openSource Science: A Ron Paul Grassroots Effort

[wowrevolution]

We have been taking a hammering on the campaign trail due to misperceptions about the scientific aptitude of the Ron Paul movements. As proof of our scientific superiority, I propose we accept the following idea into our campaign.

Many times, science projects are canceled due to funding shortfalls. The public is given no option to help fund these projects and NASA is unable to take donations due to government red tape. However, the Money Bomb system could be used to allow the public to make private anonymous donations to their favorite threatened projects. If Bill Gates or Paul Allan wanted to fund JIMO to completion out of pure love for science they would not be allowed to do so.

I propose that we push implementation of the following idea to save threatened projects:

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9246/grassrootsnasa.png

Now, the immediate problem I come up with is what if the program never gets enough funding or is just found to be scientifically a dead-end or redundant. In that case, alternative or additional mechanisms could be added in like a "prioritization public vote" so if the public votes the JIMO the biggest priority then donation funds would go to that project first.

Would like some feedback on any ideas to improve or see this implemented.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3690/bannerpaulspace3.png

[tangent4ronpaul]

I like but have a better idea. Lets do this for entire government agencies. Things like the National accademy of science, NIH and NASA that fund a lot of this research would get tons of votes - unpopular agencies would be starved. You have to pay so much in taxes so you should decide where that money goes.

btw: something I didn't like about Paul's budget was that he left 2 very abusive and unconstitutional agencies untouched - specifically the DEA and BATFE.

-t

[wowrevolution]

Yeah, I think this is a good start. So, if, lets say; the public wants to fund NASA to the tune of $100,000,000,000 then there would be a way for the people to do this, naturally there are people who would want their taxes to support NASA but at the same time would not be able to 'donate' because they might be below the poverty line or in some such rut with their debt. Perhaps we could organize a sort of matching effort.

This could be an economic means of introducing "Direct Democracy" while simultaneously respecting the Constitutional framework of our Representative Republic.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3690/bannerpaulspace3.png

[wowrevolution]

http://www.islandone.org/

Is a libertarian space settlement advocacy group that had a pretty good relationship with Dr. Paul during his 1988 run. Dr. Paul needs to tap back in to this group.

http://www.islandone.org/Politics/LP.space-int.html

We also need to heavily advocate my NASA MoneyBomb program.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3690/bannerpaulspace3.png

[lx43]

Yeah, I think this is a good start. So, if, lets say; the public wants to fund NASA to the tune of $100,000,000,000 then there would be a way for the people to do this, naturally there are people who would want their taxes to support NASA but at the same time would not be able to 'donate' because they might be below the poverty line or in some such rut with their debt. Perhaps we could organize a sort of matching effort.

Frankly, I wouldn't fund NASA with any of my tax dollars, if I got to choose where my tax money goes to it definitely would not be NASA. NASA's mission has been the wrong one IMO for 40 years. The now defunct shuttle program which was expected to launch 40 times a year at the cost of $20 million per launch instead only got to launch 7 times at most each ear and cost over a $1 billion per launch. Thats insanely costly. The $200 billion spent over the life of the shuttle should have been used to get the cost per pound of launch from $10,000 per pound to $100 per pound. This is pure incompetence on the part of the NASA and every administration, but what should we expect were everything the govt touches causes cost to explode upward.

NASA's core mission should have been to reduce the cost of space travel, but they have never been focused on that. Now if a private foundation, similar to the X-Prize, wanted to reduce the cost of space travel, I would definitely help with that.

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

I wouldn't mind supporting NASA, if they help us get the corrupted out of office first. Get your PC savvy people to undig some truths for us, and i'd definitely consider.

[1836]

I'd rather point out that the free market has made more progress on space travel in the last two or three years than NASA did in its first 50

[lx43]

I'd rather point out that the free market has made more progress on space travel in the last two or three years than NASA did in its first 50

Agreed, that is why I said I wouldn't fund NASA, its just another govt failure.

[Xelaetaks]

........

[wowrevolution]

I agree that the NASA effort with the Space Shuttle was a huge failure. Even the modern ISS is a gigantic blunder that could have been done at a fraction of the cost if it had stuck with the Space Station Freedom concept. Those modules have since been taken over by Bigelow Aerospace. NASA however could perform a function such as raising awareness of private efforts. For these efforts to succeed We the People must keep them at the forefront of the public imagination.

I definitely agree, however we MUST take this case to the American people NOW. Primarily, we must promote withdrawal from the Outer Space Treaty as suggested by Dr. Paul. I know I am speaking to the choir here, but I hang out in a lot of science forums with thousands upon thousands of visitors and without a solid case for Science dealing in specifics any Republican is a hard sale.

