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Ryan on U.S. space program: Just another broken Obama promise

September 22, 2012 2:26 PM

Speaking near the Space Coast in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan blasted the president's "broken promises" on the space race, warning that "China may one day be looking down on us from the moon."

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by ConcernedAmerican1 September 25, 2012 9:18 AM EDT
How sad that individuals are so conditioned by government to expect so little from their leaders and to therefore so quickly defend their inability or lack of desire to do what is right. To imply that Obama could not have done something to (re)direct the policy and strategic direction of the Space Program is naive. The job demands more than oratory skills. It requires vision and the ability to lift up a nation in pursuit of greatness. Obama "may" be a nice guy, but that does not make him a good president. How you treat all people, not only those you want something from, is the sign of a leader. The measure of the President is that which he achieves. Blaming others is merely a vladation that the individual does not have the right skills for the job. Just as we should hold business executives accountable for the failures of companies and consequences of their decisions that harm others or fail to deliver results, we must do the same with elected leaders. It is not personal, but it is critical to the health and welfare of the nation and prosperity, freedom, and security of future generations and other freedom loving people around the world. I fear that Mr. Obama sees this more as a personal game than a National imperative. Too many trite snide remarks. Too much time spent attacking others rather than explaining what he has accomplished. Let us not forget that he had a rare opportunity in National politics. 1.5 years to address the nations most important financial challenge and he turned his back on it elected to pursue a personal agenda that destroyed relations within our government, so damaged trust between elected officials, and all at a cost that we could not afford even in the best of days. We need to elect a President that works for the nation and not a man that leads with his own ego. This is a time for selfless service, strategic vision, and honest engagement. We've had 4 years to assess Mr. Obama in each of those areas and he has come up far too short. Our nation is at peril from within and from without. New leadership is required. It is not just desired by some, it is required by all. We are too good a nation to allow ourselves to continue to be governed as we have the last four years. I hope and pray that our nation possesses the strength to look beyond Mr. Obama's often shallow and demeaning discourse far too often masked in laughter and cynicism. We must elect a new President that will steer this great nation back onto a course where we celebrate patriotism, national pride, and individual success rather than one who far too often seeks to divide us and manipulate groups for personal gain. This is not the game they make it out to be. I pray that we quickly correct our course so that we can extend to each man, woman, and child the opportunity to succeed and celebrate individuals' contributions to this great nation.
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by Verascity September 24, 2012 2:48 PM EDT
Ryan is an attack dog and a misogynist. Nothing that he says is relevant or believable.
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by davekzCNET1 September 24, 2012 2:06 AM EDT
I love it when otherwise intelligent people cannot help themselves from bashing this president out of mostly willful ignorance.

Even a marginally knowledgeable aerospace observer knows that any serious follow-on to the Space Shuttle Program needed to be well into development during the late 1990's and/or early 2000's. I'm perfectly willing to blame both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush for NASA's decline. By the time Barack Obama was elected, NASA's near-term fate had already been sealed.

Given that the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression was already in play when Barack Obama was inaugurated, the only thing that I will take Obama to task for regarding NASA, is his failing to extend the Space Shuttle program for 24-36 months (via comprehensive Shuttle Orbital overhauls and an attenuated flight schedule), in order to significantly narrow or close our window-of-dependence on the Sov...err...Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

I would strongly suggest that Paul Ryan and his supporters take a look-back at what federal tax rates were like during the "golden age" of American human spaceflight. You get the technology infrastructure that you're willing to pay for.
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by Filmguy870 September 23, 2012 9:52 AM EDT
Lyin' Ryan. ...says it all!
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by rightrockets September 23, 2012 9:46 AM EDT
Mr. Ryan is either misinformed or lying... probably both.

The shuttle program was targeted for decommissioning in late 2004, Obama clearly had nothing to do with that decision. Bush also appointed Mike Griffin as NASA Administrator in 2005 and Griffin immediately reversed course on a prior decision to replace the shuttle and committed NASA to a disastrous course leading up to the failure of the Ares rocket program (a project rejected by NASA internally in 2003!).

Again, Obama had nothing to do with any of this.

The problem with the space program (the human spaceflight portion of it) was that it was too expensive and not accomplishing anything. It was nothing more than a big money jobs program that the political interest of Florida, Texas and Alabama propped up with the aid of pork-loving contractors. The fact that American astronauts ride into space on a Russian Soyuz rocket is a disgrace, but it's the result of greed, stupidity, and ambivalent leadership.

Paul Ryan's comments are the trademark of phoney pandering to a crowd in hope of saving a fast sinking ship. Loose lips sink ships, so do loose brains.
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by bbinfla September 23, 2012 8:28 AM EDT
Ryan from "near the space coast"

Ryan, you could not even find the space coast, you were in Orlando you should have stuck with talking aobut Micky Mouse. You were at University of Central Florida. Brevard County AKA "the Space Coast," has no State (Florida) run College or University I should point out. Ryan, we have been to the moon already remember? In 1969, we went to the moon, and it took another 29 years just to get the International Space Station going." I should also point out that Ex-President George W. Bush cancelled the shuttle program. Where were you Ryan, at Fantasyland or Universal Studios?

This Space Coast Resident who once worked on the space shuttle program will be voting to re-elect president Barack Obama, and hope that the people of Wisconsin will give Ryan his Pink Slip in November.
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by hypnotoad72 September 23, 2012 8:16 AM EDT
I'm tired of these people whining.

They should cite, with SOLID details, what they will do differently.

No more ambiguity, but if they offshore money in other countries, then they are not pro-America and want all of this country's benefits for nothing. Romney does that, so he does not have faith in this country or is willing to put in his fair share, especially as he has offshored jobs to help line his pockets.

If you want to support these leeches, don't be surprised the day I say "I told you so".
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by sueb45 September 23, 2012 8:07 AM EDT
How long would the cost of one space mission fund Social Security or Medicare? I believe we need to invest in space and oceanic exploration...but not at a time when we're cutting vital social programs. Let's get our fiscal house in order and then go to mars!
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by robert1129 September 23, 2012 5:20 AM EDT
Folks....We have to understand that the Romney/Ryan ticket is desperate. They have lie after lie; they do one thing even in public and say we should do the exact opposite; they alienate one group and then another. Unless some miracle happens, the Presidential race is over. Even the RNC has acknowledged this by diverting funds from Romney/Ryan to local and state races. Romney even had to take out a $100 million loan to cover this.
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by MariaToo September 23, 2012 4:32 AM EDT
Paul Ryan is only 42 and he's already a respected leader and very liked person in congress etc. He is very, very smart, but may not be as knowledgable about some subjects ( like foreign affairs and space programs etc. ) as he should be . If he became Vice President it wouldn't take him much time at all to learn anything he wanted to learn . Think of Obama--he knew nothing when he first started. But everybody made excuses for him- they were yearning to like him.

Now it sounds like there's a lot of yearning to find fault with Mr. Ryan. As for me, I forgive him his faults ; I will not give in to the leftist smear machine.

I think Ryan is very attractive as a personality. Everything he's gotten and succeeded in on the job as politician was due not just to his mental capacity; many politicians are very inteligent--but they don't do what he's done. He literally has charmed his way into the good graces of fellow workers. He got them to listen. Even older more seasoned officials have been inspired by him. Everybody likes him --both Democrats and Republicans . That's the talent we need . I think he's very cute and likeable ; Romney should use him better . Give the guy a chance.
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