Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Obama expected to visit KSC; Space Coast rally planned before visit

The location and format for President Obama's planned April 15 space conference in Florida remain unconfirmed by the White House this morning.

But NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said Tuesday during congressional testimony that he expects the president to tour Kennedy Space Center facilities and possibly talk to employees.

"It is intended to be a space conference in Florida where the president and members of Congress will participate," Bolden said during a hearing before a science subcommittee of House appropriators. "The primary purpose of the president is to allow him to provide his vision to the nation and the world, actually, and also to allow him to have an opportunity, which he has not so far, to at least see some of the facilities at the Kennedy Space Center, and hopefully talk to some of the workers and the like."

Bolden said the visit was "still in the works, in the early stages of planning."

He alluded to the challenges facing Obama as he tries to persuade Congress to adopt a budget proposal that increases NASA funding by $6 billion over five years while killing the Constellation moon program.

"I know there's never been a president who has had the challenge of trying to promote exploration and human spaceflight at a time that is more challenging fiscally," Bolden said.

You can read his prepared remarks here.

Local residents are upset that the proposed budget could increase the number of layoffs expected at KSC after the shuttle's retirement following four more flights. The number of aerospace jobs affected statewide could rise from 7,000 to 9,000, according to local workforce officials, with 90 percent of the affected workers based in Brevard County.

Bolden said NASA's next report to Congress on workforce impacts might not be released until August.

Space Coast residents are planning a community space rally to send the president a message that the current budget proposal is unacceptable, according to organizers.

Florida Today's Rick Neale reported in today's newspaper on the planned April 11 rally in Cocoa organized by Brevard County Commissioner Robin Fisher. Click here for the story.

Fisher's office today confirmed the attendance of U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge. Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp is also confirmed.

PHOTO: President Barack Obama speaks about the health care bill March 23 at the Interior Department in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh the irony of it all!

Repugnants rallying for a big government jobs program!

Anonymous said...

That should be entertaining. All the union folks that supported him will be fed heaping tablespoons of BS as to why he did a 180 on his campaign promises. I doubt it will happen really.

Anonymous said...

The presidents visit will consist of a Fly-by in Air Force One, while looking at the Space Center Website on his lap-top.

Anonymous said...

A rally on 4/11/2010 -- Where were these folks on 4/11/2004 when Bush cancelled the Shuttle program? From day one, employees of KSC were told that there would be massive layoffs even with the Constellation program. We are doing way too little way too late to make a difference. Now if we want to throw our weight behind DirectLauncher that would make more sense.

Anonymous said...

sell us some lies please oh liter

Anonymous said...

Attorney General McColon is leading the pack, his quest is to defeat Govt Health Care, those that support him may get more than they bargained for ie no Medicare, no Medicaid, no Social Security and NO GOVT SPACE PROGRAM

Republican Conservatives are nothing more that advocates for CORPORATE LOBBYISTS LIKE THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION.

Republican spells = Doom!

Anonymous said...

Anyone actually think that he will hear from disenters while he's there?? Very doubtful.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:55 - Since you have this childish knack of making everyone with an opposing view into a childish name, how do you know that 'repugnants' didn't support the space program before Obama was elected...or are you doing the 'libertard' thing of repeating misinformation in a feeble attempt to convince others of some sort of fantasy hypocrisy? We'll see how efficient Obama's plan is, and I wonder, will you still be going on about big government jobs programs when there will be nothing at all to show for it in 10 years? Somehow I doubt it.

Anonymous said...

Finally, we'll find out how much Kosmas sold her soul for.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:13 - Probably right, but instead of looking at the KSC web page, he'll be working out.......

Anonymous said...

23000 jobs lost because of his 'vision' but 16000 IRS jobs created to pay for his 'vision'.

Anonymous said...

I am one of the few 'repugnants'(for the idiots stuck on stupid, not all conservatives believe everything the gov does is evil) that supported what NASA did and has done for all of humanity. I understood that the shuttle program was going to be retired this year. I also was under the impression that they would be laying off 2/3's of the folks out there. I did not vote for Obama, but I did not expect him to cancel all of the programs leading to everyone (effectively) losing their jobs. It is one thing to change things up a bit, with a goal, it is another thing to axe programs that were underfunded, which caused the delays that they are using for excuses, and then pretend this new vision will be any different. Without a real plan our space program is dead in the water...and Obama is not interested in manned-space flight in the least. I'd feel better if he would just say it instead of BS'ing about it. It should be fun seeing him try and spin 23000 people being unemployed as a positive thing.

Anonymous said...

KSC will furlough all the employees that day, so they can't meet the undertaker.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure he'll receive a warm and loving welcome.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes keep bad mouthing the space program as you watch your Satellite t.v. s play on your computers and drive with your GPS s what hypocrite s . You ll realize the bad Karma when you cant give your double wide away and this place is a ghost town. Oh yes i want to your faces when the Govt. health care taxes kick in and you get that first check or when you get fined 1k or more for not buying insurance that costs 1200 a month. Then when Cap and trade is passed and your electric bill is 300 a month and gas is 5 dollars a gallon Hope change KUMBAYA

Anonymous said...

Republicans quickly becoming less and less relevant.

Anonymous said...

He probably is coming down to stake out a good camp site to uses after the space program is gome.

Anonymous said...

These Gravy Train Riders preached us all a sermon about how they hated bailing the Auto Industry and how everyone who needed health care wanted a free ride and a hand-out.

Now the shoe is on the other foot and they want President Obama to Bail-them-out.

I guess Bad Karma is a bee-otch isn't it?

Anonymous said...

We will see what party will be relevant in Nov. goodbye Pelosi and Reed . Too Bad we cant vote out Yobama Chavez also !

Anonymous said...

Why won't he hold the conference at a public venue like BCC Melbourne? Is he afraid of the people?

Mark Lopa said...

Goodness...why can't some people understand this? Bush DID NOT kill the space shuttle program. He PROPOSED that it ended in 2010. Bush was smart...propose the program ends after he is out of office so he doesn't have to deal with the mess we have now. Obama can do what he wants, and HE is killing the space shuttle program. (Leave it to that bafoon to have THIS be the one thing he's carrying over from the previous administration.)

Get it?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Lopa......It is my understanding that the Columbia accident investigation panel concluded that the shuttle should not fly past 2010 without a full vehicle re-certification due to safety concerns. That was Bushes rationale for the 2010 line in the sand "recommendation". With respect to the Pres visit to the Space Coast, I would expect a carefully selected audience when the cameras are rolling. He does NOT do well when challenged with opposing questions. If he shows up without a change to his past mandates to kill shuttle and Consetllation, I would expect he will offer lots of government funded re-training opportunities for those affected by his decisions. As Matt Foley would have said: whoopdee friggin do!

Anonymous said...

Better have an extra-big rent-a-crowd. Unless he's bringing jobs, everyone know's he's lying.

Anonymous said...

Liar, Liar pants on fire!
Another campaign PROMISE broken.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/339/support-human-mission-to-moon-by-2020

Anonymous said...

The irony is that if all of these people at NASA who want to keep their jobs had DONE their jobs in 1986 and 2003 the shuttle never would have been cancelled. This is one of the few times that non-elected government employees have some accountability for their performance.

As a self employed individual I applaud it.

Anonymous said...

"a carefully selected audience"!! You have no idea just how true that is. The 'audience' is being flown in with him so that there is absolutely no chance of an unfriendly or unplanned question. There is not a single worker out here (yes, I work here) at KSC that has been invited/chosen/screened to be in the audience. It will be curious to see if he has his bought and paid for audience say that they work out here.