Applause for Bush! SERIOUSLY!

bunge

It's about damn time!



If he can get a SERIOUS deal done on this, and not just some high minded rhetoric, Bush will get major props from me. Well, at least on this one issue.

towel

I hope he puts our money where his mouth is. With luck, this might become like the "double-NIH's-budget" issue in 2000, having enough univeral appear that it's endorsed by every candidate and incorporated into their platforms.

brussell

Great but how are we gonna pay for it now? Cut taxes and still have 1 trillion left over, like he said in 2000?

piwozniak

My favorite part:

Quote:

the president also wants to build a permanent space station there.

(moon)

moogs

Pfff. Election-year grand-standing. How can you give him props for something that may or may not happen 10-20 years from now? It's just as silly to praise him if it happens, as blame him if it doesn't. He could certainly try to set a precedent and boost NASA funding bigtime, but that's about all he can do. If it happens, it will be many other people in the government (not to mention future presidents) who make it happen... not just Bush.

br

I'd prefer private enterprise doing moon missions. I mean, I can't be pissed that Bush wants to pour money into NASA but I just don't think government funded space programs are the way to go in general.

shetline

I'm all for a stronger space program, especially a manned Mars mission. However, coming from Bush, the motivation for expanding the space program seems much more likely to be a way to create yet another gravy train for his rich buddies, rather than a true interest in science and exploration.



I wonder if Bush could even find Mars on a diagram of the solar system.

brussell

Quote:

Originally posted by shetline

I wonder if Bush could even find Mars on a diagram of the solar system.

Hmmm, I'm trying to think if I could. My Very Good Mother Does Fine ... no no, My Very Earnest Roy G. Biv... no no.

crusader

Oh yea!!!



Sweet! I wrote three of my college application essays on American's need for a strong space program, return to the Moon, and a mission to Mars. The admissions people are going to think I'm a genius ! The Space program has been horribly neglected, but before we jump in head first, alot of the NASA bureaucracy needs to be cleared out, and NASA needs to be streamlined.



<Applauds G.W.>:

curiousuburb

Considering Bush is responsible for gutting the ISS...



Even money says the only reasons he's even interested now are:



1_ China joining the Space club



2_ "Star Wars" Missile Shield Military-Industrial-kickbacks



I'd love to hear GWB got hit with a vision stick and suddenly clued in to the value of Space,

but this is Dubya we're talking about.

midwinter

I love the fact that this gazillion-dollar idea is written up with a picture of Bush talking about NCLB--which was passed and then gutted--in the sidebar. Heh.



Cheers

Scott

aries 1b

Quote:

Originally posted by BRussell

Hmmm, I'm trying to think if I could. My Very Good Mother Does Fine ... no no, My Very Earnest Roy G. Biv... no no.

Matilda

Visits

Every

Monday

Just

Stays

Until

Noon

Period



Aries 1B

(I think that I read that in an old Arthur C. Clarke book).

aries 1b

Hey, HOM!



Maybe we'll get zip codes up here soon, eh?





Aries 1B

jimmac

I'm a big supporter of the space exploration and this all sounds great.



However promises made in an election year don't have a great track record.





" A chicken in every pot! "





It sounds like to me he's just trying to cover all his bases ( and I'm not talking about one on mars ).





And not just with this issue.

dmband0026

At first I thought this was a joke...than I realized it was serious. Wow. I hope it happens. This would be a hugely historic event. More props to the Bush admin. from me. They already had my vote, now they get two (I can do that, right?)

midwinter

Quote:

Originally posted by DMBand0026

They already had my vote, now they get two (I can do that, right?)

Only if you live in Florida.

scott

Big waste of money. If he cut back on shuttle missions give him applause.

drewprops

It's funny watching the Bush-hating, Mars-loving people try to figure out how to bash him and support the idea in one swell foop.



I'd say most of you did a lousy job of both!





Anyway, it'll be fantastic IF the administration issues the intent to go toward Mars even if it is a fifteen year program. I'd like to see it happen before I die....of humiliation at how partisan you guys are!!!

nwhysee

I want to have the same feeling you old farts had when we first landed on the moon, the feeling of awe and inspiration. Hopefully GW also proposes that they begin construction of X-Wings soon.

curiousuburb

just stating the facts drewprops. quick google results



ISS was supposed to hold 7 crew doing full science.

GWB cuts in 2000 meant ISS currently holds 3 and the science value is doubted daily

(Shuttle disaster has meant only 2 are currently onboard)



The original plans called for a completed station that could be seen from the ground in daytime (solar arrays). much was made of the inspirational value of parents planetwide being able to point to the glowing traveller and tell their kids "humans live there now too". no more.

GWB decided arbitrarily to bail out on international commitments and call the 60% point "core complete".



The "international cooperation" part is on the ropes due to these cutbacks because partner country astronauts were to have been the 7th member of most crews, and now that there'll never be more than US/Russian/ESA combos of three aboard, let alone that some of these nations have basically been told to eat their investments to this point, and those half-completed modules are now wasted billions.

Thanks George.



IMO the 2nd biggest setback to manned space exploration in recent years has been lack of vision from Dubya.



If his advisers have convinced GWB that a new inspirational speech is needed and it results in renewed focus and funding for NASA, Xprize folk, and more, I'll be the first to offer a high-five.



But I do know that Bush has been more problem than solution so far.

fellowship

Quote:

Originally posted by drewprops

It's funny watching the Bush-hating, Mars-loving people try to figure out how to bash him and support the idea in one swell foop.



I'd say most of you did a lousy job of both!





Anyway, it'll be fantastic IF the administration issues the intent to go toward Mars even if it is a fifteen year program. I'd like to see it happen before I die....of humiliation at how partisan you guys are!!!

I really like your personality!!! Upbeat, cheerful, funny and right on the money!



Keep up the awsome work drewprops. I noticed the same things you list from some replies.



Fellowship