In yesterday's Orlando Sentinel, an open letter to President Obama, urging him to reverse planned cuts in the nation's space budget. The letter warns that reductions in the NASA budget (and associated programs) may result in "ceding" our lead in space technology, and force 30,000 scientists and engineers to leave the space program. By our count, the letter was signed by a former NASA adminisrator and 21 former astronauts.
Odds that Mr. Obama will actually heed their request? Approximately zero. He should get quite a reception at his space summit in Florida later this week. Give him brownie points for facing his critics on the issue--he should get an earful.
5 comments:
Let's bail out the UAW and the legion of overpaid assembly line workers. But the scientists and engineers?
Not worth it.
Bad bad Obama cutting spending again! You're supposed to be a socialist and INCREASE spending. This won't play well on leading Fox News.
Lets not forget our post last week complaining about all of the VACANCIES for scientists and engineers at DARPA and Northrop Grumman...
I'm here on the Space coast, and there's definately not alot of love for him here, not sure on the electorial vote's here but he won't win Florida, not even a chance if he let's the space coast die. 30k jobs minimum lost, then the local economy will go under, and we'll be looking at close to 100k jobs lost over the next 2 years as the systematic breakdown happens...
And somewhere a NASA scientist is choking on his doughnut at the prospect of having to find another job in the S&T world...outside of sunny Florida.
That'll never do.
The old adage that one should hold the High Ground to maintain a military advantage is as true today as it was the day the first rock was thrown at an opponent, and with Space being the ultimate "High Ground" why would Obama want to surrender and abandon such a strategically valuable program? Is it not in our best interest to have autonomous access to space? What happens when the Russians say "No, we wont take you."? Did not a weak military, and an antiquated air-force, and the perception of pacifism/isolationism empower Hitler and Imperial Japan?
WTF? (This is a bad omen....)
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