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From: mcgeer%ucbkim%Berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Carl Sagan supports Mondale
Message-ID: <11864@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 30-Oct-84 13:28:50 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.11864
Posted: Tue Oct 30 13:28:50 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Nov-84 08:19:21 EST
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From:  Rick McGeer (on an aaa-60-s) 

	(1) Let us be precise.  NASA isn't getting money from the Space
Defense Initiative; if I'm not mistaken, that's all going to the USAF's
Space Command.

	(2) NASA is getting money for two things: one is to develop the
Shuttle, which was unarmed the last time I looked.  The second is to develop
the space station, which is supposed to be a civilian enterprise. Neither of
these can be construed as space weapons.

	(3) Mondale has promised to cancel the space station and scrap the
fifth orbiter; I can't believe that he'd support a moonbase, which James
Beggs said earlier this week could be a joint endeavour with the Soviets.
Again, neither of these projects can be construed as space weapons.  Mondale
can't cut space weapons from the NASA budget because there aren't any there
to cut; he can -- and will, if elected -- cut civilian projects.  Sagan has
concluded that Mondale's position on nuclear weapons and defense systems is
more important than keeping NASA alive, a reasonable enough position.
There are those of us, though, who don't agree, and this too is a reasonable
position.

					Rick.