The moon.

[coloradodem2005]

You know, Star Trek inspired a lot of people to dream of a better future for humanity. I am one of these people. I love discussing space travel. The history, especially the moon shots. As far as history goes, it is one of the interesting parts that does not inherently involve death and destruction. THere were accidents like Appollo I, The Challenger, and the Columbia. I have been disappointed that even with the Space Shuttle, we have not continued the space program to the extent of the moon shots. If we had, we might have made it to Mars by now. Bush has now said that he wants to go back to the moon. If it were any other President I would laud this as visionary. I am all for resurrecting the space program back to what it was in the late sixties, but there are problems:

1. I think that it is lip service to help Bush get reelected,
2. With all of the economic problems, we cannot afford this.
3. The idea behind Star Trek was to travel as explorers. I fear that under someone like Bush, we would be travelling as exploiters. Exploiting the resources of the moon or another planet, and maybe an alien race we would meet.

I want to go to the moon, and to Mars. But why bring this up now?
Why did he not mention it back in 2001, or even 2000 as a candidate.
Your thoughts.

[Droopy]

1. I think your right

He's just saying this now to try and take everybody's minds off of more pressing matters like that mess we've got going on over there in Iraq.

[Syrinx]

2. he's just trying to get a cool program that will make him look...

Inspirational.

He should have put forth a trillion dollars and challenged the scientists to cure cancer in ten years.

[aquart]

5. He can't afford to gear up a moon program.

He can only underfund and look bad again.

Gonna be fun watching them squirm over this.

[salinen]

3. One reason and one reason

only - to put up a WMD on the moon.

[eileen_d]

4. I'm posting from the moon right now

And I don't want Bush to come here!

(No, I'm not drunk... I am loopy though)

[Coldgothicwoman]

6. To ekoke thoughts of JFK of course. <N/T>

[PeakOil2008]

7. Bush has no vision.

I bet he actually thinks that the Moon is made of Green Cheese. :eyes:

More seriously, I think this has everything to do with the Chinese and their apparent push to become a space-faring nation. Certainly, nothing would gall Americans more than to see video of a Chinese man emerge from a ship and plant the flag of communist China into red soil of Mars.

Yeah, it seems pretty outlandish now. But if the US drops the ball on a mission to Mars, other nations will inevitably pick it up, as it now appears that China is doing. Still, Bush's response has PNAC and the NeoCons written all over it.

[Gore1FL]

8. It'll probably be faith based.

If it is a Bush program it will cost a shitload of money, and the lynchpin with be the reliance on a flaming chariot sent by God.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. I don't want one American launched into space...

at the behest of Karl Rove. It would be akin to spitting on our flag --

[DoNotRefill]

10. It's the start of a new "space race"....

and is driven by fear of the Chinese.

As long as nobody else was going, we could sit back and relax. Since they're going, we have to do it too.

Why does this remind me of Dr. Strangelove?

Peace On Earth
u
r
i
t
y

O
f

E
s
s
e
n
c
e