Here is another re-post from A Conservative Teacher. I have to admit that I’m terribly biased regarding Space Exploration. It’s American exceptionalism at it’s finest, and yields scientific and free market gains beyond what you might be aware.
Out of all of the broken promises of President Obama, this one is probably not the biggest to a lot of people. Out of all of the phony and lying rhetoric about hope and change, this latest policy announcement that kills hope and changes things for the worst is probably not the most backstabbing that he has uttered. But that does not mean that Obama’s plans to destroy NASA’s budget and redirect its mission away from exploration is not big or important to me.
Probably a lot of you didn’t read this story, but it is the kind of backstabbing that is becoming familiar to those who follow Obama’s policy actions. Obama is going to release a budget proposal Monday for NASA that will cancel the Constellation program that was supposed to return humans to the moon by 2020, cancel the Ares I rocket that was to replace the space shuttle to ferry humans to space will be gone, cancel the Ares V cargo rocket that was to launch the fuel and supplies needed to take humans back to the moon, cancel any hope for lunar landers or moon bases, and cancel any near future for Americans to explore and conquer outer space.
Instead, Obama will have NASA focus on studies and reports and analysis for future plans- in other words, do nothing and change nothing about our world and our future in it. Furthermore, NASA will be instructed to change its mission away from exploration of outer space to research and monitoring of climate change. That’s right- Obama is turning NASA into yet another agency whose resources will be devoted to that failed religion of climate change.
These changes to policy are bad changes. NASA is not being instructed to do more with less, as Bush told NASA to do. NASA is being told to do nothing, or worse, spend its money and energy and expertise trying to reinforce failed theories. It isn’t getting leaner and meaner it its quest to take humanity to the stars, but instead is being beaten down and embarrassed in a quest to make humanity less prosperous and happy.
And these changes are not what Obama promised while on the campaign. On the campaign, he lied through his teeth, told people what they want to hear, and was deceitful about his future intentions. In August of last year, then-Senator Barack Obama detailed a comprehensive space plan that included $2 billion in new funding to reinvigorate NASA and a promise to make space exploration and science a significantly higher priority if he is elected president. Since then, he has made NASA a low priority, not even bothering to name a director for NASA for several months, and instead of increasing funding by $2 billion, NASA’s budget is going to be slashed.
This is why I call him the Bizzarro President- whatever he says, you can take to the bank that he is going to do the opposite of what he says. He is a serial liar, a deceitful snake, and an untrustworthy person. His word is meaningless, and his promises worth less.
We cannot cede our leadership in space… (we need to keep) supporting continued funding for NASA; by speeding the development of the Shuttle’s successor; and by making sure that all those who work in the space industry in Florida do not lose their jobs when the Shuttle is retired.
Count the broken promises- I count 4 out of 4 statements. Once President, he is going to cede leadership in space, turning us away from exploration and development of the moon to work on reports, studies, and global warming. He is going to do the opposite of ‘speed the development of the Shuttle successor’- instead, he is going to totally stop all development on it. And he isn’t going to make sure that those good union folks who supported him so much have a job any more- by slashing funding and cancelling the building of new shuttles and rockets, it is projected that as many as 7,000 highly trained workers will lose their jobs after Obama’s policies take effect.
For Obama, the rhetoric never matches the reality, and it doesn’t with space policy either. In order to convince people that he was a real fan of space exploration and had a vision to take American forward in outer space, Obama said “I grew up on Star Trek!” I don’t doubt that, but I think that what he learned from Star Trek was not a love of exploration, a sense of adventure, or the desire to conquer the stars, but rather I think he learned to love the communist-military government in that show. Obama does not want to take man boldly where he has never been before- he instead wants to make NASA into a government-run institution to prove global warming in order to realize the visions and dreams of Karl Marx and Mussolini.
President Obama has broke many promises, lied through his teeth often, and backstabbed supporters without the slightest hesitation. His latest policy decisions with regard to NASA are just another example of this.
Matt: Well, there you are. Traditionally, the monies spent on space exploration have created more additions to the free market economy than the original expenditure.
- Arteriosclerosis Detection
- Athletic ShoesBreast Biopsy
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Bridge Safety Improvements
- Cabin Pressure Altitude Monitor and Warning System
- Camera on a Chip
- Cardiac Pacemaker
- Cataract Surgery Tools
- Corrosion Protection Coating
- Crop Dusting Improvements
- Crop Growing Improvements
- Digital Mammography
That’s just a short selection. All of this was either developed, or improved via technology developed by the space program. But there are a few more that aren’t on the linked list…
- Laptop computers (created to allow technicians to access the Shuttle’s computers on the ground)
- Non-stick cookware (every try to clean a really messy pan that isn’t coated?)
So, why break yet another promise? I think there might be a number of reasons, but primarily, it hurts the prestige and progress of the US. Remember that “pregressives” seem to view our dominance in so many fields to be unfair. So, at every turn, they seek to chop us down to size.
Original Post: A Conservative Teacher
Matt
I believe that future generations should have the same opportunities that myself, and those that came before me, had. My parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted to do. I don’t want to have to tell my daughter, “You can do whatever the government tells you to do.” We are at a crossroads in this country; are we going to be free, or are we going to be slaves to the nanny state. I choose freedom.
Like I said, he’s a tool. For him to cancel this and, say, press on with health care deform, shows he clearly wants to drag this country down to the level of the rest of the world, while letting rising economies like China take the lead in yet another industry.
It’s as if SubZero is saying: The U.S. has been there, done that. We don’t need to go there any more.
