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Though some of the entries can get silly, I generally like the White House's "We The People" petition process, in which Americans can submit questions and/or ideas, have the public vote for their favorites, and get an official response from the Obama administration. A new one was released Friday night, and though Will published a fun item on it, I suspect for some folks, it was lost in the weekend shuffle.
The challenge was straightforward: "Secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016." Since there's really only one Death Star, the petition needed no further elaboration, and at last count, it generated 34,435 signatures, over 9,000 more than the minimum threshold for a White House response.
On Friday night, Paul Shawcross, chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget, took on the challenge with a serious reply, that just happened to be filled with not-so-subtle Star Wars references. "The headline, for example, read, This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For."
The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:
* The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
* The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
* Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?
Shawcross went on to talk up the International Space Station, and added, "Even though the United States doesn't have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we've got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we're building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun."
Nice job, Shawcross. May the Force be with you ... always.
Incidentally, there's no word yet from John McCain and Lindsey Graham about whether it's outrageous for President Obama to take "blowing up planets" off the table, but I expect their press release any minute now.
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Perhaps interplanetary travel will appeal to the GOP since they need to find new voters somewhere. How better than to conquer their planet and build another phony Haliburton democracy. Hopefully for the GOP the aliens are white.
The aliens have already won.
The primary "deficit busting" reason given by the White House is bullpucky. Recall that the earlier version of this idea was Krugman's tongue and cheek proposition that it would be economically beneficial if we constructed a earth defense system against alien invaders. His point was that the spending was good in and of itself, even if the product of the work had no value. But there are serious projects that would have enormous value. Krugman's point is that these benefits would be gravy.
The real problem that the Obama administration has with this is that they cannot bring themselves to deficit spend on any infrastructure project no matter how down to earth. This "fun" news story like the platinum coin is so so stupid, because it is a submarine way of reinforcing the notion that massive infrastructure spending to avert climate change would be a fundamentally bad idea based on economics. It's horse manure. It would be good precisely because of the direct economic benefits of the spending, to say nothing of pre-emptively attacking the massive costs due to the economic collapse cause by global climate disruption of economic activities.
But it doesn't matter- the war with thinking alien to progressive ideals is over. Long ago, the Obama administration was captured by inhumane economic and governance theory.
Just take a look at the aliens populating his new cabinet. Their response to the threat to humanity is decidedly non terrestrial.
John. Go look at the constitution again. Only one branch of government can authorize spending on our behalf and only one half of that branch can initiate it. Neither show any sign of being in control of "the Obama administration" entity you allude to.
By the way, while it may be good to pay people to dig and then fill up holes, it would be far more economically advantageous if they skipped unnecessary digging and simply filled holes that impeded commerce since there is a ready supply. A win-win-win rather than a lose-win solution.
Take a look at the pricetag of Hurricane Sandy.
Pay now, or pay a lot more later.
Take your pick.
Give them time:
"The unwillingness of this administration to consider funding for this project represents a serious lack of commitment to our long term strategic national defense and intergalactic security"
It'd be nice if the Republican party would come out with a similarly clear message stating it doesn't actually support blowing up the Earth, whether economically or with global warming or with things that go boom.
Just so we could be clear, you know. (Because, from their actions and statements, it really isn't clear where they stand on such matters.)
Building the Death Star ain't like dusting crops, boy!
It's obviously a government conspiracy designed to keep us defenseless in the face of imminent invasion by socialist robots from space.
.
They're concerned because the Republicans are definitely on another planet, and wanna make sure they've got the chance to screw up that one as well.
Commander Zebulon: "Who says a Death Star isn't feasible? When we got together for our Lubriderm/Star Wars party (all men) this weekend, my Klingon ears caught wind of a ruse...a ruse, I say, that we ARE going to build a Death Star! We just gotta!
Whomever says that we can't is looking for real trouble...speaking of which, has anyone seen my "Trouble with Tribbles" betamax videotape? I left it on the futon, but Liuetenant Zoltharb (Wally Krapnokoviczs) was playing "Dungeons and Dragons" and I think it got lodged in his ass crack. He left without saying a word.
Where are we at with the "Klingon Krumbles" dessert-topping? I'm working up a real "Klingon Kraving" for "Klingon Krumbles." I've been in my inflatable space laboratory, working on a soy-based vegan version, but the lecithin isn't cooperating...damn that lecithin!
"Live long and prosper, with the out-of-this-world great taste of Klingon Krumbles!"
It's always nice to know the number of drooling morons who are active at any given moment, and the White House petition program is certainly a good way to keep track of them.
Of course, the petition to expel the Old Confederacy should be taken in all seriousness.
Then there are those of us who appreciate the value of a sense of humor and the administration's willingness to engage it.
Refer to the spiderman and 'not impressed smirk' photos if you need a way to find your way back from the wilderness.
Have both John Messerly and TCinLA been hacked by redstate?
"I find you r lack of faith disturbing"
NEWS FLASH! NRA ANNOUNCES IT WILL NOT SUPPORT DEATH STAR BAN! from our cold dead fingers..
