And hell, while we’re at it, let’s let them become the 51st state when there are 13,000 people living there!
No, this is not The Onion… this actually happened:
Campaigning in Florida today, Newt Gingrich said, per BuzzFeed, “When they have 13,000 Americans living on the moon, they can petition to become a state.”
“By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American,” Gingrich added.
Ummm… yep. Nothing more to add to that.
(This is definitely getting filed under “Miscellaneous”. Heh.)
January 25th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
I’d like to nominate Speaker Gingrich to be the first of the 13,000 to go up. Potentially tomorrow, if his schedule isn’t too busy.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
1
LOL!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:21 pm
M-O-O-N. That spells NEWT!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:21 pm
laugh it off, but this WILL sway votes in FL.. Space is HUGE there..
January 25th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
I’m just going to say it. Newt supporters are idiots. Sorry for those who disagree (and support Newt).
January 25th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
While we’re at it, why not make Venus and Mars states too?
Heck, let’s claim outerspace before someone else does.
President Gingrich: He stands for a Universal Republic
January 25th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Newt is crazier than most people realize. He’s also a science fiction nerd. Fun fact: His favorite books are the Foundation series by Issac Asimov.
So a vote for Newt is a vote for crazy science fiction shit. By the way, the Moon has no water. 13000 people, 1000+ bucks for a gallon of water. Imagine the profits.
He has been obsessed with space travel for decades and quoted Star Wars as proof that it is viable.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
“I’d like to nominate Speaker Gingrich to be the first of the 13,000 to go up. Potentially tomorrow, if his schedule isn’t too busy.”
Gingrich is already on the moon.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
4. Unfortunately…
January 25th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Also, while we’re at it, we might as well just turn the Moon into the death star
January 25th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
This may fly in Cape Canaveral, but to most folks screaming about expanding government, wasted dollars on crazy schemes and stuff we can’t afford, this is just living proof that this guy is a total nut job… and a complete phony liar blowhard as far as cutting gov’t and govt spending goes.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I honestly think this just sank his campaign.
This is the sort of reckless individual we’re dealing with.
Do conservatives really want to be mopping up this nonsense every day when we’re trying to make Obama a one-term President?
Stick a fork in Newt.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
#4:
Moon bases are a step too far, even for Florida. It’s far too absurd. The idea of exploring Mars is seen as more realistic.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Space exploration? YES.
Return to the moon? MAYBE.
US State on the moon? NO.
The moon is a lifeless, airless rock. It might be good for tourism if space travel can become cheaper, and could even be a launching point or stopover on the way to Mars (though the issue of reentering the gravity of a lunar body, then having to leave it again, might put this in dispute).
But geez. The late night guys will have a blast with this.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Dean had his scream…
Newt had his moon beam.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Newt’s alter ego goes to the Moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzQIanW8iok
January 25th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Wow…you guys must have never seen “2001 A Space Odyssey”
We are actually way behind.
I still can’t believe we don’t have flying cars. We were supposed to have flying cars! Dammit!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Isn’t there an international treaty that prevents claiming the moon as territory?
January 25th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
We’d need a massively superior economy to support sending a baker’s-dozen-grand worth of people to a lifeless rock that has zero resources and–according to international treaty–belongs to no Earth nation.
He’s pandering to the Florida crowd, who are bummed that O killed the shuttle program.
I guess a heavy swing in Intrade numbers makes Newt say even dumber things.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
THe moon to be renamed gingrich and become 51st state by 2020…ET to become US senator
January 25th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Talk about grandiose!!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
17.
>>I still can’t believe we don’t have flying cars. We were supposed to have flying cars! Dammit!
Finally, something we can agree on.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
1st most of the comments on this board forget this is Florida.
2nd I am sure many thought JFK was crazy to try and go to the moon.
Dream Big I always say.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
18
Yes, the whole treaty is here. One of the provisions is that no sovereign nation can claim territory on the moon—despite the fact that it flies the American flag.
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/moon.html
January 25th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Teledude and Boomer–
On that note, let me recommend a rather intriguing book (serious)
http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-My-Jetpack-Amazing-Science/dp/1596911360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327534556&sr=8-1
January 25th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Someone should make a parody of Newt Gingrich as a supervillian trying to blackmail America with his evil moon base.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
25.
GNV – That looks like a good read.
Alright, dammit. Put a new thread up. I’ve only got one comment left in this one.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Dear Mitt Super PAC’s
Why bother with negative ads? Just follow Newt around and film him for replay!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Something like this, perhaps?
January 25th, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Wonder if our Moon colony would be a red state or a blue state.
