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After Discovery's Launch, What's Left For the Shuttle?
coondoggie writes "NASA space shuttle Discovery rocketed into orbit this morning and, despite some communications problems, is slated to dock with the International Space Station in the wee hours of Wednesday, April 7. After this mission NASA has only three shuttles scheduled to launch, though speculation persists that the program may be extended. NetworkWorld has a roundup of what the last Shuttle missions consist of and what happens next."
Although the Dems were able to muster votes to get their health care stuff through despite bitter republican opposition, they will ultimately, on lesser issues, talk turkey. Florida and Alabama will get to keep flying the Shuttle with some contracts for extending it, in exchange for support on any of the things Obama wants but needs the center-right in both parties on. For example, Obama might want an emissions deal, and, while, you would think Republicans would oppose it, Republicans are also heavy in the states that could benefit from some sort of missions for the shuttle to save the earth as part of the package that would also benefit GOP states. Sessions, for example, could be bought on some deal for NASA in exchange for a deal to spin off GM so he can protect the Toyota plants in his state. Florida could be bought off for any number of things.
This is my sig.
'president palin'
Unless McCain dies in the next two years, which doesn't look likely in the least, such statements are idiotic at best. Besides, Obama, with the exception of health care, has followed the Republican plan, the plan stated by McCain, almost to the letter. He never had any other choice regardless of what he told dopes willing to believe him. The only difference is, ignorant people *wanted* to be lied to and so voted for Obama. The truth was simply not palatable to most. At least with McCain, you would of have honesty and integrity. With Obama, we got a charismatic liar.
Obama won the election on emotion. McCain lost the election on truth. People simply did not want to hear the truth and so they voted for an obvious pack of lies. Now people are upset because they got exactly what they voted for - a liar.
Frankly, Obama seems more "Republican" than many Republicans.
At the end of the day, Obama has done little to help reduce our oil consumption. Did he mandate a jobs program to create and retrofit the Air Force's turbines with more fuel efficient designs? Nope! Did you know the US military, especially the Air Force, is one of the largest consumers of oil in the world? Ahh - suddenly makes since doesn't it. Many turbines in the Air Force inventory were designed in the sixties or seventies. Massive turbine design improvements have been made since then; not to mention manufacturing improvements. Its widely believed only modest improvements to the Air Force's turbines alone could reduce the US' oil consumption by 10%-20%. And frankly, likely a lot more so long as we are engaged in war zones.
It appears his energy policy is more or less mainstream Republican.