Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!amd!fortune!hpda!hplabs!sri-unix!mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley 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 Lines: 23 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.