Maybe we could substitute them for South Carolina some day.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Bout time…I thought we’d never catch up to the Jetsons. jk
January 25th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
newt should put a picture of himself on the moon in his next ad…sort of like the Jackie Gleason Honeymooners introduction
January 25th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
did he mention who will pay for this? the commercial guys cant afford it without federal dollars. (ps- NASA already has a lunar vehicle in development and it’s the source of my salary at the moment)
January 25th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
#29:
That’s a great one, but here was what I was thinking:
http://wompolitics.com/blog/tag/newt-giingrich/
January 25th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Craig
Hardest
Hit
First Rubio now This!
PoorCraig
January 25th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
29. Priceless, what’s the date of that cover? I’m getting a copy.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
#34 – thank you for inducing nightmares.
Bald Newt is freakier than shaggy Newt.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
#37:
Don’t worry, he’ll leave you alone if you pay him….
1 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!
January 25th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
34.
I’m going Gru. Despicable Newt.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4239753984/ch0156163
January 25th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Wow. Good thing Newt will be nowhere near the Presidency! What a friggin nutcase.
January 25th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
33. Actually the model he wants to use is the prize incentive for the private sector.
He spoke about how that was what launched air travel and how Charles Lindbergh’s cross Atlantic flight was actually for a monetary prize.
The thing about having big goals are, if you shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’re still up among the stars.
Nothing wrong with having big ideas to inspire the nation. That’s what JFK did. That used to be typical Americanism, we believed we could do anything.
Mock this all you want, it’s a refreshing change from all the talk about falling behind China in the next century, and the end of American exceptionalism.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
Newt Gingrich: Visionary
January 25th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
#41 Tele,
I agree with you. I think it’s the part about making the Moon a state that was over-the-top. The trouble with Newt is that he doesn’t know when to stop. Space exploration is great. Thinking we can make the Moon a state is nutty.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
I am not a Newt supporter and obviously any great space venture will depend on our economic situation, but the 2020 time frame is a good and doable goal for a moon base. I think it is a great idea, especially since the Chinese plan on having their own moon base in the 2020-2025 timeframe.
I guess the real question is does America want to lead in space exploration or follow behind China and Europe. There is obviously very large economic gain from being the first in space exploration. Thats just my opinion.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Moon bases? We totally have the money for that.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Maverick,
As others have pointed out, the US has a treaty against claiming territory on the moon. Which means, at minimum, they can’t petition to become a state. It may mean that we can’t even establish a permanent colony there, or at least not without multi-nation cooperation. Regardless, Newt clearly put no thought into this looney tunes idea: par for the course.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
#41 a human moon base would cost tens to hundreds of billions, if you include the launch vehicles. The ISS cost 100 billion, or 150 if you include the launch vehicles. not sure how the prize model would work. the money is needed up front. nobody would spend tens or hundreds of billions then hope to get a prize in return.
I’m saying if it’s not public, there’s not enough cash to do it.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
4 – LOL … are you being serious? Floridians aren’t idiots.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
43. Yeah well, that part was a joke . Something you humorless Rombots wouldn’t comprehend. Obviously.
But you guys sure are smart. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
18 – Psshhh … You think a treaty is going to stop Newt?
January 25th, 2012 at 6:17 pm
There is absolutely NO reason to start a moon colony. That is just retarded.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
41 – What do we accomplish by sending a bunch of people to the moon? We already know how to get there. What to we gain by staying there?
January 25th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
I am 100% a mission to Mars. I think it will benefit our country in a lot of ways. A moon colony is absurd though.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:22 pm
One of these days…POW! Straight to the MOON!
January 25th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
And setting up a station on the moon is probably necessary to get to Mars. However, there is no need for a colony. And claiming that it will be the 51st state is just silly.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Gingrich got some of the details wrong, but his proposals were fantastic, and even partial implementation would be a very good thing. His idea for 10% of NASA’s budget for prizes could be passed and it could do amazing things.
This is one area where Gingrich’s plans beat Romney’s hands down. Romney, take notes. Coopt.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:28 pm
hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahhaha
January 25th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
One question: Was this caught on camera? Please Please Please say yes
January 25th, 2012 at 6:31 pm
As others have pointed out, the US has a treaty against claiming territory on the moon. Which means, at minimum, they can’t petition to become a state. It may mean that we can’t even establish a permanent colony there, or at least not without multi-nation cooperation.
