Research Briefing

But Not For Floridians As Obama Spends Tax Day Gutting Space Program And Killing Florida Jobs, While Hauling In Campaign Cash

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “I Know It’s An Election Year.  … [I]t’s Clear That Campaign Fever Has Come Even Earlier Than Usual.  But We Still Need To Govern.” (President Barack Obama, State Of The Union Address, Washington, DC, 1/27/10)

OBAMA HEADS TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, THEN JETS IN TO MIAMI FOR PAIR OF DNC FUNDRAISERS

Obama Will Deliver Speech On Space Program Today At Kennedy Space Center. “Addressing workers, astronauts and lawmakers in a much-anticipated speech at the Kennedy Space Center, Obama will flesh out the new NASA architecture for returning Americans to space that was first proposed in his 2011 budget announcement. Those proposals -- to kill the Constellation program that was supposed to return humans to the moon and to jump-start development of a commercial space industry that could take its place -- met with substantial bipartisan opposition.” (Marc Kaufman, “Obama speech to outline his plans for returning U.S. to space,” The Washington Post, 4/14/10)

Following Speech, Obama Heads Down To Miami For Pair Of DNC Fundraisers. “President Barack Obama will cap a visit to the Kennedy Space Center this week with a pair of fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee, one of them at the home of pop stars Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Both fundraisers are in Miami, the White House announced Monday. The second is at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, and jazz musician Esperanza Spalding will perform.” (“Obama To Raise Money For DNC In Florida This Week,” The Associated Press, 4/13/10)

BUT OBAMA’S BUDGET GUTS AMERICA’S VITAL SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAM …

Obama’s Budget Cuts The Constellation Program “To Send Astronauts Back To The Moon.” “American astronauts will not return to the moon as planned if Congress passes President Obama's proposed budget. Obama's budget -- which aims to tighten the nation's purse strings in certain areas while increasing money used to create jobs -- would cancel NASA's Constellation Program, which had sought to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020. Constellation also intended to study the idea of establishing a moon colony. The program was set to follow the U.S. space agency's shuttle missions, which are due to end in September.”

In Open Letter To President, Astronauts Neil Armstrong, James Lovell And Eugene Cernan Called Obama’s Budget Cuts “Devastating.” “When President Obama recently released his budget for NASA, he proposed a slight increase in total funding, substantial research and technology development, an extension of the International Space Station operation until 2020, long range planning for a new but undefined heavy lift rocket and significant funding for the development of commercial access to low earth orbit. Although some of these proposals have merit,  the accompanying decision to cancel the Constellation program, its Ares 1 and Ares V rockets, and the Orion spacecraft, is devastating.” (Neil Armstrong, James Lovell & Eugene Cernan, Letter To President Obama, 4/13/10)

• “Without the skill and experience that actual spacecraft operation provides, the USA is far too likely to be on a long downhill slide to mediocrity.” (Neil Armstrong, James Lovell & Eugene Cernan, Letter To President Obama, 4/13/10)

… AND KILLS MORE FLORIDA JOBS

Obama’s Plan Will Cost Gulf Thousands Of Jobs In Coming Years. “Some of the most vocal opposition to Obama's plan came from representatives of the Gulf Coast states that stand to lose thousands of space jobs in the coming years. Construction of Constellation was supposed to replace some of the job opportunities that will be lost when the space shuttle is grounded, as planned during the Bush administration.” (Marc Kaufman, “Obama speech to outline his plans for returning U.S. to space,” The Washington Post, 4/14/10)

Florida Has Already Lost Over 281,000 Jobs Since Obama Took Office. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed: 4/14/10)

• And The State Unemployment Rate Has Skyrocketed to 12.2 Percent From 8.7 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed: 4/14/10)