The Obama campaign seems to have gotten way out front of the McCain campaign on space. The problem is that, like its domestic policy in general, McCain doesn’t seem to have a coherent policy with regard to civil space. He’s going to freeze discretionary, which includes NASA, and whether NASA will be exempt seems to depend on which campaign aide you ask. And regardless of how much money is spent, the campaign is equally vague on how it is spent, and what the near-term and long-term goals of the expenditure are. On top of that, the McCain campaign has lumped in the new Obama proposal to increase the NASA budget by two billion with a lot of so-called liberal spending proposals. As Jeff Foust notes, it’s a little mind blowing, politically.
Obama, after having gotten off on the wrong foot with the initial idiotic proposal to delay Constellation to provide funds for education, seems to have actually gotten inside McCain’s OODA loop on this issue. The McCain campaign really needs a smart political adviser in this area (as Obama apparently has now with Lori Garver, who seems to successfully jumped ship from Hillary’s campaign), but there’s no evidence that they’ve come up with one yet.
Of course, it’s not an issue on which the election will hang, probably not even in Florida.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s a little more at NASA Watch. It seems to be a disconnect between the McCain campaign and the RNC. Which, of course, doesn’t make it any better, or excuse it.
[Another update a few minutes later]
Well, this would seem to clarify the McCain position:
Perhaps more important were McCain’s remarks on Wednesday that only the Pentagon and veterans would see a budget increase in his administration because of the high price the proposed economic bail out. Everything else – including, presumably, NASA — will be frozen or cut. Several space advocates in Florida and Washington DC expect the worst.
As I said, it isn’t clear that space will be a key issue, even in Florida. But if the McCain campaign position is that the budget is going to be frozen, they should at least put forth a description of how they expect, and will require, NASA’s priorities to change to accommodate it. So far, there’s zero evidence that they’ve even given the matter any thought.
Who are you and what have you done with Rand? 🙂
Seriously, since I’ve argued with you when you criticize Obama, I have to recognize it when you say good things about him.
Hmmmm.
Since I’m in favor of abolishing NASA I guess I’m not the target audience for this post.
Who is this Obama and what about those people who voted for him early in the primary season when he said he would slash NASA’s budget to $500 million and give the rest to education?
Here is Obama’s “fact” sheet. It is like his “fact” sheet on eduction, but that “fact” sheet has changed. Interesting how “facts” can change?
As for the $2 billion, I said that would happen a long time ago. I don’t agree with it, but I expected it. I also expected McCain to go along with it, which is another reason I will not support him. I will note that McCain’s plan for NASA is listed as an issue on his website.
Perhaps more important were McCain’s remarks on Wednesday that only the Pentagon and veterans would see a budget increase in his administration because of the high price the proposed economic bail out. Everything else – including, presumably, NASA — will be frozen or cut.
This is old news. McCain spoke of this months ago, and I believe NASA was explicitly mentioned as one of the agencies affected.
As I said, it isn’t clear that space will be a key issue, even in Florida.
The Bush Vision of Space Exploration was not a key issue for NASA employees in 2004. The NASA employees union endorsed John Kerry. It wasn’t even a key issue for Keith Cowing who was still flacking for Sean O’Keefe at the time. (Cowing publicly endorsed Kerry.)
If VSE wasn’t enough to convince NASA employees to vote for Bush, I doubt it would convince them to vote for McCain. Furthermore, only a small percentage of Florida residents work directly or indirectly for NASA, even in central Florida.
Who is this Obama and what about those people who voted for him early in the primary season when he said he would slash NASA’s budget to $500 million and give the rest to education?
Obama never said he would slash NASA’s budget to $500 million, Leland. You’re making stuff up.
He said that he would delay Constellation by five years. If you think everything else NASA does besides Constellation costs only $500 million, you’re off by about $16 billion.
Ed,
Weren’t you the guy claiming that Congress would never pass the $2 billion?
Weren’t you the guy that wrote this:
I also believe you’re mistaken in believing that Weldon and Lampson speak for Congress as a whole. If NASA were really important to creating jobs, you would be pointing to statements from people on the Labor committee. Two Congressmen championing their local interests proves very little. I’m sure the representative from Hershey, Pennsylvania makes similar statements on behalf of the chocolate industry — but he isn’t asking for $2 billion, and I doubt Lampson will get the $2 billion he’s asking for.
It’s interesting you want to play semantics again. Anyway, you are right this time. It is Constellation and not NASA, but at least I’m not inventing some Congressional Labor Committee that doesn’t exist.
Lampson did not get the $2 billion increase you predicted “a long time ago,” Leland. Nor did Barak Obama say he would “slash NASA’s budget to $500 million.”
Are you subbing for Mark Whittington this week?
If you’re unaware of the House and Senate labor committees, that’s part of your problem.
Of course, you still haven’t explained why you think taking another $2 billion from the private sector to fund NASA overruns will “save jobs” or why Congress shoud prefer to spend that $2 billion on NASA rather than some other program to “save jobs.”
you still haven’t explained why you think taking another $2 billion from the private sector to fund NASA overruns will “save jobs” or why Congress shoud prefer to spend that $2 billion on NASA rather than some other program to “save jobs.”
It was never my argument, so I don’t need to explain it. I actually argued against it. You remain as ignorant as you were back then. I fear for those who work with you.