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Candidate musings, and space policy
Feb. 2nd, 2008 04:00 pmSpeaking purely in a private capacity, here... five years now since Columbia.
This has been an interesting month, watching the primary and nomination process unfold. Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm strongly countersuggestive, so "inevitability" and front-runner arguments cause me to bristle. No sheep, or bandwagons.
I was pleased when Obama won Iowa, shaking up the pundits and media expectations and the political establishment. I was myself wavering between Edwards and Obama at that point. But started to become disenchanted with the latter as I dug into websites and political blogs. Obama's website lists policy ideas, but they tend to have less substance and more feel-good verbiage, IMO, and I've seen too much of that. And I didn't like the way the media piled on Clinton... and more "inevitability" and "coronation" stories, this time WRT Obama... so I was conversely happy to see the media and pundits eat a second helping of crow, this time after the NH primary win for Clinton. At that point, I was completely undecided.
Then I caught a link on space policy, ironically from a Mars Society mailing on the candidates. Digging in... Obama's policy (link, at the end, or discussed here) would essentially kill the manned space program, other than space station resupply, and divert the funds to other domestic spending. And much of the lunar program funding itself came out of aeronautics and space science -- rather than restoring these back, Obama's plan just cuts. Granted, most of my own work in recent years tends to be in robotic drilling and other space-science related areas, so I'm not personally threatened... but I think pulling back into an ISS-maintenance strategy is short-sighted, a dead end. If anything, I think we should pay less attention to the Moon and focus more energy on going to Mars. That's my five cent's worth. That was also enough, combined with the slightly cultish attitude of Obamamania, to turn me off on his campaign. (not to mention yesterday's "Harry and Louise" healthcare reprise on his part, sigh)
Conversely, Edwards (link here ) called for a "balanced space and aeronautics program" with exploration of the solar system by both humans and robots, as well as greater international participation. Not much substance either, but at least IMO a sensible general policy direction. Clinton (link here) would keep the human exploration program, but restore some balance with earth and space science and aeronautics. And rumors have it that her adviser (Lori Garver) favors visiting a Near Earth Object (asteroid) in the nearer term, before sending humans to the Moon or to Mars. Which is both cheaper than pushing for a lunar outpost, and keeps an outward focus. So... I had spent the past couple of weeks undecided between Clinton and Edwards, slightly leaning towards Edwards. With his withdrawal, I'll now be voting for Clinton in the primary next Tuesday... and that's almost a 180-degree shift for me over the past month.
Here's an overview of all candidates, on space policy
On the Republican side, Romney is quoted (Washington Post candidate overview on space, here) as favoring Bush's current plans, untouched, and McCain has declined to state. Huckabee was quoted as being unsure about whether to send humans to Mars, but suggested "maybe Hillary could be on the first rocket to Mars."
This has been an interesting month, watching the primary and nomination process unfold. Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm strongly countersuggestive, so "inevitability" and front-runner arguments cause me to bristle. No sheep, or bandwagons.
I was pleased when Obama won Iowa, shaking up the pundits and media expectations and the political establishment. I was myself wavering between Edwards and Obama at that point. But started to become disenchanted with the latter as I dug into websites and political blogs. Obama's website lists policy ideas, but they tend to have less substance and more feel-good verbiage, IMO, and I've seen too much of that. And I didn't like the way the media piled on Clinton... and more "inevitability" and "coronation" stories, this time WRT Obama... so I was conversely happy to see the media and pundits eat a second helping of crow, this time after the NH primary win for Clinton. At that point, I was completely undecided.
Then I caught a link on space policy, ironically from a Mars Society mailing on the candidates. Digging in... Obama's policy (link, at the end, or discussed here) would essentially kill the manned space program, other than space station resupply, and divert the funds to other domestic spending. And much of the lunar program funding itself came out of aeronautics and space science -- rather than restoring these back, Obama's plan just cuts. Granted, most of my own work in recent years tends to be in robotic drilling and other space-science related areas, so I'm not personally threatened... but I think pulling back into an ISS-maintenance strategy is short-sighted, a dead end. If anything, I think we should pay less attention to the Moon and focus more energy on going to Mars. That's my five cent's worth. That was also enough, combined with the slightly cultish attitude of Obamamania, to turn me off on his campaign. (not to mention yesterday's "Harry and Louise" healthcare reprise on his part, sigh)
Conversely, Edwards (link here ) called for a "balanced space and aeronautics program" with exploration of the solar system by both humans and robots, as well as greater international participation. Not much substance either, but at least IMO a sensible general policy direction. Clinton (link here) would keep the human exploration program, but restore some balance with earth and space science and aeronautics. And rumors have it that her adviser (Lori Garver) favors visiting a Near Earth Object (asteroid) in the nearer term, before sending humans to the Moon or to Mars. Which is both cheaper than pushing for a lunar outpost, and keeps an outward focus. So... I had spent the past couple of weeks undecided between Clinton and Edwards, slightly leaning towards Edwards. With his withdrawal, I'll now be voting for Clinton in the primary next Tuesday... and that's almost a 180-degree shift for me over the past month.
Here's an overview of all candidates, on space policy
On the Republican side, Romney is quoted (Washington Post candidate overview on space, here) as favoring Bush's current plans, untouched, and McCain has declined to state. Huckabee was quoted as being unsure about whether to send humans to Mars, but suggested "maybe Hillary could be on the first rocket to Mars."
