Apollo astronauts decry Obama space plans

[crescent&pearls]

This discussion about NASA and all the recent interviews of the NASA heroes (Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan etc.) has re-sparked my interest and fascination with the space program.

When I was growing up, the CEO of Mcdonnell Douglas lived across the street from my family. Nearly everyone I knew had a dad, mom, brother, uncle etc who worked at Douglas, Westinghouse, Boeing, Lockheed, Gen Dynamics, Hughes etc. Those jobs were a major force in the California economy...today they are all gone. The universities were cranking out the best engineers in the world, and the technologies they developed for the space program and defense companies spilled over into the development of better building materials, packaging, medicine, information technology, agriculture etc. So the American investment in NASA not only created jobs, it inspired education, R&D and sustained communities that built schools, libraries and hospitals. Home values went up. People wanted their kids to excel in math and science and dream of becoming astronauts, not entertainers. Now those same communities are desparately trying to figure out how to pay for all the services that the taxes those employed people used to pay for, because our economy is now based on low paying service jobs.

I'm interested to see where we can go with NASA to develop new economic growth in the USA. And I'm reading up again on the Apollo missions. We've forgotten how to be creators and builders of our own great destiny.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

This discussion about NASA and all the recent interviews of the NASA heroes (Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan etc.) has re-sparked my interest and fascination with the space program.

Nearly everyone I knew had a dad, mom, brother, uncle etc who worked at Douglas, Westinghouse, Boeing, Lockheed, Gen Dynamics, Hughes etc. Those jobs were a major force in the California economy...today they are all gone. The universities were cranking out the best engineers in the world, and the technologies they developed for the space program and defense companies spilled over into the development of better building materials, packaging, medicine, information technology, agriculture etc. So the American investment in NASA not only created jobs, it inspired education, R&D and sustained communities that built schools, libraries and hospitals. Home values went up. People wanted their kids to excel in math and science and dream of becoming astronauts, not entertainers. Now those same communities are desparately trying to figure out how to pay for all the services that the taxes those employed people used to pay for, because our economy is now based on low paying service jobs.

I'm interested to see where we can go with NASA to develop new economic growth in the USA. And I'm reading up again on the Apollo missions. We've forgotten how to be creators and builders of our own great destiny.

With the exception of Douglas (purchased by Boeing), those companies are still around. I know Boeing and Hughes still have several campuses in California...don't know about the others. But yes, I've listened to my fiance go on about this for four years - this country produces actors, singers, lawyers and real estate agents. But there is a reason why we don't produce as many engineers and scientists as we used to - we've given those jobs to foreigners here on a visa! Of the kids who graduate from U.S. universities with engineering degrees, only some of them can get jobs. And I'm talking about good engineering schools, like Michigan, my fiance's alma mater. It took him 14 years to get into Boeing, whereas Russians and Indians and Chinese contractors can get in right away through the H1B visa program. Kids aren't going to major in engineering if they don't feel they can be guaranteed a job after graduation.

Obama talked quite a bit about this problem while he was campaigning, and it was one of the reasons why my fiance, who traditionally votes Republican, voted for him.