Is Newt Gingrich Right About Going to the Moon?

Your poll question mischaracterizes Newt's proposal, just as Romney did last night in the debate.

Newt has not proposed that the United States spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, as you put it. He has proposed using some of the money NASA already receives to generate incentive for private civilian companies, scientists, engineers and technicians to come up with innovative, commercially and financially feasible projects that use space as a resource. Competitions like that have been effective in the past to bring new ideas and technologies to light and encourage ambition and investment and could do so again.

Inviting competition and forward thinking in the private sector is a great thing and would do a lot toward pulling America out of the horrible malaise Obama has brought us to.

Newt is absolutely right on this one and it makes sense. His technology prize would be a productive use of the money we are spending on NASA, and directly promote business and industry in the US as well. Americans--especially our young people heading into college and adulthood--need projects to feel optimistic and energized about. We need to feel engaged and purposeful about our country and proud of its goals and ambitions--and we need REAL hope for our future, based on difficult work being done successfully done and compelling things accomplished, not just vague and empty rhetoric.

Romney, on the other hand, would instantly fire an employee who came to him with a big idea, based on a complete mischaracterization of that idea. He did say he likes firing people. Doesn't sound like someone I want to work for. Or elect as president.

Molly of AK 2:33PM January 27, 2012