Thursday, February 23, 2012

Gingrich's Moon Plan Finds Little Love At Debate

January 27, 2012 | 8:21 AM

Newt Gingrich's proposal to establish a permanent American colony on the moon elicited sharp rebukes and jokes from his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination at a debate in Florida on Thursday.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said the plan is simply pandering to Florida interests, and said he would fire anyone who suggested such an idea to him.

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, meanwhile, joked that he would send politicians to the moon.

The clash highlighted the conflicting values that brought down America's most recent efforts to revisit the moon.

President George W. Bush launched a moon program with a goal similar to that proposed by Gingrich, but budget realities and a lack of political will led President Obama to shelve the project in 2010.

More on how Gingrich's ideas jibe with old plans can be found here.

Join the Discussion

The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.

Comments powered by Disqus

 

Archives

Monthly Archives

Categories

Recent Posts

Recent Comments


Contributors

Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.


Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.