Saturday, January 01, 2005
Are Americans Still Unified by Space Exploration?
The Republican had a great editorial on the return of Space Shuttle launches by NASA. It said,
"From its infancy to today, our nation's space program has provided people of all political persuasions a common rallying point. There were no Democrats or Republicans in August 1969 when Neil Armstrong took his bold leap for mankind. There was, instead, a nation of proud Americans. There were no Democrats or Republicans on the days when the two space shuttles and their crews were tragically lost. There were only Americans in mourning.
When the space shuttle Discovery leaves the bounds of this Earth behind sometime next year, the hearts of everyone in the land will be made a bit lighter. We will all of us travel with that brave crew"
I totally agree! The launch of the next Discovery is an important step to continue space exploration and lift the spirit of America. However, while I hope to believe these thoughts of political unity are true, I am a bit cynical. I work in an office with many liberals. From my discussion with these people and others, I have gathered that the space program is just another obstacle blocking their dreams of socialistic euphoria. In my opinion their attitude on this subject is just another example of how little vision liberals have.
It is a well known fact that John F Kennedy had a real vision for space exploration. However, since his death other liberal politicians have taken an opposing view of the U.S. space program. Take for example Walter Mondale in 1972. I have been watching the HBO series "From The Earth to the Moon," and was surprised to find out that this man tried to shut it down. CBS News on January 30, 2004 posted a "Weekly Standard" column by Joseph Rodota. In it he said,
But my collection has an unusual centerpiece: a signed letter from Walter Mondale, the former vice president who unsuccessfully challenged Ronald Reagan for the presidency in 1984.
The letter is dated February 14, 1972, and is addressed by Mondale, at the time a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, to a man who lived not far from the Capitol, in the posh suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland. I found the letter on the bargain table at a political memorabilia show shortly after the '84 election, which Mondale lost overwhelmingly. I bought it for almost nothing -- there's a weak market for autographs from the also-rans -- but it caught my eye because of the opening paragraph:
"Thank you very much for your message supporting my position against the space shuttle. I hope that our efforts to reject this project here in the Senate will be successful."
Opposed to the space shuttle? How strange.
Mondale went on:
"President Nixon's decision to proceed with the development of the space shuttle is another example of perverse priorities and colossal waste in government spending. There is expert evidence that we can achieve the same scientific and utilitarian goals in space at only a fraction of the billions to be spent on the shuttle. And there are certainly more sensible ways to create new jobs than by an enormous federal boondoggle."
Of course Mondale's "boondoggle" turned out to be the nation's pride, undiminished by the losses of the Challenger and the Columbia.
Mondale's letter serves as a reminder that big ideas matter in American politics. Space exploration is a big idea. John F. Kennedy understood this, as did Ronald Reagan. And so too, does George W. Bush.
From my perspective many liberals have unfortunately chosen this pessimistic, visionless voice of Walter Mondale over the passion and inspiration of John F. Kennedy. It is a shame that even national scientific and space policy could be discarded by liberals and their Democratic Party.
"From its infancy to today, our nation's space program has provided people of all political persuasions a common rallying point. There were no Democrats or Republicans in August 1969 when Neil Armstrong took his bold leap for mankind. There was, instead, a nation of proud Americans. There were no Democrats or Republicans on the days when the two space shuttles and their crews were tragically lost. There were only Americans in mourning.
When the space shuttle Discovery leaves the bounds of this Earth behind sometime next year, the hearts of everyone in the land will be made a bit lighter. We will all of us travel with that brave crew"
I totally agree! The launch of the next Discovery is an important step to continue space exploration and lift the spirit of America. However, while I hope to believe these thoughts of political unity are true, I am a bit cynical. I work in an office with many liberals. From my discussion with these people and others, I have gathered that the space program is just another obstacle blocking their dreams of socialistic euphoria. In my opinion their attitude on this subject is just another example of how little vision liberals have.
It is a well known fact that John F Kennedy had a real vision for space exploration. However, since his death other liberal politicians have taken an opposing view of the U.S. space program. Take for example Walter Mondale in 1972. I have been watching the HBO series "From The Earth to the Moon," and was surprised to find out that this man tried to shut it down. CBS News on January 30, 2004 posted a "Weekly Standard" column by Joseph Rodota. In it he said,
But my collection has an unusual centerpiece: a signed letter from Walter Mondale, the former vice president who unsuccessfully challenged Ronald Reagan for the presidency in 1984.
The letter is dated February 14, 1972, and is addressed by Mondale, at the time a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, to a man who lived not far from the Capitol, in the posh suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland. I found the letter on the bargain table at a political memorabilia show shortly after the '84 election, which Mondale lost overwhelmingly. I bought it for almost nothing -- there's a weak market for autographs from the also-rans -- but it caught my eye because of the opening paragraph:
"Thank you very much for your message supporting my position against the space shuttle. I hope that our efforts to reject this project here in the Senate will be successful."
Opposed to the space shuttle? How strange.
Mondale went on:
"President Nixon's decision to proceed with the development of the space shuttle is another example of perverse priorities and colossal waste in government spending. There is expert evidence that we can achieve the same scientific and utilitarian goals in space at only a fraction of the billions to be spent on the shuttle. And there are certainly more sensible ways to create new jobs than by an enormous federal boondoggle."
Of course Mondale's "boondoggle" turned out to be the nation's pride, undiminished by the losses of the Challenger and the Columbia.
Mondale's letter serves as a reminder that big ideas matter in American politics. Space exploration is a big idea. John F. Kennedy understood this, as did Ronald Reagan. And so too, does George W. Bush.
From my perspective many liberals have unfortunately chosen this pessimistic, visionless voice of Walter Mondale over the passion and inspiration of John F. Kennedy. It is a shame that even national scientific and space policy could be discarded by liberals and their Democratic Party.
