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Spaceman-Turned-Politician Can Call Himself 'Astronaut' On Ballot

Posted by timothy on from the well-would-you-call-yourself-a-politician? dept.

New submitter si622test1 writes "A judge has determined that the ex-astronaut-turned-politician who was sued by California Republicans for putting 'astronaut' as his occupation while running for Congress will be allowed to do so, saying that Hernandez is an astronaut for 'more than the time spent riding a rocket.'"

6 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. I think of astronaut as a formal title by sandytaru · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's more than just an occupation. You can say "I used to be an accountant" but, like being a Senator or a Congressman or the President, you've earned that title for the rest of your life.

    --
    Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
  2. Re:Isn't that just nitpicking??? by pympdaddyc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think that's just nitpicking at a detail that's entirely irrelevant.

    Welcome to politics!

  3. Inadvertent Steisand Effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Congrats, California GOP. If voters didn't know the Democratic candidate was a former astronaut, they certainly do now.

  4. good grief by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What a bunch of petty goddamned assholes.
    Why don't you spend some effort actually trying to help the country instead of yourselves?

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  5. Re:By the same logic by fredrated · · Score: 4, Insightful

    By the same logic I can call myself a toddler.

    If that was your profession, go for it.

  6. Re:Hmmm by luis_a_espinal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Shows how both parties are aware just how ignorant the voters can be sometimes, "oh I'll just vote for the astronaut". I have no issue with using the title after leaving NASA though, however if he'd been gone for decades 'former' or 'retired' might be in order but it's not worth the attention and a court battle in view, sounds like it was indeed where his last paychecks were coming from.

    Funny though the guy wants to go from one of the most respected jobs in the US to running for one of the least respected jobs.

    Maybe because he cares and wants to make a difference? We need more like them, and us not having enough of them is really not funny at all. The lack of scientists, engineers and technocrats in our ruling halls of power is a sad indictment of not only our government institutions, but of society as a whole.