An open letter to Senator Obama:
By CRAIG DELLA PENNA on May 16, 2008 at 6:47 PM in Barack Obama, Commander in Chief, Current Affairs, DoD, NASA, National Defense, space policy
Dear Senator Obama:
I’m very upset by recent statements you have made about funding education by “postponing” elements of the space program. Let me tell you why this is a very ill-advised position.
1. It makes you look like an idiot.
If you do indeed postpone Orion by five years, you have effectively killed it. The project will lose its knowledgeable personnel, its production schedule will be canceled and there will then be no replacement for the 40 year old shuttle fleet. The Russians (and perhaps by then, the Chinese) will be the only nations with manned access to the ISS and to space.
2. It makes you look like an idiot.
The entire space program soaks up about 0.15 % of the federal budget, the DoD currently consumes about 31% of the federal budget (when you include the costs of our several wars). As president you could extract the entire NASA budget from the DoD budget and they wouldn’t even know it was gone, it’s a rounding error. In addition, the space program is the only government program in our nation’s history which can be shown to have paid for itself – in terms of fiscal and medical benefits derived from cutting edge technology which NASA either invented or sponsored.
3. It makes you look like an idiot.
Every self-serving, tub-thumping, ill-informed, moronic, blowhard political hack in the past fifty years has attacked NASA to herd the ‘proles’ to his side. By pandering to the Luddite, anti-intellectualism rampant in American society, they hope to send a message to the masses: “I’m one of you, I hate smart people too.” This is certainly not hopeful, nor audacious, it’s just old-time political quackery.
4. It makes you look like an idiot.
American education isn’t just about “readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic” so you can go out and make great gobs of money. There must be goals – great ones, dreams far larger than rolling up a nice, fat 401K. In order to meld us together as a nation, we need aspirations that demand greatness from us. Young people need to see that there is opportunity to actually accomplish their dreams and a purpose larger than earning a living.
Fools and madmen use our fear to conjure threats, precipitate useless wars and make cowards of us all. Do not be this kind of politician, we have more than enough already.
Leaders address the best that is in us, qualities we didn’t know we had and demand that we rise to meet those expectations because we can rise and we can create something new, beautiful and bold.
The space program represents those qualities of aspiration, expectation and accomplishment that we must embrace as a nation if we are to prosper and live long.
The choice you currently espouse leads, inevitably, downward, stifling creativity and handing the future to others. It is also intellectually lazy and can easily be shown to be massively counterproductive both economically and scientifically - and, it makes you look like an idiot.
You still have the chance to reverse yourself and reject the foolish counsel that proposes to cut off our future in order to make political points with fools.
It’s your choice as to what company you will keep – what will you do?
Cordially,
reject the foolish counsel that proposes to cut off our future in order to make political points with fools.
Obama’s not a deep or original thinker. Don’t hold your breath.
CRAIG….HOUSTON THANKS YOU…ROGER THAT ! …OBAMA IS AN IDIOT..
Houston; We have a problem.
;Ahhh mmm Copy that houston 5 by 5.
Houston; “ahh mmm we are out of that…copy that?”
Houstan? You mean “You don’t …You don’t “HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF”??? WTF??? (off mike…’can you say that?’) Ground Control?… Ground Control?
Obama does a cameo apperance…
Opening scene has BO standing next to a mothballed Space shuttle…with people under it. Uh?
(kinda reminds me of the cross country “Green Rabbit”)
Is he a Klingon or is he human? Or as you say, just looks like an idiot?
(Craig Della Penna; I missed your citation.)
I only ask is because BO does this so often, one is left to wonder when the the story about a “black obelisk found buried on the moon will leave”.
If history teaches us anything;
building of the Egyptian pyramids
Just a kite eh BO?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/06/0628_caltechobelisk.html
look like an idiot?
Is an idiot.
Why would he want to fund the space program?
You know what it costs to hire spam bloggers from Alpha Centauri?
Not nearly as much as it costs to pay social security taxes, bi-monthly. But I do not complain, it is responsible to care for the welfare of others.
We immediately shifted at least a third of each payout right back to the government, in taxes.
In addition, we hired, invested and bought, putting many to work, right down the line.
And we constantly refined our skills, trying to find new ways to apply the technology we utilized, whether it was Microsoft Project, developing new software, or creatively trying to integrate the concept of art, with science. And this was just our little company, others did far more, and much better.
This is how it’s supposed to work, and it does, when no one gets too greedy, or too stupid.
And gives back much much more.
I hope, once again, it can become a beacon of hope an example of American ingenuity, and progress.
It truly is awe inspiring to see what the men and women of NASA, and aerospace, are able to accomplish, most remaining forever anonymous, but among the greatest this country has ever produced.
A wonder of the world, orbiting the earth.
You know I was joking right? I guess I have to sharpen my snark skills.
And yes, I truly believe in more funding the Space program, not for military purposes, but it really is where diplomacy & science meet.
Oh yea, I thought it was funny, you’re right.
Sorry…
And he’s supposed to be the new JFK? JFK is spinning in his grave right now.
JFC maybe. Just Fucking Clueless.