Very true Snarky-on all counts.
We all know how I feel about Chairman Obama, so I’ll skip that … but as the resident conservative heretic in these parts, I must say I’d love to see NASA scrapped!
The government can’t make anything “free market,” because the government doesn’t have resources of its own. In other words, it’s an economic impossibility. And we have to ask too, “what were all the great scientific and genuine market gains that were missed due to the government confiscating all that money?”
We’ll never know … those gains were aborted for the benefit of NASA.
American Exceptionalism properly understood is the American Creed (our Declaration). As I commented at Washington Rebel, my great-grandparents came to America BECAUSE they were Americans! They believed in Jefferson, Washington, natural rights, liberty and freedom.
I’m not picking on you personally, not in any way, shape, or form. You’re a good man. I’ll fight with you all the way! If they get me first, I’ll come back to haunt them!
But if we don’t fully embrace the American Creed, and demand that the Constitution (no authorization for NASA) is the absolute law of land … We might as well waive our white flags and cry for mercy.
God help us all!
I’m such a pain in the ass!
That you are, but it’s always for a good reason. That’s why we keep ya around!
No offense taken. I knew I was putting myself out there with this. Constitutionally, there are no grounds for NASA. Long story, including family members that worked there. My logic is not sound in this area.
It’s becoming ever more important to me that we conservatives get our arguments both consistent and right. I believe the reason the argument for freedom and liberty have all but disappeared, is because over the years (thanks to politics) we’ve been forced to fit square pegs into round holes.
I’m more pragmatic than I sound, but I like to keep my personal rhetoric as accurate as I can to natural law theory, conservative philosophy, the Declaration, and our classical liberal heritage.
Sure, I fall off the wagon just like anyone else. Nobody’s perfect. It ain’t easy.
And space? Let’s face it! Fascinating, mind-blowing stuff!
I hear you CL, but at the same time, we can’t be so monolithic that we either exclude or alienate good Conservatives because of one issue. Conversely, we can’t be so open minded that our brains fall out. I think we need to get together and pick a handful of good issues that we can build a coalition with, and be charitable with the rest. Some of this issues take care of many others, like returning to the the Constitution for structuring our government. We eliminate a whole bunch of nonsense with that one step.
This is the one issue where I fall off the wagon. I desperately wanted to be an Astronaut when I was a kid. All the way to the point that when I was 13 and 14, I was calling Air Force recruiters. I wanted to be a pilot, then get selected by NASA. Even though that dream died (eye-glasses, and that I could not physically fit into a fighter killed it), I’ve been fond of that organization. My logic fails me in this one situation. I know the reality of it, I just have a soft spot here. That, and space is really cool!
I don’t worry about things like alienating people (as you’ve probably figured out). I believe people are smart enough to make their own decisions, but more importantly, I believe whole-heartedly in what I say!
People respect honesty (I believe) over conformity. Hey, you read my blog … I’m not libertarian enough for (modern/Beltway) libertarians, and not conservative enough for mainstream conservatives. Yet I don’t feel alienated, nor do I believe I alienate anyone.
The dirty little secret about America’s right, is that we’ve always been just as much at war (War of Ideas) with each other, as we have been with the left. Look at our Founding fathers … Jefferson (my hero) was extremely different than Hamilton (whom I don’t like). But that’s our strength!
It keeps everything focused on ideas instead of party (team) or personality. The way it’s supposed to be!
The conservative hive mind mentality is relatively new.
Me, I want nothing less than a complete return to Constitutionally limited government, including a repeal of the Federal Reserve, and the 16th and 17th amendments. It may take negotiations to get there (pragmatism), but a good negotiator never starts where he’s willing to compromise. He starts with what he wants or more!
We’re not the left. Advocating freedom cannot in any real way alienate anyone. If it does … tough cookies for them. You can’t control other people emotions, so there’s no reason to take responsibility for them either.
Think about this … Conservatives (irrationally) hate Ron Paul. They also (rationally) hate John McCain. Now, if Paul had the backing of the RNC, thus the money, hype and media exposure, Paul would have won the nomination. Paul would have received just as many “hold you nose” votes from the Republican faithful as did McCain + all the libertarians who stay home + many of the anti-war Obama voters.
Now, unlike Obama, Paul really would pull the troops out of Iraq, but he’d also push Congress to declare war on Afghanistan, fight it like a war should be fought, and bring ‘em all home when done (no nation-building).
And of course, no bailouts, no stimulus, a repeal of TARP, etc … He’s a strict constitutionalist (which is why it’s irrational for conservatives to hate him).
That would have worked out a lot better than Obama, right?
Would anyone then, really have been alienated (besides the progressives who should be)?
I can really find no flaw with your logic.
The space shuttle will soon be gone and we will be relying on… Russia to get to space! Not too smart of Obama to kill the NASA budget.
And the Russians already have absolutely no respect for Obama. It will be a tough road to be sure.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Hans von der Gruen, Matt Ross and Matt Ross, Cosmo Watcher. Cosmo Watcher said: #CosmoWatch Obama’s New NASA Policy: Yet More Broken Promises and Lies http://ff.im/-fbxzv [...]
I agree, one of the signs a great power is dying, is cutting exploration. We saw the soviets do it, We saw the ancient Romans, and many others do it. Exploration is the economic life blood of a great power. I would like to see it more privatized, but of all the programs that need to be cut NASA is last on my list.
[...] NASA Lies! 2/7/10 Conservative Hideout reports President Obama’s new $3.8-Trillion proposed budget breaks promises he made to NASA: [...]