Dubya flies kite to moon.

[a_unique_person]

I think the overwhelming response to this kite flying attempt* is, "what???".

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/06/1070625575158.html?from=top5

US President George Bush wants to send US space explorers back to the moon as part of a bid to refurbish his war-tattered image before next year's elections, according to media reports.

President Bush could announce the proposal as early as December 17, the 100th anniversary of powered flight, as part of a possible package of programs to include fighting childhood diseases and providing health insurance for children, the reports said on Friday.

The efforts would strive to revamp the image of a president now plagued by a $US500 billion ($A680 billion) budget deficit and growing Iraqi quagmire before the November 2004 elections.

The White House was seeking a "Kennedy moment" for President Bush, according to one unnamed consultant close to the President, quoted by The Washington Post. The moon project shaped the legacy of president John F. Kennedy, who proposed a moon mission prior to his assassination in 1963.

The first moon landing in 1969 is much more closely associated with his presidency than the Vietnam War, which he also set in motion.

Not everyone in the space community thinks it's a good idea to return to the moon.

"I think that a moon shot alone seems more like reaching for past glory than striving for new triumphs," former astronaut and lunar explorer Buzz Aldrin wrote in The New York Times.

If he wants to get re-elected, he will have to think of something else to sell the American public.

* "Kite Flying", a political tactic of exposing a policy to public appraisal via informal channels to test the public's response. If the response is positive, then the policy is officially announced, if it is not, then the policy is buried six feet under.

 

[Marc]

So to draw attention away from fast growing debt he proposes spending billions on something we've already done, and has very little value now? Also heard he was thinking of dropping the international space station. Gee, permanent human placement in low earth orbit is not very usefull, but permanent human placement on the moon is a good idea?!?


From www.toostupidtobepresident.com

Top 11 reasons Dubya wants to go to the moon.

11. Even his imagination is 40 years behind.

10. His ranch has even more barren landscapes than those used to film the "moon landings" at LBJ's.

9. Just finished reading "Goodnight, Moon."

8. Halliburton lobbying to "rebuild" it.

7. Running out of places not to find Saddam Hussein, bin Laden, the Anthrax killer, the White House traitor, the Prescription Drug Plan briber...

6. No need to set up free speech zones when he arrives.

5. Couldn't think of a less useful scientific endeavor.

4. Need to find more places to export American jobs.

3. Scientists whom Bush cites to refute global warming also believe the moon is made of crude oil and beer.

2. It's the perfect test for his hydrogen-powered car.

1. It's faster, cheaper and easier than getting out of Iraq.

 

[American]

* "Kite Flying", a political tactic of exposing a policy to public appraisal via informal channels to test the public's response. If the response is positive, then the policy is officially announced, if it is not, then the policy is buried six feet under.

Oh.

 

[peptoabysmal]

Any modern politician has to float ideas before the public. What's wrong with that? Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work? Will of the people and all of that?

To the issue:

I wonder if the motive has anything to do with China's plans to go to the moon? It would make China look awfully ineffective if we are building a moon base while China is still just trying to get there. Of course, the China moon shot may just be a cover-up for China to do more testing and research on ICBM's.

Between the Pentagon and NASA there are already ~35 billion dollars allocated for space research of this nature, a leftover from our space mission policies started by Kennedy and "Star Wars" programs started by Reagan. A moon base could probably be constructed for close to this amount or less. We already have the groundwork done, we already have the technology to do it; we aren't starting from scratch like we did back in the 60's. I think it could be done without incurring much new debt.

If the moon base is a precursor to a mission to Mars, we should give the matter serious consideration. For years I've been hearing scientists say that it is almost a prerequisite to a Mars landing to build a moon base.

There may be other motives; Chandra X-Ray photos of the moon show that it might have valuable rare elements that could be used in new technologies.

If you were simply looking for another excuse to hate George W. Bush, you would probably say that he is just trying to take the attention off of the Iraq war and trying to capitalize on past glory.

 

[ZeeGerman]

If the moon base is a precursor to a mission to Mars, we should give the matter serious consideration. For years I've been hearing scientists say that it is almost a prerequisite to a Mars landing to build a moon base.

And what exactly has Man lost on Mars?


Zee

 

[BTox]

* "Kite Flying", a political tactic of exposing a policy to public appraisal via informal channels to test the public's response. If the response is positive, then the policy is officially announced, if it is not, then the policy is buried six feet under.

I beleive the term is "trial balloon".

 

[BTox]

I think the overwhelming response to this kite flying attempt* is, "what???".

BTW, I think the overwhelming response is more like "good idea".

 

[corplinx]

I think the point of the moon landing will most likely be part of a program to establish a moon base for military/scientific/etc reasons.

