Barack Obama and his plans about space

Spacepolitics (http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/11/20 ... -education) reports:

"The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years,â€

Hello, Klaus,

this topic may prove to be political in general to 90% rather than space-political I suppose - Because the Senate simply will apply its budget rights and ignore Obama's intentions.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

Hmm, the US President is a strong office.

Hello, Klaus,

that's correct - but in the past this almost had to do with the person merely than with the office. The strength was floating between the Congress and the President again and again - because of the system of Checks and Balances.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

Obama won't be the president, unfortunately. Neither will Ron Paul who's probably the best choice imho. Clinton will probably become the president. What will Bill become then? First male (instead of first lady)?

Either way, money is not the issue at NASA imo, it's what they do with the money which is.

You should never forget that a governmental institution can't be as cheap as a private company. They have to distribute money allocated through the whole country, not always only to the cheapiest.

Second they are naturally larger because their duties are far more than for example those of SpaceX. A larger, especially bureaucratic, management (for example to work after governmental procedures) makes another big hit in the efficiency.

Of course it could be better, far better, but one should never forget that NASA is not independant and can't be so "cheap" like a small, specialized company like SpaceX .

A recent article shows how Obama is losing vital votes from individuals who would like to vote for him: http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1100/1

Senator Obama must surely know that Florida is a Space State, and will remember any hostility towards space--as will Ohio, site of NASA/Glenn http://facilities.grc.nasa.gov/explore/explore.html

I know of many Democrats in these two battleground states who could not vote for Kerry due to his anti-NASA stance.

Cutting NASA for schools as Senator Obama would do is like paying for the education of Doctors by selling hospitals as resorts or Condos--it is self-defeating.

After all--the Apollo space program inspired this man:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farouk_El-Baz
---To make this discovery http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNew ... 9020070718

If Senator Obama wants Alternative Energy--then he should support Space Based Solar Powersats launched by Ares V vehicles.

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology ... 21031.html
http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/library/nsso.htm

Senator Obama must also remember that many African-Americans support spaceflight, like this man:
http://research.amnh.org/%7Etyson/

President Obama could cut the Defense budget--cut the tanker and F-22/F-35 fighter programs we don't need--and Katrina ravaged Louisiana can have this:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/const ... aresV.html

--and he can still have a great education program--with a robust space program.

Hurricane KATRINA ravaged New Orleans needs the ARES V launch vehicle to keep high paying NASA jobs in that state: http://www.safesimplesoon.com/heavylift.htm

The smaller, less efficent vehicles in that drawing are made in Alabama--a red state. Ares V is a blue state rocket.

Any cuts to NASA/VSE would hurt that state, allowing Alabama to (sadly) dominate aerospace with the EELVs, which are worse for the environment as I have aregued in my article here:
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/How_G ... e_999.html

If Obama supports Ares V--he will keep more friends in Blue-State Louisiana--which will win him more votes in the long run.