Gov. Rick Perry of Texas Learns That Texas NASA Jobs Come from the Federal Government

Accuses Obama of Making Future Astronauts Have to Hitchhike into Space



Philip Scott Andrews/The New York Times

Space shuttle Atlantis lands at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday



The news this week was the landing of the last space shuttle.  This is a great day for all of us who found that the manned space program was a near total waste of money and resources, and in some truly unfortunate cases, lives.

Now The Dismal Political Economist did think that the great conservative Governor of Texas, who decries wasteful Federal spending would welcome the end of the program.  It turns out that is not correct, and he was wrong again.  Here is some of what Mr. Perry is saying.

In a sharply worded statement issued by the governor of Texas -- the state is home to the Johnson Space Center -- Perry charges that the Obama Administration “continues to lead federal agencies and programs astray, this time forcing NASA away from its original purpose of space exploration, and ignoring its groundbreaking past and enormous future potential.”

The Dismal Political Economist is at a loss to understand why Mr. Perry is not applauding the end of a federal program on domestic spending, but maybe here is a clue

Near the end of the statement from Perry’s office is a note that the Johnson Space Center employs 3,000 people and draws in the business of about 50 outside companies and 12,000 contract positions. “An estimated 4,000 contract positions will be lost due to the end of the shuttle program," according to the statement.

So is it the loss of jobs and economic activity that Mr. Perry is worried about?  No that can’t be it because all of that great Texas job growth was the result of Mr. Perry's governance, and Conservatives know that the Federal government has never, ever created a single job.



Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

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So, we all remain mystified as to why a hard line Conservative  is opposed to  a reduction in a wasteful Federal program. 

Not to worry too much though, it turns out that private companies are just itching at the chance to start  trips to the moon.  See Mr. Perry, private free enterprise does work, you just need to have a stronger conviction.  And yes, we are sure they will take on hitchhikers.