Simply not true. The Outer Space Treaty (which is the treaty you are thinking of) allows nation states to plant bases and use resourcs, and have exclusive access to the areas they are using. It just doesn’t allow you to make the area a permanent part of your nation on the basis of your use. In other words, without the Outer Space Treaty, the land the base is on would continue to be yours if you abandon it. With it, it isn’t.
Gingrich is a bit of a shoot-from-the-hipper, but there is no bar to moon bases in the Outer Space Treaty.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
I wish there was an alternate universe that I could visit occasionally where Gingrich is president. That way I could catch the hilarity without actually having to live with the wreckage.
Also, just because it’s hilarious:
http://newtjudgesyou.tumblr.com/
That site is GOLD.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Newt is “The Man on the Moon”
January 25th, 2012 at 6:35 pm
By the way, the Moon has no water. 13000 people, 1000+ bucks for a gallon of water.
The LCROSS probe and other surveys has identified tens of thousands of gallons of ice on the north lunar pole. The north lunar pole is where the smart money would be for the first moon base.
but to most folks screaming about expanding government, wasted dollars on crazy schemes and stuff we can’t afford, this is just living proof that this guy is a total nut job… and a complete phony liar blowhard as far as cutting gov’t and govt spending goes
Maybe true of his social security plan, but nothing Gingrich proposes for space couldn’t be accomplished within the current NASA budget. NASA has a budget of $20 billion, tens of thousands of employees, and bupkis in the way of recent accomplishments.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Yes, the whole treaty is here. One of the provisions is that no sovereign nation can claim territory on the moon—despite the fact that it flies the American flag. http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/moon.html
That’s the Moon Treaty, which the US never signed nor ratified. I.E., it doesn’t bind us.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I’m sure tomorrow he will either say he never said it… and when confronted with the video he will say it was simply a mistake…
MO never changes. He has gone a long way on that MO.
Kathleen Parker has an excellent article about the phoniness of Newt’s pretending he was never a duck. But this line applies to Newt in so very many ways:
For Gingrich in Wonderland, as Humpty Dumpty explained to Alice, “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.”
I would add that what his words mean will change by tomorrow.
I think the man is truly mentally ill.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
#41 a human moon base would cost tens to hundreds of billions, if you include the launch vehicles. The ISS cost 100 billion, or 150 if you include the launch vehicles. not sure how the prize model would work. the money is needed up front. nobody would spend tens or hundreds of billions then hope to get a prize in return.
I’m saying if it’s not public, there’s not enough cash to do it.
Private enterprise could do it for a fraction of a fraction of the NASA cost. I’ve seen architectures using the (private) Falcon Heavies and the (private) Bigelow habs that could put a base on the moon for $3-4 billion and maintain it for about a billion a year.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
47. “#41 a human moon base would cost tens to hundreds of billions, if you include the launch vehicles. The ISS cost 100 billion, or 150 if you include the launch vehicles. not sure how the prize model would work. the money is needed up front. nobody would spend tens or hundreds of billions then hope to get a prize in return.”
I would guess a human moon base would cost more like $500 billion to $1 trillion. And I’m sure that arrogant Newt would want the U.S. to go it alone, rather than seeking multi-national cooperation.
Newt = Nut. This guy is unfit to lead our nation.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Ryabn60657,
your guess isn’t worth the paper it isn’t printed on. Your partisanship is making your beclown yourself.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Not really. It’s bigger than most states, but it’s not the 60s anymore and it’s not like we get a huge amount of space program money.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Romney should bring back the joint space council and appoint Gingrich to head it. Or do a Space Prize Board and put Gingrich in charge of it. It would be a fantastic role that would fit Gingrich’s real capabilities.
January 25th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
MOON BAT
Like I said, a falling trajectory is going to cause another newtclear meltdown…It’s now in process…
January 25th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
One undeniable fact is that space is a hostile envirnoment- no air and usually no water. Before we start colonizing the moon, why don’t we try colonizing Antarctica first that at least has air and water. Then we will have a better idea of how well people could cope on the moon.
I also hear the moon is no place to raise kids. In fact, it’s cold as hell. Or is that Mars?
January 25th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
how about using the prize “model” (a side..why is it every arcane historical factoid that some intern digs up and Newt uses in a speech suddenly is a “model” with some sort of intellectualism attached to it?,i can’t truly believe that so many GOP voters buy into this snake oil salesmen)….to reward whoever comes up with the best idea for removing this guy from conservatism…
January 25th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
67. Moon base estimated to cost $300 billion in 2006. I stand by my guess of $500 billion to $1 trillion.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2006/12/moon_baseless.html
January 25th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Let me guess…Newt’s gambling billionaire friend has something to do with this.
