If we cancelled tax cuts for the rich we could house the homeless and educate their children. And explore space.
You could be right on that one. Maybe the Economy thread? I don't really have a problem with it in this thread, personally. Though, I've never been good at staying on topic. I can see how this line of conversation could easily lead off topic... This is a problem, IMO. NASA pays back the US about 7X - 21X what we tax payers spend on it. I do everything I can to get my kids more interested in space science, etc. Unfortunately this is not likely, IMO. If we cut spending on space science we would lose it on pork and other tax cuts for the rich in one way or another. Otherwise we'd just go ahead and cut the tax cuts for the rich enough to solve the homeless problem in America. It wouldn't cost much at all.
Yes but NASA isn’t the only program I feel this way about. I’m not saying solve homelessness only with some nasa cuts. There are other programs as well (military easiest one). It’s the first thing I think about whenever I see nasa pics or articles. Like, sure, very impressive guys and girls. But meanwhile we have people who can’t eat or sleep indoors. It just feels weird.
Nobody is asking you to get excited about the cost of anything. As you mention in a post below, there are a bunch of things that could use funding cuts to specifically solve homelessness, yet you have interjected in this thread numerous times like space exploration is the problem. They are totally unrelated from my point of view. Maybe that was the wrong thread to mention, but there are multiple that would be more appropriate and fruitful towards the goal of ending homelessness. It's a tricky answer in my opinion, but taking away space exploration probably isn't it. I hope they have shown interest in social work, police reform, community activism, etc. then. That doesn't change the fact that we still need engineers and scientists. These discoveries when shared in classrooms can actually motivate, engage, and believe it or not they DO excite others. Cancel one or two trips? It's already hard enough for NASA to get funding. I'm sure anyone from JPL could tell you about a hundred "trips" that are on the cutting room floor because they did not receive funding. Please show me how that has ended ANY homelessness.
Understood, and agreed. Military needs to be audited for sure, and be forced to be more environmentally responsible. There is no question we could maintain the best military in the world and completely eliminate homelessness in this country with the money we currently spend on military. Schools are definitely doing a poor job. Our teachers don't make enough money and we don't have proper solutions for problem children. You have rich kids who can afford to go to school with other rich kids and everybody else is pulled down because school districts can't afford to let problem children go to alternative schools. Our education system is failing us. Largely due to corporate greed, IMO.
Wait, what happened?? Ya know what, nevermind. We were at an impasse anyway. My dad was a HS physics teacher growing up and we had a telescope in our house. I like space. I volunteered at the food share this holiday season among other things I do around the community. I'm not going to feel bad for supporting space exploration. He shouldn't feel bad for voicing his opinion. Now, who has the best stream for the Blazers game?!
