Sending the Politicians to Orbit

The Russian News conference with the returning Soyuz crew has just
finished. I found some of the comments by Yuri Shargin interesting on his
impressions during his short trip into space. Essentially, that the earth
is a very small place, and how thin the atmosphere is, that makes life
possible on the Earth. That many of the problems on Earth seemed much more
insignificant, and how important it is to take care of the Earth for the
future. He thinks that politicians should take a trip into space.

How common are his thoughts about Earth after being viewed from orbit? I
would think they are quite common. I also wonder how the experience has
affected the lives of astronauts and cosmonauts in the years after having
such an experience.

Sending politicians into space for an attitude adjustment before they
begin there term in elected office sounds like a good idea to me. It could
be one of the best investments that taxpayers could make.

Any thoughts?

Craig Fink
Badnarik for President

"Craig Fink" wrote
Sending politicians into space for an attitude adjustment before they
begin there term in elected office sounds like a good idea to me. It could
be one of the best investments that taxpayers could make.

It's also been suggested to bring world leaders to a Pacific atoll every ten
years or so,
and set off an H-bomb nearby so they can watch it, and then walk around the
devastated area.

Two politicians did go into orbit, without any apparent impact on their
world views, and some men in orbit later became politicians, but
both seemed to act in classic partisan style even so -- especially
John Glenn.

So we do have a non-zero sample size and it is not encouraging.

In article ,
"Jim Oberg" wrote:

Two politicians did go into orbit, without any apparent impact on their
world views, and some men in orbit later became politicians, but
both seemed to act in classic partisan style even so -- especially
John Glenn.

So we do have a non-zero sample size and it is not encouraging.

How do we know that without his experience in space, John Glenn wouldn't
have been a Republican?

After all, he his ex-military, which I think would tend to encourage
Republican values. And views from space are generally described to
elicit feelings of connectedness, fragily of the Earth, obligation to
protect our one living world, etc., which might lead one to more
Democratic values.

All sheer speculation, of course, but it certainly doesn't provide the
counterexample that a conservative Republican ex-astronaut would.

Best,
- Joe

--
"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness." - George W. Bush [8/30/00]

["Followup-To:" header set to sci.space.station.]
On 2004-10-26, Joe Strout wrote:

After all, he his ex-military, which I think would tend to encourage
Republican values. And views from space are generally described to
elicit feelings of connectedness, fragily of the Earth, obligation to
protect our one living world, etc., which might lead one to more
Democratic values.

Nice theory, but...

All sheer speculation, of course, but it certainly doesn't provide the
counterexample that a conservative Republican ex-astronaut would.

The three Apollo-era ex-astronauts who went into politics were
Republicans; Jack Swigert was elected to Congress from Colorado in '82,
but died before taking office (having run in a Senate primary there in
'78); Jack Schmitt was a Senator from New Mexico '77-83; Jack Lousma ran
for the Senate in Michigan in '84.

The two active politicians who flew were one R one D, but givne they
were in politics first...

--
-Andrew Gray

In sci.space.policy Craig Fink wrote:
The Russian News conference with the returning Soyuz crew has just
finished. I found some of the comments by Yuri Shargin interesting on his
impressions during his short trip into space. Essentially, that the earth
snip.
Any thoughts?

Issue them all with a bin-lid to sit on, and set off a few bombs underneath
them.

In article ,
says...

"Craig Fink" wrote
Sending politicians into space for an attitude adjustment before they
begin there term in elected office sounds like a good idea to me. It could
be one of the best investments that taxpayers could make.

It's also been suggested to bring world leaders to a Pacific atoll every ten
years or so,
and set off an H-bomb nearby so they can watch it, and then walk around the
devastated area.

Two politicians did go into orbit, without any apparent impact on their
world views, and some men in orbit later became politicians, but
both seemed to act in classic partisan style even so -- especially
John Glenn.

So we do have a non-zero sample size and it is not encouraging.


Perhaps they should have been left up there...
--
Feasting on the rotting spendour of western civilisations last golden
age.

