Can someone explain to me all the mocking, ridiculing memes on a US Space Force?  I grew up on SF centering around space exploration and inevitable space battles.  There is nothing I'd like better than to be in the first generation to be in such a thing.  The next war may be fought with computer viruses and the such, but if you can destroy a country's satellites (especially a high tech country like ours) or drop large rocks from outside the gravity well on a country, you don't need nukes.

I know the left used the term "Stars Wars" to belittle President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, but why is our side belittling something our country may need with a high probability in the near future?

First, there are treaties against militarizing space, and I'm 90% sure we're a signatory (I'll freely admit there are probably other nations ignoring the treaty, though, to be honest).  If there are, they're mostly smart dart droppers or smart pebble launchers.  Not much you can do about those *from space* once they're launched, unless you happen to be in just the right place at the right time, and orbital mechanics make that verrrry difficult.  Yeah, you can take out the satellite after the fact, but you can do that from the ground, too.

Second, look at the nations who have the ability to reach space.  A solid chunk of them are (at least nominally) our allies.  China and Russia are the two biggest standouts, and even Russia we have travel arrangements with.  Third on our naughty list is North Korea, and, well... meh.

Third, we already have NASA for space exploration. They're really good at it.  Been doing it for a while.

Fourth, not a whole lot of space aliens running around.  So far, the only thing out there for us to fear is us.

Fifth, we've got other things we should be spending money on. Infrastructure, for one.  Upgrading, improving, and securing our power grid, for two (see below).

Sixth, even the Pentagon doesn't want it, and they haven't seen a reason to blow dollars at something they didn't love.

Seventh, you're accurate in that the next World War will likely be fought with computer viruses (and, given what we know about Russian forays against our power grid, I honestly think it'd be safe to say that Cold War II is in full swing).

I'm not talking about securing it against physical attacks, I'm talking about securing it against cyber attacks (sorry, should have specified).

Yeah, we do see a lot of return on investment from space. Again, NASA does that just fine.

As for why the right is apathetic?  I dunno... y'all haven't been real hot on paying attention to science lately, so why spend a lot of money on it?

Just wanted to make sure y'all knew I was being tongue-in-cheek about the alien invader thing.

But seriously, NASA already does or could do everything you've already listed, given the funding.

As for why the right is apathetic?  I dunno... y'all haven't been real hot on paying attention to science lately, so why spend a lot of money on it?

So I take it you are a liberal?  My take on it is that 'science' can be manipulated and weaponized to say anything you want it to.  Not the scientific method, but institutional 'science.'  So with that in mind, and considering that the scientific field is overwhelmingly driven by and in the leftist urban areas...  And with no one liking to be told that they are wrong by the other side's research...  No, I don't give 'science' much beyond a brief reading.

As to 'why now,' I take cyber threats very seriously.  Should it get its own branch of the .mil?  Probably not, but at least split it and planetary security away from the USAF.  Then call it whatever you like.  In this case, the 'Space Force.'

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So I take it you are a liberal?  My take on it is that 'science' can be manipulated and weaponized to say anything you want it to.  Not the scientific method, but institutional 'science.'  So with that in mind, and considering that the scientific field is overwhelmingly driven by and in the leftist urban areas...  And with no one liking to be told that they are wrong by the other side's research...  No, I don't give 'science' much beyond a brief reading.

As to 'why now,' I take cyber threats very seriously.  Should it get its own branch of the .mil?  Probably not, but at least split it and planetary security away from the USAF.  Then call it whatever you like.  In this case, the 'Space Force.'

Yes, Bookmark is our beloved liberal here  .

There is a word for dogmatically clinging to beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence...Religion.

Calm your t___, Sam Harris    .

Guilty.  Should that be a problem? 

And it is not just the right that selectively ignores studies or findings that they find inconvenient.  Leftists are just as bad.

Or worse.


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Look at his profile.  Says right there that he's the "Token Left Leaning Idealist", but that he's also a Liberterian.  So, no, not necessarily a Liberal, just not a Conservative.

It has been my observation that Libertarians are Idealists by necessity.  But so are communists, socialists, capitalists and monarchists, for the same reason...

It's not that revolutionary of an idea, really. If you can't trust people to have the independent agency to govern their own lives, then how in the hell can you trust people with the power of office to govern the lives of others?

That being said, All of the forms of government I listed would work very well... IF everyone involved was willing to give it their all, and act altruistically.  If.  Hell, socialism and communism would work just fine if everyone would contribute to their max potential, while drawing only what they needed from the dole.    Yet we haven't seen it work that way yet, now have we?

Similarly, libertarianism (and don't get me wrong, libertarians have the right idea) is great on paper, but to be implemented successfully it requires a high-trust population that is willing to play by the rules, and keep the greater good in mind.  Just like our Republic requires a Constitution to keep the whims and wishes of a corrupt population at bay, so does libertarianism need at least a framework of government to prevent chaos.