>
> On Sat, 23 Jun 2001, Ronn Blankenship wrote:
>
> > >[BEGIN PARANOIA] But a missile defense is an excellent way
> to transfer
> > >money from tax payers to defense contractors. [END PARANOIA] :-)
> >
> > [BEGIN LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE] Who may then provide
> good-paying jobs for
> > techie types. [END LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE]
>
> [PROPOSE SOBER ALTERNATIVE] Maybe if the government diverted
> some of those
> defense funds into civilian capital investments and research,
> there'd be
> even *more* jobs for techies and non-techies alike, seeing as how a
> missile defense system, no matter how effective, cannot be
> used in turn to
> build or create anything. [DISPOSE OF SOBER ALTERNATIVE]
There are tremendous benefits that are gained in the private sector from
defense spending. I think someone already mentioned the technology related
to laser weapons. Laser weapons need a tremendous amount of power real fast.
This has spurned flywheel technology, more efficient lasers, probably a
number of other technologies I am unaware of. All of these we will all
benefit from.
Take GPS systems, Fuel cells, Solar collectors, hardcore 4X4 (Hummer's),
Non-lethal weapons, surveillance systems (including satellite), rocket
boosters, lightweight metals and carbon composites, micro-radar and night
vision(now used in cars to prevent accidents). I am sure the list can come
up with at least 50 more innovations or inventions that we now use or have
readily available today because of defense spending in the past. If you
include NASA contributions to national defense, this increases it ten-fold.
How many of these innovations help the environment? How many of these save
lives? In my mind, you get two for one with defense spending. World Wars
must never happen again. Defense spending gets us closer to this goal.
So the position that a missile defense system cannot be used in turn to
build or create anything would be unprecedented in history.
I guess that my position is that I support the defense system, if only for
the cool toys that will result ;-).
Nerd From Hell
>
> Marvin Long
> Austin, Texas
>
>
>
