When it comes to Senator John Glenn his leftwing politics do not matter to me. He is a true American hero and knows more about the American space program than just about anyone else in America. However, just because he is an American hero and extraordinarily bright does not mean he is correct about the International Space Station. Recently, he was quoted by the Associated Press as being critical of President Bush's plan to send astronauts to the moon and then Mars, because he said that plan is diverting money from the International Space Station. If Senator Glenn were in-charge of the Westward growth of our country at its inception I am afraid he would have brought us to West Virginia and no further.
Forty-five years ago Senator Glenn orbited the Earth and I can recall looking up at heaven to try to see him. However, 45 years later astronauts are still orbiting the Earth, and that's all they do. Sure over 30 years ago we went to the moon, but then we stopped and now no one looks up, no one cares except eccentric billionaires who are able to purchase their way into space.
What Senator Glenn is forgetting is that America is a nation of pioneers, and the pioneer spirit is never satisfied with the status quo. Rather than living on a little tin can in orbit, we should have long ago established a permanent presence on the moon and from the moon our astronauts should have ventured out to Mars and beyond For NASA to survive it must rekindle America's pioneer spirit through exploration and for this reason I believe President Bush has the right stuff to lead our nation forward into the next generation of space exploration.
Author’s bio: Joseph Gutheinz is a former military intelligence officer and aviator and a retired NASA Office of Inspector General senior special agent. He is a criminal defense attorney licensed by 10 courts to include the United States Supreme Court; and a college instructor for both the University of Phoenix and Alvin Community College. He holds 6 degrees and 8 teaching credentials. He is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Career Achievement Award. He is the past top graduate (Honor Graduate) from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigators Basic Course. His prior writings include: In Search of the Goodwill Moon Rocks, Geotimes Magazine; and There Will be a Day After Tomorrow, SpaceDaily.com. He is the military topics editor for the Conservative Voice.
