7 thoughts on “Some Space Policy Advice For Mitt Romney”
four years ago you claimed to support the Bush space plan, which included a lunar base by 2020. Why is that now not an appropriate goal?
I think he could fairly claim that our economy could support it back then, and that it can’t now. His lack of vision is appalling. But I think he might have a point.
That was probably the easiest one. I thought I’d start with a softball.
I don’t think it was a softball. “Why is that now not an appropriate goal?” is well formulated. It self-evidently is a valid goal. To deny it would be illuminating.
The problem with Romney, and this is the same problem that Bloomberg has, is that he thinks like a businessman and wants to run the governemnt sort of like GE. Which would be great for trimming costs at HUD or renegotiating union contracts, but is awful for thinking about how governments create and destroy markets, or public goods. Bloomberg famously sold taxi medallions at auction (one-time revenue!) when he simply should have issued them to anyone that wanted one (free entry increases competition, drives down costs). And now the taxi drivers have a property right in those medallions, which essentially means they own a monopoly on taxi service which cannot be revoked without compensation (because of the unfair takings clause). Totally FUBAR.
Romney will make the same mistakes. This NASA thing is just a taste of what’s to come. Romney has bought and restructured airlines by hiring the right executives, and he thinks he can do the same at NASA. The idea of NASA simply being a purchaser of space services from the private sector will never occur to him.
@Simberg:
…, only one of his advisers (Eric Anderson of Space Adventures, and chairman of the board of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation) has any commercial space experience.
Mark Albrecht and Peter Marquez don’t count?
Watching the Republican primary season has been like watching an endless loop of the Hindenburg disaster in slow motion. One giant gasbag after another going down in flames. But the Romney space policy choices suggest that he will be the biggest disaster of all.
You know, I have opposed Romney from the start because I always believed the policies he enacted in Massachusetts represented his true beliefs rather than claims of his presidential campaign. I opposed him on the basis of policy and what I think is best for the country (and myself!)
But the do-anything say-anything buy-anything slash-and-burn methods Romney employed beginning in January, when it looked like he could no longer count on coasting to victory have made my opposition more personal. I am beginning to actively dislike Romney as a person.
Make no mistake, if God forbid Romney becomes the nominee of the Republican Party, I will hold my nose and vote for Romney. Because Obama is that dangerous and destructive to the nation’s future.
But if Romney does become President, my motto and my cry will instantly become “One-term Romney”. Because I fully expect a stab in the back from Romney similar to the GHW Bush reversal on raising taxes. In Romney’s case, I expect the betrayal will relate to health-care policy. Expect an “mend it, don’t end it” “bi-partisan” deal with the Democrats over Obamacare.
four years ago you claimed to support the Bush space plan, which included a lunar base by 2020. Why is that now not an appropriate goal?
I think he could fairly claim that our economy could support it back then, and that it can’t now. His lack of vision is appalling. But I think he might have a point.
That was probably the easiest one. I thought I’d start with a softball.
I don’t think it was a softball. “Why is that now not an appropriate goal?” is well formulated. It self-evidently is a valid goal. To deny it would be illuminating.
The problem with Romney, and this is the same problem that Bloomberg has, is that he thinks like a businessman and wants to run the governemnt sort of like GE. Which would be great for trimming costs at HUD or renegotiating union contracts, but is awful for thinking about how governments create and destroy markets, or public goods. Bloomberg famously sold taxi medallions at auction (one-time revenue!) when he simply should have issued them to anyone that wanted one (free entry increases competition, drives down costs). And now the taxi drivers have a property right in those medallions, which essentially means they own a monopoly on taxi service which cannot be revoked without compensation (because of the unfair takings clause). Totally FUBAR.
Romney will make the same mistakes. This NASA thing is just a taste of what’s to come. Romney has bought and restructured airlines by hiring the right executives, and he thinks he can do the same at NASA. The idea of NASA simply being a purchaser of space services from the private sector will never occur to him.
@Simberg:
Mark Albrecht and Peter Marquez don’t count?
Watching the Republican primary season has been like watching an endless loop of the Hindenburg disaster in slow motion. One giant gasbag after another going down in flames. But the Romney space policy choices suggest that he will be the biggest disaster of all.
You know, I have opposed Romney from the start because I always believed the policies he enacted in Massachusetts represented his true beliefs rather than claims of his presidential campaign. I opposed him on the basis of policy and what I think is best for the country (and myself!)
But the do-anything say-anything buy-anything slash-and-burn methods Romney employed beginning in January, when it looked like he could no longer count on coasting to victory have made my opposition more personal. I am beginning to actively dislike Romney as a person.
Make no mistake, if God forbid Romney becomes the nominee of the Republican Party, I will hold my nose and vote for Romney. Because Obama is that dangerous and destructive to the nation’s future.
But if Romney does become President, my motto and my cry will instantly become “One-term Romney”. Because I fully expect a stab in the back from Romney similar to the GHW Bush reversal on raising taxes. In Romney’s case, I expect the betrayal will relate to health-care policy. Expect an “mend it, don’t end it” “bi-partisan” deal with the Democrats over Obamacare.