All posts by Rand Simberg

Space

Yawn

Well, Hillary’s science policy has been released. No surprises here.

The “space policy” is motherhood (again, as expected):

Hillary will enhance American leadership in space, including:

  • Pursuing an ambitious 21st century Space Exploration Program, by implementing a balanced strategy of robust human spaceflight, expanded robotic spaceflight, and enhanced space science activities.
  • Developing a comprehensive space-based Earth Sciences agenda, including full funding for NASA’s Earth Sciences program and a space-based Climate Change Initiative that will help us secure the scientific knowledge we need to combat global warming.
  • Promoting American leadership in aeronautics by reversing funding cuts to NASA’s and FAA’s aeronautics R&D budget.

Leave aside the fact that aeronautics is not space (though it’s part of NASA).

Who decides what is “balanced”? Absent details, there is nothing here to critique or comment on. If there is a real policy (goals, schedules, budgets) behind the platitude, there’s no evidence of it.

And of course, it’s all about “exploration,” as usual. Same mindless pap we’ve seen in Congressional or presidential discussions of space for the past fifty years.

Oh, well, at least, unlike Kerry’s, it doesn’t mention George Bush.

Political Commentary

Down Scoring Fred

I’ve been as enthusiastic about Thompson as I can be about any Republican, but this is disappointing, if true:

He voted against them in the Senate. But after touring an ethanol plant in Iowa today, he considers them “a matter now of national security.”

It’s not just the policy that’s a problem but the apparent flip-flop for blatant political reasons. I’d hoped for better from him.

Not a deal killer, but disappointing.

Administrative

Change Of Venue

We’re driving up to Orlando for a couple days (where Patricia has some work) and then perhaps to St. Augustine for the weekend, where we’ve never been (any tips from Transterrestrialers in terms of places to stay or things to see/do would be appreciated). I expect to have Internet access when we get there, but one never knows…

Political Commentary

Gee, I Thought That They Were Down On McCarthyism?

James Taranto, on the Senate Democrats:

As National Review’s Byron York explains, when Limbaugh talked about “phony soldiers,” he was referring to phony soldiers–that is, to men like Jesse Macbeth, an “antiwar” activist who claimed to have served in Iraq, received a Purple Heart and killed innocent civilians, when in fact the Army discharged him before he even completed basic training.

If Democrats want to support the phony troops, it is their right to do so. But when they try to interfere with Limbaugh’s livelihood, that amounts to an effort at creating a McCarthy-style blacklist.

The Fox report says that 41 Democratic senators signed this letter, which means that 9 or 10 did not (depending on how you count Joe Lieberman). Will they speak out against their colleagues’ intimidation efforts? And where are the Republicans in all this? With the Democratic Party increasingly in thrall to hate groups like MoveOn and Media Matters, America urgently needs politicians of either party with the courage to take a stand for decency.

Don’t hold your breath.