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  Space, NASA and the 2012 Presidential election

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Author Topic:   Space, NASA and the 2012 Presidential election
garymilgrom
Member

Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 07-05-2012 08:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for garymilgrom   Click Here to Email garymilgrom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A New York Times op-ed piece by Douglas Mackinnon gives an oversight on why space is not a big issue in the coming election. The article reviews how space is perceived by voters and candidates alike. Also covered is the approach the Chinese are taking to their space program.
[The U.S. space program] has never really been relevant for most of our politicians or presidents. The truth is that only one president really thought that space exploration was a tangible national vote-getter.

NJSPACEFAN
Member

Posts: 128
From: Ocala, FL USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 07-05-2012 09:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NJSPACEFAN   Click Here to Email NJSPACEFAN     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
An intelligent and well written article. But I do believe the opening of the article of "what will get me elected" will be the over-riding thought for the balance of the year. Hopefully, who ever wins - gives this some thought.

Jay Chladek
Member

Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007

posted 07-05-2012 11:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This indeed is a good article and sums up a lot of things that should be considered, yet aren't when it comes to politics, politicians and space expenditures.

For the record though, I wouldn't say Kennedy was the ONLY one who put the issue on the front as Johnson was also a big fan of space. Granted he did it partly to help keep Kennedy's promise, but he also is responsible for keeping the budget going in the years he was in office. Reagan also tended to be a bit more open on space as well, given his backing of SDI (a major DoD space project) and starting the ball rolling on Space Station Freedom. Of course, Reagan's goals were likely tied more into space being another cold war battleground (a propaganda battleground as it were with NASA's shuttle versus the Soviet Salyut stations) than being a project for its own sake.

Regardless of whomever is in the White House though, a lot of what drives the space budget is Congress. Sure, the president can champion a cause and introduce legislation, but it is up to Congress to pass it, modify it or not do any of that. So more of an attitude adjustment is needed than just one guy.

Gonzo
Member

Posts: 596
From: Lansing, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012

posted 07-06-2012 05:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gonzo   Click Here to Email Gonzo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well put Jay. But I've got to turn that back around though. It is Congress that passed the legislation that gave Apollo (under Kennedy and Johnson) and the SDI initiative (under Reagan) the funding needed to allow us to "do these things". The bigger question that we must then ask is, why would Congress do these things then?

Apollo was Kennedy's baby. He got it rolling. It was what it did for the country at the time that sold it to Congress for them to act upon it. If it hadn't been for Kennedy, Apollo wouldn't have happened (at least not the way he envisioned it and the way it ended up working).

SDI was the same. While Reagan was a big space fan, he did see it as a defense tactic. He then sold the idea of SDI to Congress under those auspices who then enacted the laws necessary for things to happen.

In both cases, it was the president that got the things done. Congress simply reacted to what was being sold to them by the president as it being in the public interest.

Don't get me wrong. In both cases, it was a good move (agreeably less so for SDI) and I'm glad we did what we did. But to say that it was Congress that was behind doing "these things" is not totally accurate. It WAS the President that got the ball rolling. For without him doing that, our space program and it's accomplishments would have been far different than history teaches us.

Jay Chladek
Member

Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007

posted 07-06-2012 12:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Very valid points Gonzo. I suppose the main point I am trying to make is it did seem a little easier to do stuff like that in the previous decades. These days, it is really hard to get anything done by a president and a Congress, unless the majority happen to be in one party.

These days it all seems to play like a song from the Ramones... "I'm against it! I'm against it!"

I agree though that if a good communicator in the White House comes along and can champion a cause that resonates with many regardless of political affiliation, then getting support in Congress does tend to be easier. But it is still a very hard thing to do.

All times are CT (US)

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