Slashdot Mirror
Ted Cruz To Oversee NASA and US Science Programs
romanval sends word that U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) will become the new chairman of the subcommittee that oversees NASA and government scientific research. Cruz has both spoken in favor of NASA and attempted to cut its budget, but he's most notable for his opposition to the science supporting climate change. From the article:
His vociferous opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and his support of extreme budget cuts could spell trouble for NASA's less prominent programs, such as its own climate research and sophisticated supercomputers. His role on the front lines of the 2013 government shutdown, which critics say had lasting negative effects on public safety, NASA research and EPA scientists' ability to visit contaminated sites, also suggests at best a narrow focus on NASA's largest projects and at worst a disregard for agencies that require science funding.
NASA also has a hand in a variety of satellite projects which, while pretty uncontroversially 'space', mean that NASA data, if not necessarily scientists they directly employ, end up in terrestrial research fairly frequently. Lots of neat stuff you can efficiently keep tabs on from orbit, especially if you have coverage in a suitably broad assortment of wavelengths.
> Corporatocracy (tm).
We _already_ have a word; plutocracy, and/or oligarchy
There is no need to coin a new word -- although yours isn't bad.
The lowest voter turnout in 72 years chose the Republican Party to be in charge of the Senate. The last time the Republcians had the large majority in the House was before the 1929 stock market crash. Something to think about.
Actually, Dems received nearly 20,000,000 more votes national than the GOP, which goes to show just how badly the GOP has gerrymandered the Congress.
Actually, Obama has executed fewer executive orders than any modern president, but now that bearing false witness no longer a sin in GOP circles please proceed.
Decline and fall of the United States will be from causes within.
mfwright@batnet.com