Newt Gingrich's preposterous plans for a colonized U.S. moon base "by the end of his second term" are given a proper analysis (and mocking) by Jon Stewart.

"Newt Gingrich realized that the Earth is very sick and now wants to leave it for a younger planet."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Posted Jan. 27,2012 at 8:15 AM EST by Andy Towle in Jon Stewart, News, Newt Gingrich, Space | Permalink

1. I don't like Newt but his idea for a moon colony is hardly "preposterous." JFK pushed for the U.S. to land a man on the moon, right? The U.S. Space program generated a great deal of scientific discoveries. That helped were pushed into business and consumer technology applications. Right?

   What you're also missing is that lots of NASA employees and contractors in Florida have been laid off and Newt is dangling jobs before them.

   If you were an unemployed engineer, scientist or other space industry veteran, wouldn't your ears perk up?
   What people forget is that China has publicly stated that it is focussed on dramatically growing its presence in space, including a lunar landing. One of the big reasons to explore the moon is Helium3, a potential alternative fuel.

   http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/19296/

   Newt may be a terrible person, but not all of his ideas are terrible.

   Posted by: Jeff | Jan 27, 2012 8:36:40 AM

   
   

2. @Jeff - The problem is he's absolute certain that by the end of his second term (!) there will be an American permanent base there. The idea isn't bad but why stop at the Moon? Why not Mars or Jupiter?

   Posted by: Syrax | Jan 27, 2012 9:14:20 AM

   
   

3. It's a terrible idea for Newt Gingrich to put forward, surrounded as it is by the powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity. Unless the entire venture is going to be funded by corporations, where is the money for it coming from? Nowhere, especially not with anyone from the Republican party in the White House when their primary goal is limiting taxes on those they've restyled as "job creators," even though most don't create jobs and those who do create them elsewhere.

   So it's not that it could never/should never be done, but that it's nothing but a carrot he's dangling in front of the aerospace industry, and it's not even a real carrot. And "in his 2nd term"? At least when the Angry Muffin dreams he dreams big.

   Posted by: Caliban | Jan 27, 2012 9:28:03 AM

   
   

4. yeah, can't stand newt (or any modern repub) and knowing he wants Us on the moon for millitary purposes as well as turning it into the largest billboard ever = picture PEPSI written across the moon shinning down on us...really pisses me off BUT

   If we don't set up a base on the moon to mine Helium3 then the chinese will. Helium3 used for fusion research as well as the best future space fuel is supposedly abundant on the moon as well as diamonds & diamond dust (created from impacting meteorites) that can be gathered for industrial applications

   Posted by: say what | Jan 27, 2012 9:33:25 AM

   
   

5. Diamonds are already made artificially for industrial applications. Why mine them on moon?

   Posted by: FMB | Jan 27, 2012 10:23:18 AM

   
   

6. Our infrastructure here in the US is crumbling and he wants to build a moon base? Keep jobs in America not on the moon. Priorities man priorities!!!

   Posted by: Dale | Jan 27, 2012 10:47:31 AM

   
   

7. FMB as a side product of helium3 minning

   Posted by: say what | Jan 27, 2012 1:02:12 PM

   
   

Post a comment