NASA Budget Cuts

[GameSnake]

Exactly. If the poverty rate wasn't part of the argument, why did you quote a source, and when given a retort, said it wasn't needed?

[MyndFyre]

Our amount of debt is pretty minor. I'm reasonably sure we could clean it up and have surplus cash floating around if Bush had more democratic ideals.

You mean "libertarian" ideals.

[iago]

I may be fat, but I can still think that people who are slightly thinner than me are fat.  Just because another country (it doesn't even matter which one!) has a higher poverty rate does not mean that yours doesn't.  The unemployment rate of my country doesn't matter, at all, in this argument.

Ah, but the point here is that you should fix your own problems before criticizing other's.

That doesn't make it any less of a problem for the other person, though.  And I'm not saying "you suck because you're fat," I'm saying "look, here's something that you're doing that you might consider stopping."  Not really the same thing, if you ask me. 

[AntiVirus]

I may be fat, but I can still think that people who are slightly thinner than me are fat.  Just because another country (it doesn't even matter which one!) has a higher poverty rate does not mean that yours doesn't.  The unemployment rate of my country doesn't matter, at all, in this argument.

Ah, but the point here is that you should fix your own problems before criticizing other's.

That doesn't make it any less of a problem for the other person, though.  And I'm not saying "you suck because you're fat," I'm saying "look, here's something that you're doing that you might consider stopping."  Not really the same thing, if you ask me. 

I think the reason people criticize other peoples problems are because it's a way to ignore their own.  So even if it shouldn't be done, it still will be. 

For example, America loves to go into other countries and help them fix their problems, but when it comes down to it we have just as many problems that we should take care of first.  It's a defense mechanism of sort that takes their mind of their own problems and focuses on others.

But don’t get me wrong, I complete support the idea of helping others.

[MyndFyre]

For example, America loves to go into other countries and help them fix their problems, but when it comes down to it we have just as many problems that we should take care of first.  It's a defense mechanism of sort that takes their mind of their own problems and focuses on others.

I fully believe that most people (> 66%) in America who are in povery are such because of their own decisions.  People in Iraq, for instance, were not put in mass graves because of a decision of their own other than to want freedom.  I think there is greater moral authority for helping them than for helping other Americans who have messed themselves up.

[AntiVirus]

For example, America loves to go into other countries and help them fix their problems, but when it comes down to it we have just as many problems that we should take care of first.  It's a defense mechanism of sort that takes their mind of their own problems and focuses on others.

I fully believe that most people (> 66%) in America who are in povery are such because of their own decisions.  People in Iraq, for instance, were not put in mass graves because of a decision of their own other than to want freedom.  I think there is greater moral authority for helping them than for helping other Americans who have messed themselves up.

I completely agree with you.

The only reason I said that was because America does have problems of our own that we need to take care of, which is undeniable, regardless of how bad they are.  And by going to other countries we are ignoring our own problems.

But, I would have to say that’s for the best when the other countries problems are much, much worse.

[iago]

So then, by your statistic, the 34% of people that are below the poverty line are screwed. 

I'll round numbers down to account for possible in accuricies. 

The US has a population of about 290,000,000.  10% are below the poverty line.  That's 29,000,000 people.  Of them, according to your statistic, about 30% are stuck there.  That's about 8,700,000 people.  That's a lot of people. 

In any case, this thread isn't about Iraq.  How about the extra money from NASA be used to feed starving kids in third world countries or send food/whatever to Iraq?  That sounds like a good use of money to me, better than sending rockets up, which is the point here. 

[AntiVirus]

So then, by your statistic, the 34% of people that are below the poverty line are screwed. 

I'll round numbers down to account for possible in accuricies. 

The US has a population of about 290,000,000.  10% are below the poverty line.  That's 29,000,000 people.  Of them, according to your statistic, about 30% are stuck there.  That's about 8,700,000 people.  That's a lot of people. 

In any case, this thread isn't about Iraq.  How about the extra money from NASA be used to feed starving kids in third world countries or send food/whatever to Iraq?  That sounds like a good use of money to me, better than sending rockets up, which is the point here. 

Yeah, it would be a better use of the money, but do you think it would actually help that many people in third world countries?  Eventually the people will become dependant on us and if that happens whenever we do decide to withdrawl our money from that purpose and put it back into the NASA they will be screwed..

If anything we should give the money to a government of a third world country and give them tips on how to manage their country.  And then slowly withdrawl so they don't become dependent.


[edit]
My friend was reading this next to me and he said something that I think is a really good point.

"The only way to fix anything is to educate people".  We should give money to people who will build schools and pay for teachers in these third world countries and that way they can eventually help themselves.

[iago]

"The only way to fix anything is to educate people".  We should give money to people who will build schools and pay for teachers in these third world countries and that way they can eventually help themselves.

Definitely true.  But if they're starving to death, school isn't going to help them much.  Now if they had some food AND school, then maybe stuff would improve

[AntiVirus]

"The only way to fix anything is to educate people".  We should give money to people who will build schools and pay for teachers in these third world countries and that way they can eventually help themselves.

Definitely true.  But if they're starving to death, school isn't going to help them much.  Now if they had some food AND school, then maybe stuff would improve

Well all the schools that I have been to feed their students.

[MyndFyre]

So then, by your statistic, the 34% of people that are below the poverty line are screwed. 

I'll round numbers down to account for possible in accuricies. 

The US has a population of about 290,000,000.  10% are below the poverty line.  That's 29,000,000 people.  Of them, according to your statistic, about 30% are stuck there.  That's about 8,700,000 people.  That's a lot of people. 

In any case, this thread isn't about Iraq.  How about the extra money from NASA be used to feed starving kids in third world countries or send food/whatever to Iraq?  That sounds like a good use of money to me, better than sending rockets up, which is the point here. 

I thought you were a Trekkie!

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

50,000,000 > 8,700,000.

[iago]

So then, by your statistic, the 34% of people that are below the poverty line are screwed. 

I'll round numbers down to account for possible in accuricies. 

The US has a population of about 290,000,000.  10% are below the poverty line.  That's 29,000,000 people.  Of them, according to your statistic, about 30% are stuck there.  That's about 8,700,000 people.  That's a lot of people. 

In any case, this thread isn't about Iraq.  How about the extra money from NASA be used to feed starving kids in third world countries or send food/whatever to Iraq?  That sounds like a good use of money to me, better than sending rockets up, which is the point here. 

I thought you were a Trekkie!

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

50,000,000 > 8,700,000.

You have it wrong again.  I watch Star Trek.  There's a difference. 

In either case, help the 9 million in the US or 50 million in whatever you're talking about.  I don't care (in this thread).  But are you agreeing that the money currently spent on space exploration could be better spent somehow?