Science isn’t a subject snObama understands very well.
snObama is sort of like some sort of android recorder. He can take in data and arrange the data for output — but he really has no comprehension of the data. He can’t come up with original data — only data that has been fed to him. That’s why he ah hum ah hum ah hum — when asked a question — his android recording mechanism is searching for a sequence of data to respond.
The mentors surrounding snObama don’t think highly of science — how can they pilfer the funds?
I’ve read lots of scientific articles that say that the space program is also going to contribute to getting a handle on global warming. So he isn’t much of an environmentalist if he cuts the space program, is he?
He doesn’t have the space program is his scripts. Imagine the “-uh” counter going nuts if he has to talk about it.
maybe the 57th state is in outer space.
Funny, I had a dream once America did establish itself in space, with a redisgned flag, the whole nine yards…
Weird dream, I’m not even interested in science fiction…
It was cool, though, the flag…
redesigned, sorry.
LOL…..scott that is funny…
Please go put this up as a diary at MyDD….I would love to see those idiots shit bricks!
Sooo funny. But, oh so sad, too.
Obama is an idiot!
It makes you look like an idiot:
China plans on establishing a base on the moon, clown, and then Mars. Do you realize the danger of a missile pointed at earth from the moon, dumba**?? Do you really want that threat hanging over your head like a 10,000 nuke sword of Damocles?
Do you understand that the earth is short of resources, and you can mine asteroids?
The other messed up thing is if China establishes a base and should God Forbid, an attack happened, and the US bombs the moon, the Earth and all that lives on it, will literally die.
Space exploration is a great key to diplomacy. The cold war taught us that. We shouldn’t let that lesson go.
Most of the technologies filter into the general public….not to mention that it keeps Houston and Cape Canavaral economies going…..Obama is an IDIOT….I grew up in Houston as a kid when Apollo was goin strong…
There was this kids program n called CADET DON…He was an astronaught….everyone wanted to be an astronaught. When my kid turned 7 I took her to Houston to Nasa….It was incredible….Folks if you have never gotten the chance to see the Museum and the Space Ctr….I suggest you go….It is well worth the trip and truly unforgetable….And to share it with my kid was great….I even got a little teary remembering how cool it was to be a kid at that time…especally in Houston….
***** OBAMA IS AN IDIOT….A DANGERUS IDIOT *****
Most of the technologies filter into the general public
The earlyiest one was the automaticlly opening doors at supermarkets we take for granted.
All that research in zero gravity…slipping away and this country needs the educated brain power to do these jobs, it is a national security issue to not “keep up with the Jones’s”
Agree….In this area we have got to stay on top….It is not enough to keep abreast….It is our national as well as global responsibility.
We have invested and sacrificed too much and the benefit is global as well as national….
One of his subprime losers must want to buy the real estate in California …
Why would he play the “trade-off” game now? It’s not necessary. You do that when the budget fight hits.
Or is he trying to appear fiscally responsible?
Oh help me Jeebus, now he wants to cut the space program?
Craig, you called it—this is about hope and the future and optimism that human beings will be able to not kill ourselves. It’s about reaching out beyond out own mortal capacity.
What’s the matter with you people? You just don’t appreciate what he is bringing to the table.
He plans put a group together to “study” the situation. That is how he plans to govern. He has as much knowledge of the space program and all its inherent benefits as he does about anything else. Healthcare, economics, social security, taxes, the war. Not much. Not to worry.
He is not running on policy issues but on “hope” and “change”. Obviously his message is not getting through to you people! A “transcendent” candidate should not have to be bothered with the little diversions. Science, smience, it will still be there in 5 years. Yes, we can!
{{snark attack}}
Reflecting his grasp on concepts of government, and leadership.
He has none.
His understanding only extends to himself, his bitterness, his entitlement, and whatever Axelrod tells him to say…
I don’t get this “strategy.” Why would he even mention this program?
It’s not a hot topic. It’s not on the table, particularly.
I suspect Axelrod is great on the divisive stuff……racial dust-ups……but lousy on the real deal.
LOL*…..
I don’t really know about this topic. It DOES seem the space program has a lot of problems.
But it works out.
I mean, look at the engineering necessary to build and maintain a space station, something must of us can’t even begin to comprehend.
Yet they do it, and they succeed.
So what seems impossible to us is business as usual for them, though certainly it’s not perfect.
I used to hear a lot of complaints about sloppy engineering…
NASA has had to redirect the strategy of the program….Most of the problems have to do with overhauling…This is to be expected…Military has been dealing wih it too….It is also generational….Personell ebbs and flows generationally….
Yup. He sure looks like an idiot.
The guy is a fucking idiot. Aside from the national security issues, the space program is probably the most important stimulator of future scientists and mathematicians.
How many youngsters can grow up WANTING to ask “You want fries with that?”
Why not cut some of the porky government programs, like, say, the ones that fund GENERAL DYNAMICS so heftily? Could it be because he gets a huge amount of campaign dough from those bums?
NASA is important and keeps a lot of important businesses going….TI or instance which employs a lot of people….Shuttin down NASA makes about as much sense as shutting down the FBI to save paper….I mean why do we need the FBI….We have Local Law Enforcement….Right ?
