Here is the link to the Orion article a more upbeat note _http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1516262,00.html?cnn=yess_ (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1516262,00.html?cnn=yess) here is the original article that I read several days ago. _http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/31/moon.rocket.ap/index.html_ (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/31/moon.rocket.ap/index.html) Of course whether or not this comes to pass is problematical at best. Yes its true the congress makes the budget but so far Bush has been getting pretty mcuh what he wants for the most part. When you have a congress and senate that is all Republican of course that could change this Nov. I would not consider the Deficit to be a yawner as compared to the US economy this monkey on the taxpayers back is going to balloon into a real problem down the road. As far as outsourcing is concerned these CEO's and board of directors love the cheap labor south of the border. In 2008 everything changes. That's when Military and Commericial aviation technology can be manufactured in Mexico with no red tape like it is now. As far as the idea that American workers can out inovate the foreign competition that may be true. But the people calling shots don't really care. Maybe this is all off topic but then again its going to effect some of us in this club. Honeywell is going to get a lot of the work for the Lockheed contract both divisions will benifit. But again this can change overnight. People priorities in this country are not linked to the space program and a lot of people consider space to be a boon doggle as it was 35 years ago. I remember because I was theri back then living in the Detroit area during the Apollo era. Clear Skies Dwight L Bogan In a message dated 9/2/2006 9:31:36 PM US Mountain Standard Time, stan_gorodenski@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: Dillinger, StephenX C wrote: >As for spending priorities, Congress passes a budget, not the President. >If you disagree with the spending choices made by the US government it's >not the executive that controls the purse strings. With a relatively >weak Bush administration that's even more true today. > > You are forgetting that the President, including the strong bush adminstration which likes to pass the buck and give the impression that someone else is always to blame, has to sign the budget. Don't forget the Clinton confrontations with Congress over the budget. Those confrontations lead to a balanced budget and very good economic years. >Outsourcing is an issue, but it's not a political one. > The President has the power of the pulpit which is not being used by bush. Its not a weak bush administration, but purposeful weak leadership on this issue. At this point I sign off on this thread. Soon, if not immediately, someone will complain about this being off topic, which it is. Stan -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list. -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list.