“To you, perhaps. To those who sit on the relevant Congressional Committees, it isn’t. Especially those in the House, now that it’s GOP controlled.”

Nope you get this one very, very wrong. It does not matter to me and to most citizens of this country (GOPs and Dems included) and of the rest of the world.

Congress will not give you a return to the Moon program at the cost of Constellation. And probably not even if the cost is 10% that of Constellation.

Congress on the other hand will provide a lot of rhetorical nonsense to attract voters who think it is a vital issue for this country. Catch my drift?

But you are free to believe otherwise.

“And the idea of someone beating us back to the Moon is something certain parties can’t stomach. ”

No one is beating us “back” to the Moon. This is getting tiresome. China does not care and if they were to care it is because they would fund our initiative to the Moon, which in turn would fill their coffers even more with interest payments. China has a lot more on their plates than going to the Moon.

National pride? Millions unemployed yet we establish a “return to the Moon” program. Misplaced pride I think.

“National pride still counts in this world, like it or not.”

Yeah, I did not find the amendment to the Constitution that says that the Federal Government is responsible for national pride. Then again it must be tucked somewhere with the one that says NASA is all about “manned space exploration”.

Ah and I am not sure how a big rocket would nurture national pride. Would you care to elaborate?

Oh well…

It’s the same thing over at DOD…especially when base closings and weapon system cancellations come up. There are congresscritters who are very strong advocates of both-until the base in their district is on the chopping block, or the weapon being built by a contractor in their district is axed. Then they fight tooth and nail for their constitutents.

Here is what Congress swears an oath to when they take office:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

Local politics is a given, but they have an obligation to a higher calling. There are those that rise to it, and there are those that see being elected as a way to sweeten their pot. Such is life.

The real test is when something affects the livelihood of someone’s district. They should fight for the best possible outcome for their constituents, but not at the detriment of making the nation weaker.

Regarding the NASA Authorization Act, I guess we just have different perspectives, but I guess the good part is we both see it as a win, regardless if we differ about how close it tracks the Administrations original budget request. However, saying that it keeps CxP going is a wildly generous interpretation of the facts, as only pieces and parts have been kept, and not even fully funded.

“But how much money commercial crew will get is still TBD-and some on the Hill say they’re getting too much at the expense of Heavy-lift and Orion.”

Let’s compare.

Commercial crew is all about creating a capitalist system for crew and cargo transportation, which will allow government AND non-government commerce expand outside of NASA-only funding.

The SLS and MPCV are all about keeping a government-funded transportation system going, which will NOT allow commercial companies to leverage it’s capabilities.

You can guess what plan capitalists like me support.

“National pride still counts in this world, like it or not.”

It’s one thing to have pride, it’s another to act foolish. Some people have problems separating the two.

Ron: I was pleased at the Authorization Act. It’s the right balance between the disaster of the original FY 11 request (and the revised one) and what some in Congress wanted (keep going with CxP). But how much money commercial crew will get is still TBD-and some on the Hill say they’re getting too much at the expense of Heavy-lift and Orion. As for the ChiComs, the idea of someone beating us back to the Moon doesn’t make certain members of Congress (usually GOP ones) very happy. National pride still counts in this world, like it or not.

As for the party, I didn’t get an invite. My regrets at not attending, but it never arived in the mailbox….

“And remember the exchange between Bolden and one GOP member over the ChiComs beating us back to the Moon, and Charlie not being concerned?”

I’m not worried either. They could announce they’re going to Pluto, and I still wouldn’t be worried. Explain why we should be worried – specifically, how does it impact us?

“When policy changes affect the people who sent them to D.C., they act to either (a) make sure those changes don’t happen, or (b) failing that, those changes do affect their constitutents in a positive way.”

Which is why it doesn’t matter WHO goes in front of Congress when big changes to money distribution is proposed. No one wants their cheese moved.

“But the Senate wrote the NASA Authorization, and it didn’t give the Administration what it wanted originally, and even in the revised proposal.”

The NASA Authorization Act tracked the Administrations proposals pretty good program-wise, and it was just a matter of how much programs got & timing that was different. Constellation cancelled, commercial crew is the law of the land (MPCV is only a backup).

We had a party to celebrate – didn’t you get the invite?