I want to start by saying that you will find few people more pro space than I, also, what I am about to say is not due to 'bush hatred'... If a democrat had pulled this stunt I would say the same things... Our future in space is important to humanity's long term success... Thus politics are irrelevant- indeed politics are the main impediment....

The space initiative was never serious- george Jr pulled a play from his dads playbook... Lets look at it objectively- what are the short term results? 1) HST is left to die 2) phasing out of the shuttle program 3) less commitment to ISS

Now these short term goals are VERY likely to be met... But honestly, do we have anyone here naive enough to believe the long term 'goals' will be stuck to after election day? Quite frankly this looks like a very underhanded way of scaling back the space program... Make cuts now promising that they are needed for the great plan- 2 years from now the great plan is forgotten and our space program remains gutted...

Does anyone see Bush as a real space advocate? GET REAL!

This is just politics- a way for a president to look visionary...

The fact is the only thing this initiative will definitely deliver is cuts to our space program... the dates for the big goals are set for 3 or four administrations in the future, and those goals seem poorly thought out...

I am sorry, but this seems like crass politics- nothing more... Bush doesnt have the desire or the balls to commit us to something that grand...

sorry folks, we will be too busy 'nation building, for a while... too bad we didnt elect a prez against nation building.... oh wait we did... Aint it ironic?

In short, the initiative announced by bush carries as much weight as any of our pronouncements on this board- except the cutbacks will be implimented, and the grand plan will go nowhere- if you are right or left it doesnt matter, if you are rational you know this is true- this is a 'vision thing' that will quickly be out of sight...

I will bet that in 6 months the issue will be forgotten... all we will have is cuts in space exploration... please bookmark this post and throw it in my smiling face if I am wrong....