tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post4076608029834676347..comments2021-12-22T15:15:30.008-08:00Comments on Political Action for Space: What's the Point?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-8486944445065521032008-02-02T09:45:00.000-08:002008-02-02T09:45:00.000-08:00You said of the Obama staffer, He doesn't know how...You said of the Obama staffer, <I>He doesn't know how large we are yet.</I><BR/><BR/><B>We</B> don't know how large we are yet! Space questions held their own against all comers right to the end. Other interests certainly organized to advance their causes, but few could match the space votes. Where did all those votes come from? Either there are a lot more of us than we think there are or members of the general public voted with us or both. Either way, we have more reach than we can explain.ISS Vethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05580356526856788537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-67335270283139805962008-02-01T13:23:00.000-08:002008-02-01T13:23:00.000-08:00John, you did a terrific job. An the effort is by...John, you did a terrific job. An the effort is by no means over... It did not surprise me that the "space questions" were not asked. It is a simple equation - there are more people that care about health and iraq, than going to space. There are more votes invovled.<BR/><BR/>That said, we still have a job to do... There are a lot of people that care about aerospace. It's got to be 4-5M people/votes. The politicians simply don't know that yet.<BR/><BR/>So, this is where we are - and we need to start as a catalytic organization, that starts a national conversation. Let's work on that together.<BR/><BR/>Take care. mjlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-2536212963235569972008-02-01T13:07:00.000-08:002008-02-01T13:07:00.000-08:00Exciting the campaigns about the virtues and nobil...Exciting the campaigns about the virtues and nobility of Space is nice, but it is missing the point.<BR/>We need to convince candidates, campaign staffers, consultants and pollsters that supporting Space is good politics. Key states like Florida and Ohio have the ability to grab the candidates by the short hairs and get their attention.<BR/><BR/>I don't really care if a President has a genuine and personal love of Spaceflight. They will throw their personal preferences under the bus every time is politically required. If their not that type, they don't get to be President (or Senators, or Congressmen, etc). <BR/>I'd much rather have a President who believed that aggressive support for Space was good politics. That and that alone will get you the sustained commitment and funding needed. <BR/><BR/>Everything done now is simply preparing the narrative for the promises and commitments we want to extract from the candidates in the fall. Nothing else matters.<BR/><BR/>ActionforSpace is one tool to build that effort. A great tool. Keep it up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-50258653653930337882008-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:002008-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00I agree with alex, I am almost hoping China will l...I agree with alex, I am almost hoping China will land on the moon soon to galvanize the nation, as tragic as that would be. It's what the country needs, just like we needed Sputnik to kickstart the US Space Program.<BR/><BR/>Don't feel down about the politicos not asking any space questions, we still have the rest of the year to badger candidates about this important topic. Your efforts will not go to waste. Keep up the good work!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02241674305600793889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-73690304986148886262008-02-01T09:57:00.000-08:002008-02-01T09:57:00.000-08:00It was a good try.I have a feeling the future pres...It was a good try.<BR/><BR/>I have a feeling the future president doesn't care much for space. I think something major has to happen, like China landing on the moon, to push politicians and the general public to shoot for targets beyond low Earth orbit and that won't happen during this coming president's term.<BR/><BR/>I of course will continue to promote space when I can... and hope the private sector goes where NASA won't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041803606985503625.post-59505662646882874932008-02-01T09:07:00.000-08:002008-02-01T09:07:00.000-08:00Take a deep breath now and imagine what would have...Take a deep breath now and imagine what <I>would</I> have happened if one of the space questions, esp. one of the bolder ones, had made it into either debate: The discussion would most certainly have turned quickly to the cost and relative(!) benefits of - crewed - spaceflight vs. other more pressing needs. Does anyone really believe that any of the remaining candidates would have said something like “hey, I’ll get the U.S. out of the Iraq mess quickly and then we can spend all the billions saved on a Mars colony”? The effort to convince politics that going to Mars ASAP or the VSE or ALT.VSE or some other crewed space activity is really worth it has to start at a <I>much</I> more fundamental level IMHO: You’ve got to convince the broad public first and start with its more space-friendly faction. Even there <I>a lot</I> of work lies ahead, as the debate on crewed vs. robotic or rather the best proportion of the two is far from settled even in the space advocacy groups …<BR/><BR/>A voice from GermanyDaniel Fischerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com