LBJ was by far the worst President for space we’ve had.

The Obama space policy is a comprehensive civilian space policy
referenced to national security space and foreign policies, and science and technology and science education policies. The civilian space policy
budget assumes filibuster proof- Democratic party control of congress, a speedy end to the Iraq war and the repeal of the Bush tax cuts. The Obama space policy could have been written by a consensus of pro-space organizations (Lagrange points, indeed!) Bravo, Lori and colleagues. This triumph should make up for the heartache of not being able to raise the money to hitch a ride on the Soyuz…

JOHN:She initially fought like hell against it since it was not a NASA program (it was an evil DoD thing)

Please be more specific, and provide some specific DATA to back up your assertion. What did she do (to fight against it), when did she do it? References would be nice.

“In God we trust; all others must bring data.” — W. Edwards Deming

The data I see is in conflict with your assertions. In this April 1994 Space Access update here:

http://www.islandone.org/SpaceAccessUpdates/940405-SAU33.html

“Meanwhile, we hear the National Space Society (NSS) has sent out a letter to all their members asking for donations for an effort to promote SSTO. They too are now saying a lot of the right things about what’s wrong with US space launch policy, and are proposing to do some fairly useful things in the way of advancing SSTO.”

FWIW,

- Al

It was like that pre-Lori as well. L-5 was pretty quickly digested by NSI in the merger, and the purpose of NSI was always to build public support for NASA. She was just doing what the board wanted her to do.

She initially fought like hell against it since it was not a NASA program (it was an evil DoD thing) and then bowed in and joined it. While she was head of the NSS it became the “NASA Space Society” which is why competing organizations like the Space Frontier Society saw their membership levels increase.

1983 Bachelors degree in Political Science and Economics from Colorado College
1989 Masters degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the George Washington University
1987 Ms. Garver was the Executive Director of the National Space Society, a space advocacy organization. As Executive Director, she served as the organizations’ primary spokesperson, appearing on national television and regularly testifying on Capitol Hill.
President of Women in Aerospace.
1996 Special Assistant to Dan Goldin, the NASA Administrator.
1996 Ms. Garver served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Office of Policy and Plans 1998 Until January 2001 Ms. Garver was the Associate Administrator for Policy and Plans at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where she oversaw the analysis, development, and integration of NASA policies and long-range plans, the NASA Strategic Management System, the NASA Advisory Council, and History Division.
2000 Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Colorado College
Founder and President of Capital Space LLC, a Virginia-based consulting firm
President of the American Astronautical Association
2001 Astro-Mom http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1003/1
2001 – 2003 Affiliated with DFI International as Director of Space Program Development and later VP of DFI Corporate Services
2003 Senior Advisor for Space at The Avascent Group, a strategic consulting firm
2008 Advisor to the Secure World Foundation. http://www.secureworldfoundation.org

This doesn’t include her political activism that dates back to Senator Glenn.

Thanks for adding some facts. Ms. Garver also persuaded Dan Goldin to support CATS, as well as to say he would “hand off the keys to LEO to private industry”.

I think this is a pretty amazing 6-page policy document, and if it is true that Lori persuaded Obama to approve it — then bully for her. We should all thank her. It is also says something about Sen. Obama that he listened to her.

Too bad that none of the many Republican space advocates have gotten to John McCain. I can assure you that it is not for a lack of trying. I do hope that somebody — from the pro-space-commerce community — gets to Sen. McCain soon.

I never would have predicted, a year ago, that it would be the Democratic candidate for POTUS that was the most overt champion of ORS, COTS, and space privatization.

For those Republican policy professionals — instead of whining about Obama — spend your valuable time now getting to McCain & Team, and pointing out that he is letting the Democrat beat him to the punch on policy issues that he should own.

FWIW,

- Al