| TALLAHASSEE - McCain's NASA stance went from "downright schizophrenic" to outright delusional yesterday with his campaign boasting of his influence on space policy in his former role as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation - without mentioning that, under McCain's watch, the impending five-year gap between the retirement of the Shuttle and the development of the next generation vehicle was created, putting thousands of Space Coast jobs at risk.
While Senator Obama is committed to bridging this gap, preserving Florida jobs and keeping America at the scientific forefront, John McCain has long supported President Bush's failed policy. In fact, McCain ignored the problem back in 2004, even when his committee held a hearing with NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe in 2004 and multiple questions were raised about the gap.
"It's a little late for John McCain to claim he would minimize the gap that he helped create or save the jobs he helped put in danger. In the Senate, Chairman McCain was the one man that could have stood up to save thousands of Space Coast jobs, however, as is the case with so many other issues, McCain instead stood with President Bush," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said. "If concerned Space Coast workers are looking for someone to blame for this poorly-thought-out plan, they need to look no further than John McCain."
At the hearing, Florida's U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson - a longtime NASA supporter - pointedly asked Committee Chairman McCain how he would prevent this: "...my concern in what you've outlined and what the President outlined in the speech over at NASA headquarters is that you phase out the space shuttle by 2010 and then if we don't fly this new vehicle until four, five, six years later, that means that our only human access to space is that we have to rely on Russian rockets and European rockets, and I don't think that's good for the country." And so, rather than having a hiatus, I would love to have you comment as to how we might have an overlap where we would keep the space shuttle flying until such time as the other vehicle is already tested and ready to fly." [U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Science and Transportation Subcommittee, Senate Commerce Committee, 1/28/04]
McCain had no response.
NASA has estimated that 6,400 jobs could be lost when the Shuttle is retired in 2010. Sen. Obama has committed to protecting those jobs by closing the gap between the retirement of Shuttle and the launch of the next generation vehicle.
"Senator McCain and President Bush got us into this mess, and it's time for a new approach and real commitment to get NASA back on track," Jotkoff added. "Unlike McCain, Senator Obama is committed to fully funding NASA and preserving America's scientific leadership in the world." |
| MCCAIN'S RHETORIC ON NASA FUNDING "DOWNRIGHT SCHIZOPHRENIC."
Florida Today Editorial: McCain's NASA stance 'downright schizophrenic.' A Florida Today Editorial questioned McCain's 180-degree shift on NASA policy, characterizing it as "downright schizophrenic." [Florida Today, 6/13/08]
NASA CUTS COST FLORIDA JOBS, HURT LOCAL ECONOMY
15,000 Florida Jobs, Including 4,000 At NASA, Could Be Lost When The Space Agency Shuts Down Its Manned Space Operations Until 2014. NASA's plans to shut down its manned spaceflight operations until the new constellation program begins in 2014 could put 4,000 jobs in jeopardy, while indirectly 15,000 jobs could be lost due to the ensuing slump in the Brevard County economy. Central Florida News 13 reported "In just three years, NASA plans to shut down its manned spaceflight operations until the new constellation program comes on-line around 2014. That could put 4,000 jobs at the Kennedy Space Center in jeopardy. Indirectly, 15,000 jobs could be lost, thanks to a slump in the Brevard County economy." [Central Florida News 13, October 2007]
A Recession Occurred In Brevard County After The Apollo Program Was Ditched In The 1970s. Central Florida News 13 reported that "... Oviedo Congressman Tom Feeney [R] and State Representative Thad Altman [R] are trying to soften the blow. Tuesday, they met with Governor Charlie Crist, in search of incentives that could help prevent the kind of recession Brevard had after the Apollo program was ditched in the 1970s." [Central Florida News 13, 10/9/07]
MCCAIN HAS VOTED TO CUT NASA PROGRAMS, PROPOSES TO SLASH MILLIONS
McCain Voted To Reduce NASA Funding to Reimburse Local And State Governments For The Cost Of Jailing Illegal Immigrants. McCain voted against the Mikulski, D-Md., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev., amendment no. 3295 that would provide an additional $150 million for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses local and state governments for the cost of jailing illegal immigrants. It would be offset by a reduction of the same amount from the NASA science, aeronautics and exploration account. [Vote 367, HR 3093, 10/16/07, Motion agreed to 68-25: R 28-19; D 38-6 (ND 34-5, SD 4-1); I 2-0]
McCain Voted To Take Funding From NASA Research To Fund Education. McCain voted for an amendment to restore $63 billion in cuts from the education account by capping federal employee bonuses and by cutting the intelligent vehicle program, NASA research and development for commercial aircraft, new federal building construction and the executive branch air carrier fleet. (CQ) McCain: Y [1995 Senate Vote #185, 5/24/1995]
McCain Said He Would Veto "Every Bill With Earmarks," If Elected... "The only power of government that could stop them was the power of veto, and it was rarely used. If that authority is entrusted to me, I will use the veto as needed, and as the Founders intended. I will veto every bill with earmarks, until the Congress stops sending bills with earmarks. I will seek a constitutionally valid line-item veto to end the practice once and for all." [McCain Remarks Carnegie Mellon University, 4/15/08]
2008 $1,645,000.00 In The FY2008 Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill: Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, to develop a cost effective nuclear power system to support the long-range objectives of NASA for missions to the moon, to Mars and to deep space (NASA)[Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY08]
2003 $19,000,000.00 In The FY2003 Veterans Affairs/Housing Appropriations Bill: Mars program to cover recent cost increases (NASA) [Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW.org) Pigbooks, FY95-FY08]
McCain Proposed Balancing The Budget By Freezing Discretionary Funding For Programs Like NASA. Durango Herald, "Sen. John McCain delivered an updated plan for the economy Monday that calls for balancing the national budget within four years by freezing most federal programs... McCain's plan includes... [a] continuation of the Bush tax cuts... McCain said he can cut taxes and balance the budget by freezing all "discretionary" spending for one year except for the military and veterans' budgets. Discretionary spending pays for a broad range of programs, from the State Department to NASA to the Forest Service to federal courts." [Durango Herald, 7/8/08] Sen. McCain's economic plan aims to balance the national budget within four years while also cutting taxes by freezing all discretionary funding for programs like NASA for one year. [McCain Economic Plan, June 2008] |