OBAMA IS DANGEROUS TO DEMOCRACY AND AN ASSAULT ON THE INTELLIGENCE…..
I have to agree with this statement. When my eleven year old son toured some colleges with his older sister, the physics lab and the fact that NASA gives internships to students at Southwestern in Georgetown TX, led him to set his sights on that school and science as his field of study because of his dreams of colonizing space.
If it looks like an idiot, walks like an idiot, talks like an idiot…
Anyone interested in a conference call between Senator Clinton and bloggers that just took place?
Taylor Marsh recorded it.
Gary McGowan,
Women Count Pac….
Alegre way to go!!Thanks
HA! I just switched from Firefox to Explorer and am having no trouble posting. Something about the visualization feature needs to be debugged or optimized for Firefox.
The other option is to write message in email and cut and paste in comment box.
In Firefox had to turn off javascript in order to browse with any speed then turn it back on to post.
The slowness might not be as dramatic with high-speed connectons.
Some of this may be of some use to people were experiencing a slow-down on the site.
True! I have the same problem with posts that have too many comments; they overlap and it’s a mess. Switch to Safari and have no such problem.
Hillary on LIVE no on CNN LIVE!!!
Hillary on LIVE NOW on CNN LIVE!!!
Ehemmm…..can you give details please….I’m too po’ for cable…..thanks
Great post - wonderful points. It is really frightening what BO and his campaign has put out. Amateur night. No wonder they did not want him exposed to light - then when he does go off script - everyone has to prop him up.
They have attacked 3/4 of what should be his base(those labels - who woulda thought to get votes by calling people names, duh), the DNC is blantantly disenfranchising 2.5 voters to give him the job of POTUS with him having no experience, no acheivements, no grace, and apparently, no soul.
From the top on down, they are hamfisted, bullying thugs. Hubris is a little like alcohol - too much and you get a train wreck. Enter Obama - Bushs twin. No thanks - it’s Hillary or the highway for me. I want no corporate, oil pocket president again.
I think the “division” goes both way, they want to start fires, but they lose control.
Seems to be really chaotic, but the more chaotic, the more vitriolic they get, desperate.
Interesting, it’s like watching someone die, but not being able to stop it.
Just visited and signed up:
http://clintondems.com/
Suggest everyone sign up and check it out!
Dude - the space program is a HUGE waste of money, even smart people can see the massive programs are over budget and way behind schedule. Who cares if we go to Mars - ooh looks rocks, dust and maybe water… WHO CARES…!!!!!
It ain’t a monologue from a TV program, it’s a bloated Federal agency who’s mission has wandered off track. Sorry - NASA needs to be trimmed way down, if you can’t see that, then maybe you’re the “idiot” you espouse in your post.
Mitchman….AND INTELLIGENT DESIGN IS A SCIENCE…YOU ARE A FOOL…
Waddle back to GAZA….THIS BLOG IS RESERVED FOR INTELLIGENT PEOPLE..
It certainly must be difficult being an Obama troll. You’re already off message. He is now talking about the importance of the space program in his more recent position Papers.
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=26647
As with everything Obama, his latest opinions are just calculate words (this time aimed at the Florida Aerospace industry). So remember, when trolling you are now pro-space. You have my sympathies. I could never be pro-Obama; I also couldn’t keep up with his positions du jour.
Another astoundingly idiotic remark from ob.
In sharp contrast Hillary’s stump speech often takes Dubya’s “war on science” to task and promises to renew our national commitment to compete in the world science arena again.
She says “American’s need to start acting like American’s again.”
Does everybody see what we see now - how he contrasts sharply with MLK and JFK in all aspects?
How they dared to compare this sham to heroes of mine is one of the many unforgiveable lies of his entire campaign that I detest.
Call the Clinton’s racist and tout him as JFK and MLK - is beyond ludicrous, yet the lemmings bought it as big mouths touted it as feasible gospel truth.
We’ve had a close look at the gospel of ob and find him sorely lacking in image and record and truth and in reason.
Another puppet in the White House is the last thing we need.
Senator Obama I am writing to you because I am a mother of three very young children I am concerned about their education. I have been for a long time. It started when Bush signed the No Child Left Behind, well, Sir it is a JOKE! My children are being left behind. I was watching Oprah tonight she was doing a program on the Status of American Schools. They are horrifying Sir. I am afraid for my chidren. When you are president I am looking forward to you doing something about our children. Academically they are dying. They can’t read, write or spell not to meantion do basic math. Our chidren need help. I do all I can for my children but I find that it is not enough. The children are in need of good teachers. Teachers who care. A teacher told me just a few months ago that they were no longer allowed to embrace the kids. They couldn’t give them a hug. Its against the rules. Senator Obama please help our chidren. Our chidren have become invisible to the Americans. They have no value. There are so many moms like myself who couldn’t help our children if we wanted to. The math is so difficult. Sir I am saying all of this to say that America needs you. PLEASE help us.
I will keep you Michelle and the girls in my prayers
Thank you very much.