We need to evolve beyond the talking points of our base. The public is aware of our anti war position and anti Fed position and are on board with that. We need to show a comprehensively wide view of the economy. We need the commanding heights and eagle eye vision of a new Space Age to be the queen of the vision. The other sciences will open themselves. The Revolution needs a Revolution. We can not do this without the support of the Scientific Community.

We get the Scientific Community and we will checkmate all the other candidates. Stop following the talking points, our main problem is that we are spending too much time arguing with idiots, and when you argue with idiots they eventually win by bringing you to their level and winning by experience.


http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3690/bannerpaulspace3.png

[Philosophy_of_Politics]

edit

[kpitcher]

Big budget items sound great but before anyone would seriously consider funding something in the billions privately there should be smaller scale items first. Host a few small scale grants, from the micro (a few hundred) to a few thousand. I assume lots of universities would be happy to give some grant proposals. Work it up to bigger and bigger scale items.

[wowrevolution]

Big budget items sound great but before anyone would seriously consider funding something in the billions privately there should be smaller scale items first. Host a few small scale grants, from the micro (a few hundred) to a few thousand. I assume lots of universities would be happy to give some grant proposals. Work it up to bigger and bigger scale items.

Plenty of missions out there we could create a pretty big list. You'd be able to work with the community to fund a whole host of projects just like millions are able to pick and choose their favorite BOINC projects. I think the main challenge would be getting and maintaining public awareness.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3690/bannerpaulspace3.png

[kpitcher]

If you're serious iron out the strategy and start contacting people, finding a few big names and that might be all you'd need to give you credibility and newsworthiness. Offhand I'd suggest the sci fi authors - a number of the greats are also physicists and scientists - or like the planetary society which privately funded a solar sail attempt. Heck contact Paul Allen, he gave a big chunk for funding some SETI radio telescopes. With a plan and some science names backing you it'd be newsworthy.

[wowrevolution]

If you're serious iron out the strategy and start contacting people, finding a few big names and that might be all you'd need to give you credibility and newsworthiness. Offhand I'd suggest the sci fi authors - a number of the greats are also physicists and scientists - or like the planetary society which privately funded a solar sail attempt. Heck contact Paul Allen, he gave a big chunk for funding some SETI radio telescopes. With a plan and some science names backing you it'd be newsworthy.

The problem is that the government doesn't allow individual contributions or private donations to NASA.

[Xenophage]

It is absolutely imperative to the survival of the human species that privatize the space industries FAST.

[kpitcher]

Maybe drop SpaceX an email. They're private, was originally funded from selling PayPal, they may be happy to run a non NASA space exploration.

[TonySutton]

Nasa should be privatized into a non profit. Split out any part that is needed for defense.

[lx43]

wowrevolution: What kind of grand vision do you have for space?

Secondly, how do you propose Ron Paul approach the scientific community to get their support?

[LibertasPraesidium]

wowrevolution: What kind of grand vision do you have for space?

Secondly, how do you propose Ron Paul approach the scientific community to get their support?


Three words.

Free Market Competition.

The explanation, with increase competition in the scientific community and decreased federal regulations, the scientific community would have the ability to flourish. People would be encouraged (because they get to keep more money) to pursue ventures they would not have otherwise, some of those ventures would be scientific, inevitably.

--- My own personal, (in no way endorsed or upheld by the campaign) idea of the Grand scheme for space is Star Trek. To boldly go, where no dolphin has gone before.

[Paul Fan]

Ron Paul supporters should NOT fund the federal government! We should show why federal government involvement is not needed by funding PRIVATE groups. Non-profit ones on a donation basis; for-profit ones if donors get a part of the profit.

Re space, the Mars Society funds two research stations doing interesting work. Other groups do too. The important thing is to show that private funding CAN support science.

Maybe set up a fund that could be given, with conditions, to worthy groups?

[Ranger29860]

I do not think NASA has any chance in hell being nearly as effective as a private organization and i would never fund it. There is no inherent drive within NASA past the point of discovery. I wish that is all it would take but sadly it isn't. With private organization there is an inherent advantage to funding research for space projects. Profit is much more serious driving force than just the urge to discover.

[Revolution9]

The Shuttles have not been taking electric koolaid joyrides for high school science. They are a support mech and tech for the US Space Forces and their orbital platforms. In this manner they are a part of the US defense array supply chain.

HTH
Rev9

[idiom]

While Nasa invented and developed a whole host of project management tools and techniques, that was decades ago. If a science project want to run really well it needs to get out from under the NASA umbrella. (JPL is the last bastion of passable project management at NASA)

[Natural Citizen]

Curiosity landing tonight....

Edit-- Touchdown. Real Change starts now. Bipartisan Change. Moving forward... Jump on and pay attention or get run over as it passes, folks.