John F. Kennedy promised to send humans to the moon and return them safely to Earth before the end of the decade of the 1960’s.
That promise was fulfilled a few months after JFK’s arch-nemesis, Richard Nixon, had been sworn in to desecrate the sacred office to which JFK had been elected in defeating him.
Nixon allowed the completion of the scheduled moon landings, but after that essentially kneecapped the program and made it a shadow of its former self, never to recover.
Democrats took us to the moon and small-minded Republicans pulled us back. We need to return to the days of great vision and great promise, that is planned on earth, exercised in the “New Frontier,” and benefits enjoyed back on earth.
Maybe, just maybe if we quit having wars that are based on economics and business, quit a lot of pork barrel projects, and so on we could build real, earn-a-living-wage jobs, an education and healthcare system that works for people and not corporations, and explore space (and in that order). But the repudlicons and the democrats as well will never let that happen. Neither party is free of greed, graft, and self aggrandizement. One’s more deeply into than the other but now neither one reaches across the aisle unless it’s with a large stick. 50 years ago we went to the moon, business was booming, the average American could afford a car and a house, but we were also mired in institutional racism and a war that the administration’s had known was unwinnable for many years. The last part sounds far too familiar but making a living with the debt this nation carries enslaves way too many. And the national debt has been the only thing reaching the moon for many years.
landing a man on the moon may have been the greatest technological achievement of the 20th century. The space race came about more because of fear of Soviet domination than some great vision. Kennedy used both to rally the country. The Soviets were the enemy. Today, Trump embraces Putin and the Russians and his vision is to bring the country backwards to the 1950’s and 60’s, even the 1850’s. The Russians today are still advisories and Trump’s vision for the country speaks for itself.
Those guys were REALLY BRAVE, my brother was on the design team for the ascent engine that got them off the moon. I had to help him change the spark plugs on his Trans Am, because he couldn’t figure out how! Engineers are mechanics’ worst enemies. If they can design something to be nearly impossible to reach/repair, they’ll manage.(Former aircraft mechanic)
I’m not sure I’m understanding this cartoon correctly, but it appears to be disrespectful and unkind to the original astronauts who walked on the moon.
Alas, every one here seems to be neglecting the proposed American space program under Eisenhower, before the “space race”.
That was Wernher von Braun’s concept, in which the first step would have been to build a true “space station”… city-sized, not the current “vacation cabin” that can only house a few individuals for short periods of time.
That would have been a true stepping-stone to space… first to the moon and then to Mars and elsewhere. But when the USSR launched its first successful Sputnik, the whole concept was abandoned — by all parties — in favor of scoring media points over the Soviets… eventually leading to the “race to the moon”. The whole focus became “getting there”, rather than having any comprehensive long-term program, much less building an effective supporting structure for implementing such a program.
And that, I maintain, is why the “space program” died… or at least went into hibernation. It has not been revived. Commercial opportunities have entered near-Earth space, but that’s a far cry from a “space program”. And though we suddenly appear to have a new goal — putting a man on Mars, — it’s once again a one-shot PR goal rather than a step or an element of a broader “program”. I wonder whether I’ll live to see even that goal reached, and I still expect to live many more years.
Iran claims that it has captured 17 American spies. Normally I’d be inclined to doubt anything those Grade-A theocrats ever said. However, their claim has been stoutly denied by the Grade-A++ liar in the White House, so now I don’t know what to believe, but appallingly I discover that, in my own mind, the ayatollahs have better credibility.
How pathetic that, only 2½ years into the current presidency, not only America’s credibility but also its integrity has fallen below that of one of the most repressive, authoritarian dictatorships on the planet.
DD Wiz Premium Member almost 5 years ago
John F. Kennedy promised to send humans to the moon and return them safely to Earth before the end of the decade of the 1960’s.
That promise was fulfilled a few months after JFK’s arch-nemesis, Richard Nixon, had been sworn in to desecrate the sacred office to which JFK had been elected in defeating him.
Nixon allowed the completion of the scheduled moon landings, but after that essentially kneecapped the program and made it a shadow of its former self, never to recover.