It’s only slightly loonier than Grinrich’s promise to his rich sugardaddy to make his first action as President to move the US. Israli embassy from Telaviv to Jerusalem.
Yep, that would be a real good start to Newty’s international relations record…
January 25th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
If you want to create a colony on the moon you haven’t been to Newt Mexico.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
Telly must be too drunk to even spin properly anymore.
Telly, Newty promised this would be done by the end of his second term.
Do please explain to all of us politically, economically, and technically astute people just how the Mr. FDR Incarnate you support is going to be able to even get that one off the ground?
Now I know how to get Telly’s vote. Avoid dealing with reality by using big swagger, being a pompous ass, and throwing out lots of big adjectives in rapid fire sequence. It’s called blovator shock and awe. Reasonable folks need not apply…
January 25th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
So after needlessly pissing off the entire Muslim world by moving our embassy to Jerusalem, Newt is going to follow that up by pissing off the entire world by trying to annex the moon.
Who are the wingnuts saying this guy is a foriegn policy guru?????
January 25th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Space: Newt’s final frontier . . .
January 25th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Henry Hubitt
I’ve been involved with space projects over the years.
Initial monitary estimates are a joke because of all the unknowns. The more you do, the more new problems that pop up that have to be solved, which all takes more time and money.
There has to be some overriding economic or scientific reason for having a permenantly manned moon base.
I’ve yet to hear a good one…
January 25th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Henry Hobbit, maybe you can find a ring on the moon that will turn you invisible.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
We’ll be very lucky if the next president can get our launch vehicle inventory operational. We also first need to focus on getting lots of good science out of that $100 billion investment circling us in the sky.
Not to mention they are already talking about retiring the ISS and we just finally got the thing built and we currently have no way to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
Maybe Newty should have a multi-billion doller cash payment in escroll from his Vegas sugardaddy to fund the first commerical settlement on the moon–Of course, Newty will be its first and only inhabitant. That will give Callista sometime to herself and let her get some sleep at night without having to tie Newt’s leash to her ankle.
We’ll see how that goes. If Newt’s happy up there, maybe others will want to give it a try…
January 25th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Henry, the Outerspace Treaty doesn’t ban moon bases…It bans making the base the 51st state.
But of course Newt isn’t serious, which is why we shouldn’t nominate him…
January 25th, 2012 at 7:29 pm
LOL.
While I think this would be pretty cool and not outside the realm of possibility, this is a distant future thing (50-200 years), nothing in the next 8 years. It will take 8 years to just get the man to the moon project up and running again at NASA, let alone building and colonizing it.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:35 pm
I don’t want a Moon base. I want to nuke the damn Moon. That’ll teach the world to eye us as the crazy kid who might do something insane if the fit hits us.
January 25th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Can we hereafter refer to Newt as the “Space Cadet”?
January 25th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
REM should get back together: “If you believe, Newt wants a base on the moon. Base on the mo-on.”
January 25th, 2012 at 8:10 pm
Gingrich for President of the Moon 2012
January 25th, 2012 at 8:19 pm
Do we really need to keep pretending Gingrich isn’t a joke?
January 25th, 2012 at 8:29 pm
65 – Why would we want to do it? You still haven’t answered that.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:41 pm
I just heard it on my radio: Newt’s actual voice. My talk show host, who last week was calling for Perry to get out and endorse Newt, has finally seen the light.
Newt is a nut. Lots of good material though.
Not just the loony moon stuff, but slamming Newt for slamming Mitt for sitting back and raking in money w/o working for it. And oh, the Swiss and Cayan’s bank accounts.
Newt is imploding before our eyes. He cannot hold it together for more than a few days, if that.
Like Craig for Newt said earlier here:
Yes, he is. To himself and others. Lock him up. Call the exorcist.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
I’ve been involved with space projects over the years. Initial monitary estimates are a joke because of all the unknowns. The more you do, the more new problems that pop up that have to be solved, which all takes more time and money.
Because space projects have all been government-run cost-plus boondoggles. Space isn’t cheap, but it could easily be done for orders of magnitude less than the ridiculous costs people are throwing around.
<i.We’ll be very lucky if the next president can get our launch vehicle inventory operational
We’ll be lucky if our next president decides to junk government launch vehicles and go with cheaper options in the private sector.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
cuz that worked so well for bush
January 25th, 2012 at 11:34 pm
The Constellation program under Bush was a major misstep. When you treat NASA as a jobs program, you get jobs, but no space activity.
January 27th, 2012 at 5:43 am
Hey Newt, we ought to send a probe to Uranus first