🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan8.134734.15459@iti.org> aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:
>In article <C0IAA3.Axy@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>
>>You don't get rid of civil servants and politically-powerful contractors
>>that easily.  If you wipe out the Imperial Deathstar, they'll only start
>>building another one.
>
>Today that's true. However, if the conditions existed where a group was
>powerful enough to end Shuttle then the situation would be so different
>that it is impossible to say what would happen.

The AARP may be that group. The headline in today's Atlanta Journal
Constitution says that Clinton will recommend raising the retirement
age and taxing medical benefits as ways of dealing with the deficit. 
Lot's of cranky old people, who all vote in *every* election, including 
me, are going to be demanding that the government cut spending in other 
areas rather than break the social contract that we've spent our lives 
paying into. "Throwing money away in space" is going to be a prime target.
If the meataxe falls, Shuttle won't be the only space spectacular cut.
Clinton's new Defense Secretary  designate is already telling a cheering
Congress that $60 billion will be *easy* to cut out of DoD's budget. And
you can bet that district pork isn't high on that chopping block. SDI
is likely a goner, and along with it any space programs it funds. DC
better find a private sugardaddy in a hurry. May I suggest the Japanese
or the Saudis?

Gary

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