<Snip> > > > > _That's_ what's inspiring about it. > > Who cares if its inspiring? > > Look I was raised to be a liberal. > > I feel that we should fund medicaide and take care of poor > sick folk. (Heck, > I am poor with chronic illnesses and would *benefit* from socialized > medicine.) > > I feel that we should fund primary and secondary education > till public schools > can flush money down toilets. > > I feel that we should provide adequate housing for everyone. > > I feel ... well you get the picture. > > I THINK all of this would be bad public policy. > > > When the administration announces grand plans for manned > space programs i FEEL > proud, excited, and--yes--even inspired. > > And that feeling immediately makes me suspicious. Is this fiscally > responsible? Is it rational? I think, no, I *KNOW* that > basing public > policy on emotion IS irresponsible -- unpatriotic.
Whoa there... Isn't socialized medicine, funding for public education, housing programs, etc, etc, mostly emotional public policy? FEED THE STARVING CHILDREN! BUILD SCHOOLS NOT BOMBS! HOUSE THE HOMELESS! HEALTHCARE FOR ALL! BUY AMERICAN! ABORTION IS MURDER! I don't see many bumper stickers out there saying "NASA RULES!" or "SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ASTRONAUT" . Don't the liberals spend most of their time trying to convince the conservatives that these emotional-based policies are financially sound - Education builds wealth, equality in healthcare for all costs less, Housing for the poor gets people out of poverty, Etc, Etc... You turned the table around here and said that Space research provides no tangible ROI? Now I feel immediately suspicious! > > In brute, lowest common denominatior terms what is in this > gold-plated fools' > errand for me? When Isabella sent Columbus to look for a > route to the Indies > she wasn't investing in exploration. Exploration was a nice > side effect. > Isabella's primary motivation was making a LOT OF MONEY! > > If we build a big new booster what will be the tangible > return on investment? Thousands of dollars for every per pound we lift into space... This is very tangible. The intangible parts are the side benefits that occur when the technology leaks out into the private sector. I find it hard to think we are on the negative side of the equation here. Afterall, we have Tang because of Apollo... ;-) > What about the crew vehicle? The moon colony? How the @#$% > do you plan to > get tangible ROI from a manned mission to Mars? > > If you do get ROI will it make sense in terms of opportunity > cost. We have > underfunded schools, biomedical research, and ageing > population and military > obligations we need to see to, remember. > > Money or national security only please. I believe that as a > citizen I have a > *responsibility* to resist temptation and make decisisons as a pure > Philistine. That's not very nice. Are you saying anyone who supports space travel is, as the definition states, philistine-like? >From dictionary.com Phil*is*tine 1. A member of an Aegean people who settled ancient Philistia around the 12th century B.C. 2a. A smug, ignorant, especially middle-class person who is regarded as being indifferent or antagonistic to artistic and cultural values. 2b . One who lacks knowledge in a specific area. > As a citizen I dont care a whit about pure > science, the human > quest, or feel-good programs. Hey... Your thing is public charity to help the poor and downtrodden, my thing may be the space program. I think your claim on how government money should be spent is as important as my claim. In fact, our republic supports this position. But for you to say I have no claim, based upon my "philistine" tendencies, is wrong, judgemental, and overly rightous. Now before you start bombing me with reasons I should feel the way you do, don't. I have my reasons for supporting the space program, as emotional as they may be, and you have your reasons for supporting your interests. I may even feel the same way you do about the many social programs... That's not my point. John McGinnis said this: "We are in a prisoner's dilemma: we would all be better off with a smaller government, but it would be irrational for any group to surrender the money or regulatory advantages it gets from the state without a guarantee that all other groups will, too." I'll give up on the space program when you give up the social programs.... Philistine From Hell _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