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 15:56:02 +0000, Jim Oberg wrote:


"Craig Fink" wrote
Sending politicians into space for an attitude adjustment before they
begin there term in elected office sounds like a good idea to me. It
could be one of the best investments that taxpayers could make.

It's also been suggested to bring world leaders to a Pacific atoll every
ten years or so,
and set off an H-bomb nearby so they can watch it, and then walk around
the devastated area.

lol, kind of like the difference between World Peace and Pieces. While not
everybody may consider a trip to orbit a carrot, the H-bomb tour you
described would most definitely have to be considered a stick.

BTW, I believe that the site of the original atomic bomb test in New
Mexico is now open one day a year for public tours.


So we do have a non-zero sample size and it is not encouraging.

The sample size of astronauts and cosmonauts is much larger and therefore
statistically significant in determining changes in attitude.

Craig Fink
Badnarik for President

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 18:58:53 +0000, Andrew Gray wrote:

["Followup-To:" header set to sci.space.station.] On 2004-10-26, Joe
Strout wrote:

After all, he his ex-military, which I think would tend to encourage
Republican values. And views from space are generally described to
elicit feelings of connectedness, fragily of the Earth, obligation to
protect our one living world, etc., which might lead one to more
Democratic values.

Nice theory, but...

All sheer speculation, of course, but it certainly doesn't provide the
counterexample that a conservative Republican ex-astronaut would.

The three Apollo-era ex-astronauts who went into politics were
Republicans; Jack Swigert was elected to Congress from Colorado in '82,
but died before taking office (having run in a Senate primary there in
'78); Jack Schmitt was a Senator from New Mexico '77-83; Jack Lousma ran
for the Senate in Michigan in '84.

The two active politicians who flew were one R one D, but givne they
were in politics first...

Humm, a bigger sample size than I thought, but still really small.

I would think you would have to catch the bugger before he takes office
the first time (just after his election) and develops political alliances
and a voting record. Otherwise, it's really hard for them to change their
momentum without being called a wishy washy flip flopper.

After they've been it office awhile, the trip to orbit might just turn out
to be just another junket.

Craig Fink
Badnarik for President

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 01:55:05 +0000, Joann Evans wrote:

Craig Fink wrote:

The Russian News conference with the returning Soyuz crew has just
finished. I found some of the comments by Yuri Shargin interesting on
his impressions during his short trip into space. Essentially, that the
earth is a very small place, and how thin the atmosphere is, that makes
life possible on the Earth. That many of the problems on Earth seemed
much more insignificant, and how important it is to take care of the
Earth for the future. He thinks that politicians should take a trip
into space.

A few have. So? What's changed?

And does this mean all politicians? It might only be a cool free ride
for my mayor, for example. He hardly has to deal in space related
issues.

It's not really space related issues, but rather environmental and
geopolitical issues. The Earth is finite and getting smaller. That we
should take care of what we have and figure out how to get along, so that
future generations have a nice place to live also.

WRT space related issues, if Michael Badnarik had to take a trip into
orbit after getting elected, I'm sure we might see some progress (instead
of stagnation) in getting to orbit.

Craig Fink
Badnarik for President

In article ,
Craig Fink wrote:
So we do have a non-zero sample size and it is not encouraging.

The sample size of astronauts and cosmonauts is much larger and therefore
statistically significant in determining changes in attitude.

However, despite a certain amount of hype, astronaut attitudes generally
don't change a lot after flight. There are a few examples of guys who
were really shaken up by it... but by and large, when you look at the
details, those were guys who clearly had a shaking up coming anyway. It's
an impressive, moving experience, but it doesn't make big changes.

If spaceflight has any effect, it's to strengthen the way people already
are. If that means shaky and unstable, they get more shaky and unstable
and end up going through upheavals. But Pete Conrad and Neil Armstrong
just got even more strongly Pete Conrad and Neil Armstrong.
--
"Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend." | Henry Spencer
-- George Herbert |