Democrats took us to the moon and small-minded Republicans pulled us back. We need to return to the days of great vision and great promise, that is planned on earth, exercised in the “New Frontier,” and benefits enjoyed back on earth.
Display almost 5 years ago
Maybe, just maybe if we quit having wars that are based on economics and business, quit a lot of pork barrel projects, and so on we could build real, earn-a-living-wage jobs, an education and healthcare system that works for people and not corporations, and explore space (and in that order). But the repudlicons and the democrats as well will never let that happen. Neither party is free of greed, graft, and self aggrandizement. One’s more deeply into than the other but now neither one reaches across the aisle unless it’s with a large stick. 50 years ago we went to the moon, business was booming, the average American could afford a car and a house, but we were also mired in institutional racism and a war that the administration’s had known was unwinnable for many years. The last part sounds far too familiar but making a living with the debt this nation carries enslaves way too many. And the national debt has been the only thing reaching the moon for many years.
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 5 years ago
If we can send a man to the Moon, why can’t we send a man to the Moon?
Ally2005 almost 5 years ago
landing a man on the moon may have been the greatest technological achievement of the 20th century. The space race came about more because of fear of Soviet domination than some great vision. Kennedy used both to rally the country. The Soviets were the enemy. Today, Trump embraces Putin and the Russians and his vision is to bring the country backwards to the 1950’s and 60’s, even the 1850’s. The Russians today are still advisories and Trump’s vision for the country speaks for itself.
Scoutmaster77 almost 5 years ago
Don’t laugh. I’ve met some of these guys recently. If they are still alive, they are in their eighties.
RonnieAThompson Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Thanks for the tribute, Steve.
mr_sherman Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Ironically, they probably won’t need a walker if they were on the moon.
Dtroutma almost 5 years ago
Those guys were REALLY BRAVE, my brother was on the design team for the ascent engine that got them off the moon. I had to help him change the spark plugs on his Trans Am, because he couldn’t figure out how! Engineers are mechanics’ worst enemies. If they can design something to be nearly impossible to reach/repair, they’ll manage.(Former aircraft mechanic)
pamela welch Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Excellent thread of information between DD Wiz and Steve- Thanks gentlemen ♥
Ninjapup almost 5 years ago
I’m not sure I’m understanding this cartoon correctly, but it appears to be disrespectful and unkind to the original astronauts who walked on the moon.
Concretionist almost 5 years ago
Y’know, with that low gravity, the moon would be a great retirement location. If all the little issues like air and housing were handled…
gammaguy almost 5 years ago
Alas, every one here seems to be neglecting the proposed American space program under Eisenhower, before the “space race”.
That was Wernher von Braun’s concept, in which the first step would have been to build a true “space station”… city-sized, not the current “vacation cabin” that can only house a few individuals for short periods of time.
That would have been a true stepping-stone to space… first to the moon and then to Mars and elsewhere. But when the USSR launched its first successful Sputnik, the whole concept was abandoned — by all parties — in favor of scoring media points over the Soviets… eventually leading to the “race to the moon”. The whole focus became “getting there”, rather than having any comprehensive long-term program, much less building an effective supporting structure for implementing such a program.
And that, I maintain, is why the “space program” died… or at least went into hibernation. It has not been revived. Commercial opportunities have entered near-Earth space, but that’s a far cry from a “space program”. And though we suddenly appear to have a new goal — putting a man on Mars, — it’s once again a one-shot PR goal rather than a step or an element of a broader “program”. I wonder whether I’ll live to see even that goal reached, and I still expect to live many more years.
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Iran claims that it has captured 17 American spies. Normally I’d be inclined to doubt anything those Grade-A theocrats ever said. However, their claim has been stoutly denied by the Grade-A++ liar in the White House, so now I don’t know what to believe, but appallingly I discover that, in my own mind, the ayatollahs have better credibility.
How pathetic that, only 2½ years into the current presidency, not only America’s credibility but also its integrity has fallen below that of one of the most repressive, authoritarian dictatorships on the planet.