Of either party.
“I fully support the president’s Vision for Space Exploration. I believe that we should expand our presence beyond low earth orbit, and establish a human civilization into the solar system, going to the moon, the asteroids, Mars and points beyond, which is what the vision was in its essence. However, I’m extremely disappointed in the implementation of it to date by NASA, and if elected, I pledge to revisit the Aldridge Report, which required that the vision be fully integrated with the commercial sector and that it support national security goals, and restructure it in order to do so.”
One could obviously expand on it in detail, but that’s what’s missing from the debate, in my opinion.
All important points. Equally important is electing a president who doesn’t support the law of the sea treaty (LOST)and its potential to be used against space. Unfortunately John Mccain supports this terrible treaty. As the Florida primary approaches this is a very important although little commented space related issue.
HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS
BEFORE THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2004
Praising Private Space Exploration
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate and commend the designers, builders, sponsors, and pilot of SpaceShipOne on the occasion of its successful flight out of earth
If I were a reporter listening to this, I would ask the candidate two questions:
(1) Why are you disappointed in NASA’s implementation of the Vision for Space Exploration?
(2) How, specifically, would you fix it?
Nicely said. Also missing from the debate is someone who says, “NASA has been ineffective for years and while I support space exploration in theory, I don’t in practice and would reduce NASA’s budget by $5 billion/year to pay for my other programs until they shape up.” That would be a good counterpoint to your point and might elicit–gasp–a mandate for change in one direction or the other.