What are your political tendencies?

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Edit: It's fixed.

Last edited by thatrsdude on 18 Sep 2005, 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Capitalism has brought us lots of lovely things over the years:

1) Global Warming
2) Acid Rain
3) Destruction of the countryside
4) Poverty
5) Economic dictatorship
6) Devaluing of Human Life
7) Wars

All of those things are more true of socialism than of capitalism. It is big tyrannical governments which make wars, not corporations. As for pollution, there is some lake in the former soviet union which is the most polluted body of water in the world. The wonders of socialism also brought us Chernobyl.

In theory I would be a moderate, with some conservative leanings. While I believe in having a smaller, efficient government (with local states to pick up the slack), I also strongly support having the government mandate things for the country (i.e. government incentives for car manufactures to put more 'eco-vehicles' on the road, or encourage the development of new industries). I also strongly support having a space program. I believe that NASA's job should be to pave the way for the private sector in tapping the recourses on the moon/planets, and eventually people to colonize space.

Thats a bit too far reaching.

I'm not an expert on this, but to my knowledge, either capitalism or communism would probably work if it was done right, but to my knowledge neither have.

I'm a proud apathetic.

Adolf Hitler was democratically elected, does that make democracy bad? The Soviet Union was never true socialism and certainly not democratic socialism as is advocated by some of us here but i think you know that and want to continue arguing with a straw man for dramatic affect. Anyway the Americans were the first to bring us nuclear weapons, which made the Soviet's determined to get it so there is many people and regimes to blame in a way and dont be so sure a Chernobyl event couldnt happen under a capatilist regime.

I dont believe in such luxeries while there is so many people on earth in need of our resources.

Yes, I agree. As much as space is an interesting avenue to explore, I think we need to sort out problems in this world first!!

the scarcity mentality is dangerous. there is, in fact, more than enough to go round, except in obvious cases, such as oil reserves.

there's enough for us to stick people on the moon, or mars or anywhere else you like AND to feed everybody, get them proper health care, etc.

i'm afraid the scarcity mentality is propganda, and very easy to get sucked in to.

It's about priorities though. We must have a decent standard of living for everyone first and then worry about extras such as flying about in space afterwards.

I emplore you to look up Helium three and the amount of quantities of it that could be available on the moon. If all goes well, many nations will start switching to fission reactors for power (I believe that Japan or France won the contract to develop the first one) Just one ton of Helium three could power the United States for one year. Believe me, it may see wasteful or silly, but it is a step in the right direction.

The space programme is highly speculative and any tangible returns (if any), are far off into the future. We have had the age of miniaturisation as a result of the space race though, so some returns have been felt.

It seems to be a false dichotomy to pitch solving the very real human problems here on Earth against possible investment in outer space exploration and the possibilities that could open up to Humanity in the future.

If all space programmes were cancelled tomorrow, it is highly unlikely that the money would be directed towards the ennobling and morally uplifting causes that other people have mentioned.

Im not saying that is what would happen, just that it should. Im allowed to have my beliefs are'nt i? I dont see how it is contradictory in any way either. Money can and is redirected all the time by governments.

If it helps, I think the space program should be privatized. There was that X-1 space ship that was privately built and made it into space for a very small fraction of what the space shuttle costs to build and maintain, thus proving the superior efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the private sector. I think there is an incentive in space tourism and later mining and finally colonization for this to take off if we eliminate the red tape that is holding it down.