In a related note: Dr Evil supports 'SHARKS WITH FRICKING LASER BEAMS " for home protection" Assault sharks?
Reason #4 - Due to health reasons, Dick Cheney is unavailable to command it.
We must have a preemtive strike on the Clingon Empire before it's to late. You may think all of those bright lights in the sky are stars but they're actually cloaking devices for the Motherships. Scream!
My friend, all do respect, injecting Clingons into a Star Wars discussion is extremely rude......
I know there is another petition floating around asking the Adminstration to start work on the first generation Starship Enterprise, but the Enterprise has peaceful exploration as it's primary mission. Going to war is a secondary capablity of the Enterprise. In that way it is like HMS Beagle (Darwin's sailing ship.) Why don't we compromise and build the "Battlestar Galactica." That is a genuine warship that wouldn't cost $850,000,000,000,000,000. On the downside, it would probably only be able to destroy half the planet.
Aaaarrgh! A parsec is a unit of distance, not time. (Though at least some SF films and novels have made this mistake, so maybe the administration's response just repeated it. It still drives me nuts.)
You are quite correct - and he was using a direct quote from the Star Wars movie. Blame Goerge Lucas for that particular 'oops.' And yes, it does drive me nuts as well. :-)
Again; Why would a Jedi build a Deathstar, it doesn't make sense.......
Ah, yes, Fuchsia. But in terms of space time relativity, time and distance are often equal and can be plugged into an equation as like factors. If you are talking about light speed through space and the existence of worm holes (essentially the ability to fold space so that two points are now the same point) distance vs time is irrelevant... now in regards to the supposed misuse of "parsec" as time, it is postulated (to support the distance argument) that the Kessel run was a destination, not a path and Han was actually able to find a short cut from point a to point b, thus doing it in less time and in a shorter linear distance... but again, we're talking about theoretical space flight and bending the continuum aren't we? Time + Distance = Irrelevant.
Forget about the Death Star. I'd be happy for the US to actually build some kind of permanent space infrastructure that will support a variety of missions beyond low earth orbit. The ISS has a limited lifetime, with discussion by NASA that it may abandon it after 2020. How about an honest-to-god space station that can serve as a jumping-off point for trips to the Moon, Mars, near earth asteroids and the Lagrange points? Something that can provide a place to assemble things like orbiting solar power stations that would then be transferred to higher orbits by space tugs? Those are all things that have real value, not only for providing high-tech, non-outsourceable jobs, but also for providing clean, cheap energy? Get that done, and then I will support building the Enterprise, (and not the bloody NX-01, folks!).
The next and most sensible project is to build a 1G space station. Strangely the best thing that could happen to the world now would be the sighting of an asteroid 10 years away from hitting us. That would get all of us on the same page. We need something to bring about the "sense of community" not unlike WWII but, a little more of less killing ourselves.
Yes, I said it,,, more of less..
"This galaxy ain't big enough for both of us." Donald Trump
How about we build a base on the far side of the moon, install Newt Gingrich as commander, and populate it with anyone and everyone that ever lobbied for NASA or high-energy physics boondoggles?
They would have to rely on radio (or another band of the EM spectrum) communications, and we can always turn off the receiver at this end...
NASA has done more good than most other programs. Its biggest problem is that it has lost direction, except in cases where Congress and/or the President has directed them to waste money on programs that are nothing but a waste of money. The current boondoggle is the SLS, the Space Launch System, known jokingly as the Senate Launch System, because the Senate mandated that NASA build this kluged-up monstrosity. It is little more than a Saturn V with a couple of Shuttle-derived solid rocket boosters strapped to its sides. There is no real mission, launching it is going to be more expensive than a shuttle launch, and the Orion capsule it is supposed to launch is so grossly overweight that its parachutes won't work to slow it to a survivable landing. Sadly, NASA hasn't been allowed to adapt to the new reality that the basic transportation of cargo and crews to low earth orbit can and will be done far more cheaply by private companies like SpaceX. They need to spend money and effort on the things that private companies cannot or will not do, like new forms of propulsion, radiation shielding for long-duration manned flights, etc.
As I said, we send those pushing the boondoggles to lunar exile. If that includes a majority of the last Senate, so be it. After a year or so on the Moon they will be physically unable to return to Earth's gravity and the problem will be solved.
Then NASA can focus on cost effective exploration of space, which would be the unmanned space program.
My only fear is that, considering the present state of what passes for Republican policy in this country, Mr. Benen's last paragraph won't remain snark...
If the Obama Administration refuses to blow up planets, what the bloody hell good is it?!
to be expected
Speaking of Death Stars, I think every progressive should watch this short video. It was made as a criticism of the environmentalist movement, but could just as easily apply towards the entire progressive movement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eknuqWQ4-Mw
I realize this is really just for fun, but the "chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget" should know that a parsec is a measure of distance, not time.
I guess I should learn to read other comments first.