[from occupied ga]

There ya go. It's all in perspective, and yours is way, way, skewed.

Just another form of welfare for PhDs and engineers. I think your perspective is skewed, but then I'm what would be considered a paleocon. I think that the space program ought to be privately funded from voluntary contributions, and if there weren't enough money for some stuff then it wouldn't get done. I guarantee that there would be a lot fewer failures if there were employment/funding consequences of those failures.

[Frank_Discussion]

"I guarantee that there would be a lot fewer failures if there were employment/funding consequences of those failures."

Your guarantee is worthless. Private R&D flops all the time, and is a good thing. Government R&D does too, all the time, and is still a good thing in the long run. Failure is the cost of learning.

Fiscal responsibility does not reduce the level of failure. Heads rolling for failure is counterproductive, and is why you didn't see mass firings after Columbia went down, just slapping hands doesn't cut it. Corporations invest in talent and keep that investment as long as possible even when it fails. You try to find out what went wrong, find some way to fold it back into your experience base, and then move on.

That said, I agree that private enterprise should step up to the plate. It is. If NASA is smart, it will take advantage of this, and broaden the effort to effect a lot more of us in a direct, positive way.

Oh, also:

"I'm what would be considered a paleocon."

So If I don't agree, then I'm a "neocon", right? C'mon, sheesh.

[RightWhale]

Just another form of welfare for PhDs and engineers. I think your perspective is skewed

Fund the tip of the pyramid and the whole structure will be raised. The base is a huge thing, but invest in the top and the base will take care of itself.

[night reader]

Just another form of welfare for PhDs and engineers.

That which you subsidize, you will get more of. I, for one, would rather subsidize and produce more engineers and scientists than "welfare mothers"