If I can grok the obvious, why can't you?

 

[Zep]

It's still a great diversion from Iraq come election time, even if it IS a good scientific idea. It seems, come election time, most Americans are like goldfish - 3 second attention spans!

 

[a_unique_person]

I think the point of the moon landing will most likely be part of a program to establish a moon base for military/scientific/etc reasons.

If I can grok the obvious, why can't you?

Yes, we can't ignore the military uses of the moon.

Now, if Al Gore had floated this issue, you can imagine the response he would have received.

 

[BTox]

It seems, come election time, most Americans are like goldfish - 3 second attention spans!

How insulting. We have at least a 3 minute attention span

 

[BTox]

Now, if Al Gore had floated this issue, you can imagine the response he would have received.

Al who? In case you didn't read the papers, he lost.

 

[American]

He's proposing an idea. If it's determined to be beneficial and feasible then we'll go, and if not then we won't. B.F.D. You'd be outraged if he HADN'T proposed new plans for NASA.

If you get everything you ever wanted in life and politics, you will still be angry and outraged Unique_P-ssy, because you are a liberal.

 

[Skeptic]

(Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.......................)

It is annoying in the extreme that the minute after it's announced, some people already "know" the "real reasons" for Bush's "cynical political decision" to go to the moon.

As usual, the "real reasons" are contradictory: on the one hand, Bush is supposed to "really want" to go to the moon because he is naive, gullible, and stupid; on the other, he "really wants" to go to the moon because he is cynical, calculating, and has devious secret "real goals" he hides. Ah well, consistency is never a problem for conspiracy theorists.

Of course, this has nothing to do with this moon-shot idea in particular (which is, as I understand, merely an idea he "floated" to see what kind of reaction it gets). We get the exact same "analysis" of the "real reasons" of ANYTHING Bush does or say from the same self-appointed "experts"--often people who never even set foot in the USA in their lives, let alone know Bush or, for that matter, anybody at all in America.

One wonders why intelligence services outside the USA bother to have an American "desk" at all. All they need to do is walk over to the nearest apartment building, and they'll find half a dozen "experts" who are deeply convinced they "know" the "real reasons" for anything Bush would/should/could do.

 

[peptoabysmal]

Now, if Al Gore had floated this issue, you can imagine the response he would have received.

After the applause died down, perhaps someone would have quipped "Did you invent space travel also Mr. Gore?".

 

[peptoabysmal]

And what exactly has Man lost on Mars?


Zee

You know when you put a pair of socks in the washing machine and only one sock comes out? I have this theory that there is a wormhole that leads directly from washing machines to Mars. We will finally be able to reclaim all of those missing socks!

 

[ZeeGerman]

You know when you put a pair of socks in the washing machine and only one sock comes out? I have this theory that there is a wormhole that leads directly from washing machines to Mars. We will finally be able to reclaim all of those missing socks!

Now there's a worthy cause. Where do I sign up?

Zee

 

[The Fool]

(Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.......................)

It is annoying in the extreme that the minute after it's announced, some people already "know" the "real reasons" for Bush's "cynical political decision" to go to the moon.

As usual, the "real reasons" are contradictory: on the one hand, Bush is supposed to "really want" to go to the moon because he is naive, gullible, and stupid; on the other, he "really wants" to go to the moon because he is cynical, calculating, and has devious secret "real goals" he hides. Ah well, consistency is never a problem for conspiracy theorists.

Of course, this has nothing to do with this moon-shot idea in particular (which is, as I understand, merely an idea he "floated" to see what kind of reaction it gets). We get the exact same "analysis" of the "real reasons" of ANYTHING Bush does or say from the same self-appointed "experts"--often people who never even set foot in the USA in their lives, let alone know Bush or, for that matter, anybody at all in America.

One wonders why intelligence services outside the USA bother to have an American "desk" at all. All they need to do is walk over to the nearest apartment building, and they'll find half a dozen "experts" who are deeply convinced they "know" the "real reasons" for anything Bush would/should/could do.

I think it is a power we all believe we have for particular politicians. Which ones is it that you know what they "really mean" no matter what they say? Between us we will probably have them all covered eh??

 

[richardm]

The moon project shaped the legacy of president John F. Kennedy, who proposed a moon mission prior to his assassination in 1963.

Well, he could hardly propose it after his assassination, could he?

I would think that there are two reasons for announcing this: First, as has already been pointed out, China has resolved to go there and second, it's a nice hook to hang your election campaign on. Nothing wrong with that. But really I'd guess that it's because the Chinese are getting geared up that the spaceflight genie has been woken again.

I think it's been pointed out before that although landing on the moon is pretty cool the money could be better spent in terms of the science that could be done. Nevertheless, it would be great to see.