Comments on: Texas runoffs: Hall loses, Babin wins

By: Hiram

Hiram — Sat, 31 May 2014 15:49:37 +0000

Let’s face it. Congress represents the people by consensus agreement of the people. Unless Joe Blow down the street wants to lead space policy, and thinks he can do it in a consensus-driven way, Congress (and the Administration) need to do it. The recipe for effective space policy is bipartisanship, or at least non-partisanship. That’s where Ralph Hall excelled. As a onetime Democrat, he knew how to reach across the aisle, creating at least sustainable policy, if not dramatically increased funding. The current generation of politicians whose priorities are graven in stone and whose abilities to compromise are lacking will see their space policies eventually axed. They don’t take the long view, unless the long view is their view.

Now, that’s the recipe for effective space policy. Not the recipe for GOOD space policy. With Congress at the helm, we can only cross our fingers about the latter. Of course, good space policy that isn’t effective is pretty much worthless.

By: noominy noom

noominy noom — Fri, 30 May 2014 22:00:29 +0000

Have to agree with James.

By: sftommy

sftommy — Fri, 30 May 2014 21:40:07 +0000

one of the best things about America!

By: Robert G. Oler

Robert G. Oler — Thu, 29 May 2014 14:09:12 +0000

well you are for once correct RGO

By: Neil

Neil — Thu, 29 May 2014 10:17:54 +0000

Truer words were never spoken. It’s one of the downsides of the democratic system. Oh well, you can’t, it seems, have everything.
Cheers

By: James

James — Wed, 28 May 2014 22:36:17 +0000

The less congress does the better. I say up the age requirement to 85!

By: amightywind

amightywind — Wed, 28 May 2014 17:51:01 +0000

The good thing about America is that even riff-raff like me have the vote.

By: Hiram

Hiram — Wed, 28 May 2014 14:43:12 +0000

Hall was a staunch and valued defender of science and space exploration when he headed the Science Committee, and the Space Subcommittee before that. But he’s largely been vacant from those efforts since then, and he’s now perceived as a peripheral figure with regard to that committee, with the august honorary title of “Emeritus Chair”. Of course, he wouldn’t have given up the job, but was term-limited out by GOP congressional regulations. I don’t believe I’ve seen him at any of the recent hearings. I think he’s also not currently in any leadership position, so he’s somewhat dispensible in that regard. Ratcliffe’s politics aren’t a lot different from Hall’s. Ratcliffe just ran on the platform that Hall was a REALLY old guy, who represented a do-nuthin’ Congress. Hall wasn’t able to wriggle out from that label. Now Ratcliffe can be a younger guy who represents the same do-nuthin’ Congress, and he’ll probably do it proudly.

I don’t know much about Babin, but Stockman is a certifiable nut case.

By: Robert G. Oler

Robert G. Oler — Wed, 28 May 2014 14:27:39 +0000

no doubt endorsements usually drag in the “not well thought out” people RGO

By: amightywind

amightywind — Wed, 28 May 2014 11:48:32 +0000

Gene Kranz’s endorsement is good enough for me.