Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), chairman of the space subcommittee of the House Science Committee, spoke at an STA breakfast a couple weeks ago about the NASA budget and related issues (I only got around to this now because of travel and other work, plus, there’s another STA breakfast with Tom DeLay scheduled for this morning to serve as a reminder.) He said he had just returned from recess in California, speaking with his constituents. “There wasn’t a lot of talk about space; a lot of talk about immigration, and a lot of talk about gas prices.” That was a major theme of his talk: that the American public has to be more aware of, and engaged in, NASA’s efforts. “It used to be the American public had very strong and vocal support for science and space. We need to bring to the members of Congress, because we’re a reactive body.”
That public support, he said, is essential in getting NASA an additional $1 billion or so for the FY2007 budget to offset some of the cutbacks made in science programs. He acknowledged that it’s odd for a fiscal conservative to advocate increased spending, but the problem “is not on the discretionary side of the budget: we need entitlement reform. Unfortunately, the discretionary side is paying the price, and that’s the future of this country. Where would we be today if we didn’t have a space program?”
Calvert did acknowledge that NASA is one of the few agencies that got any sort of budget increase in the FY07 proposal. “So the administration would say that NASA is lucky to get what it got,” he said. “They believe they’ve done whatever they can do from a budgetary process, so we have to do our job convincing the administration this is more important than that.”
Calvert has a point. If the plan is to balance the budget by changing non-defense discretionary spending, then they should just eliminate non-defense discretionary spending entirely.
Three Important Comments! No Beating Around The Political Bush!
The Truth! A Very Odd And Strange & Rare Concept These Days!
1) NASA is not a civilian space agency, and today is “very strongly” controlled by National Defense and Military Planners. The cover-ups and bad culture in NASA presently is due from the Military Secretive Mind Set controlling Civilian & Scientific Thinkers. This does not work, and has always through out Human History led to corruption and tyranny! In fact, the former President Eisenhower of the United States warned sternly of the Military Industrial Complex gaining “Too Much Control and Influence” over the United States Domestic Civilian “Private” Sectors. Even Aerospace Pioneers like Burt Rutan has the Men in Black at his door step, threatening to shut him down or worse, if he sells his space technology to anyone else other than the United States Government “Military & National Security”. Clear and Simple, ANYTHING related to Space Exploration has Military & National Security applications, and so the Civilian Human Space Effort “Commercial, Scientific, Private” has been severely retarded and undermined by Military & National Security zealots seeking dominance and world control at any cost. The civilians and private sector MUST regain control of NASA, or any civilian space enterprise or efforts will never happen, and will always be under the thumb of the Military & National Security Community. Military & National Security are valid and needed communities, but MUST NOT be able to dominate domestic “private” civilian space endeavors, as is presently the case. The U.S. Congress and the American People, MUST, CLEARLY SEPARATE, and compartmentalize the U.S. Space Policy and Programs, into Civilian “Commercial, Scientific, Private” Sector and Military & National Security Sector.
2) Permanent Manned Presence in Earth Orbit, Luna, Mars, and in Space, MUST be the focus and goal of the United States Space Policy and Globally. Humanity MUST gain a solid foothold on the Space Frontier for any MEANINGFUL progress of Scale, Scope, and Duration to ever occur!
3) Human Space Endeavors of the Scale, Scope, and Duration of things like Robust Fully Reusable Space Launch & Return System or Program, Large Orbital Space Platforms & Infrastructure, Luna & Mars Missions & Bases & Exploration, and any Advanced Solar or Extra-Solar Missions & Bases & Exploration, are clearly outside the ability or capability of National Governments or Private Organizations. The United Nations is NOT the proper organization to be the focal point for a global human space effort. The International Space Agency (ISA) Organization is the proper and correct venue in which to focus and carry out the global human space effort. This is the best way to reduce the massive waste of resources, manpower, and financial assets, which is presently the case under National Confrontation and Rivalry. Also, the international focused and combined resources of Earths Governments, and Commercial, Scientific, Academic, and Private Sectors & Communities will propel humanity into the Space Frontier in a rapid and massive way; which to date has not be feasible under the present National Rivalry System based on Conflict and Military Dominance.
NASA will NEVER achieve in a stand alone mentality a Base on Luna or a Manned Missions to Mars, with out doing so through the International Space Agency (ISA) Organization. Neither will any other National Space Agency or Private Organization do so in a likewise stand alone mentality.
For the Public Record, the International Space Agency (ISA) Organization is NOT against NASA neither does it seek to eliminate NASA in any way! Furthermore, the International Space Agency (ISA) is NOT against the reality, and need for, National Security and Military sector and communities. Only that the death grip by the National Security and Military sector and communities on the Civilian “Commercial, Scientific, Private” Space Sectors, must be controlled, curtailed, and clearly separated. No more and no less! Also the International Space Agency (ISA) Organization feels very strongly, and has suggested since the early 1990’s, that the United Nations “Office of Outer Space Affairs” be totally separated from the United Nations and then streamlined into the NEW and GROWING International Space Agency (ISA) Organization, and that the International Space Station (ISS) Program should also be streamlined into the NEW and GROWING International Space Agency (ISA) Organization.
An International Space Agency (ISA)!
An Idea Whose Time Has Come!
Ad-Astra! To The Stars!
In Peace For All Mankind!
Humbly In Your Service,
The ISA Global Team
http://www.isa-hq.com/leadership/leadership.htm
International Space Agency, I.S.A.
International Space Administration
WEB: http://www.isa-hq.com
PH: (402) 299-2799
Too bad John Candy the actor died. Someday if Ken Calvert became Speaker of the Shanty or President, John Candy could have easily filled the part. All the more reason to do badge check of representatives and not let them bully security guards around and get out of line, with so many look alikes out there.
The international space agency is a very good idea. Why have i not seen this group before? Their website is very heavy on graphics and music. Very slow
Great site though, and i really like what they are proposing. They have an article in space news way back in 1994. So why has space news not covered anything about this group from 1994? Also i think they had a post here on another topic, and it is not there anymore? Maybe jeff should interview these people and find out whats up. Maybe do an indepth story or something.