On a related note, at least there are fewer idiots who think every government program aside from military needs to be cut rather than continue to keep upper bracket taxes at a level that’s still lower than anywhere else in the world.

Free market is rather like evolution. Those who really understand either do their best to not participate.

In fact I do yearn for those good old days of cold war, or perhaps a new one. The amusing fact about our species, which peaceniks don’t seem to appreciate, is that our greatest progress comes through strife and struggle, not through peace. Peace is stagnation; war is progress. So I say start another war, ramp up the new space race, fight for the moon and mars, build the Terran Empire, and gaze in wonder at what our clever, evil species is capable of!

The SCSC is a good example. We didn’t build it, now we have the LHC. No shortage of particle physicists. But the JWST is somehow different?

Do you still yearn for the good ole’ days of the cold war?

Lots of misdeeds have been considered legal in different regimes, that doesn’t mean they are right. As student of history, you’ll certainly recall that we had a revolution in this country about that issue. Even when a majority approves, there is a minority that is forced to comply, right or wrong. Quite often, you and I will be in the minority (perhaps on different issues.)

This line is pure idiocy: “Just because “the majority” voted for it doesn’t mean it isn’t robbery.” Yes in fact, when the majority votes to use tax dollars for something, it is perfectly legal and the exact opposite of robbery.

War, JWST, etc are boondoggles of mal-investment created by politicians and bureaucrats spending other people’s money. While the private sector may not have the practical need to invest in deep space observation, it will invest in science that can be put to work for our benefit. Publicly funded science is tainted by the politics needed to get funding. Get government out of the way, and the more practical sciences will proliferate. As for the less practical stuff, put your time & money where your mouth is by donating it to your special interest.

Using the force of government to force us to give to your special interest is no different than stealing other people’s property at gun point. Just because “the majority” voted for it doesn’t mean it isn’t robbery.

No Pillars of Creation? (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070218.html) No deep surveys of of galaxies at the edge of the observable universe? (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091209.html) Just darkness and ignorance?

The scale of the budget cuts that are needed to save the country are so vast — even if we end the wars today — that nothing will be safe. If they are going to be cutting Medicare and other popular middle class entitlements, do you think any branch of science is going to be spared?

And it’s certainly not politicians (the scum that they are) who should be blamed for this epic failure but the managers at nasa who made promises they knew they weren’t going to keep just to get the money for their project.

They scammed the astronomy community and the general public out of billions of dollars for which they should be jailed for life if not executed, they are no better then Bernie Madoff.