting the status quo. I hardly think anyone really has to spend much time considering this issue.
I think I get your drift. If you cannot PROVE an immediate monetary benefit, then it should be abandoned. My guess is you are glad the SSC was canceled as well. Yup, lets go ahead and continue to put our money where it will do some real good. How about some more housing projects. Oh wait I got it! Free medical to illegals!
Without basic research and science ventures we may as well hang it up. I personally know people with degrees in physics and engineering who cannot find a job in thier field. "Fries with that" anyone?
Never? Wow, another visionary forward thinking individual.
Guess we'll never be able to travel around the world, since it is flat?
Why? You need a refresher in crystal packing? Sorry, but my lectures are not for free.
Nice to see you up and about. Join the fun!
I can verify her claim. Time to apologize!
They're full of hate because they are scared - scared of progress, scared of change. Very sad.
Indeed it can. Sigh!
We look at this picture with joy, wonder and curiosity. We wonder what secrets are waiting to unlocked there. We wonder not if we'll step foot on this wonderful world, but when. We wonder where else we'll be going after we land on this world.
They just see a rock and shake their heads in disgust...
This is probably true (with the exception of Venus). However, the moons of those planets are truly inviting. :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.