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A Bitter-Sweet Day For America

Today is a historic day in our country. There is much cause for celebration, pride in our country, and great satisfaction for what has been accomplished. There is also much cause for sadness and anger in our country.

The beauty of today is multi-faceted. The weather was made-to-order for an event such as this.

One lady in attendance is a beautiful glimpse of the true hope in God Almighty.

And yet, on the very same day, the very same moment, the very same event brings cause for much sadness, anger, and yes, even bitterness.

Today was the last launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

There are many miracles intertwined in this event- first and foremost is the actual Space Exploration Program this country has had for nearly 53 years.

On October 1, 1958, NASA was born. NASA history is vibrant with a wealth of extraordinary scientific and technological accomplishments in man’s quest to conqueror that last frontier known to man- outer space. That man has walked on the moon and flown to other planets in our solar system is a miracle indeed.

Today’s shuttle’s mission is commanded by Mark Kelly, who is the husband of Arizona’s U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was brutally shot in the head during an assassination attempt just four months ago. If you have read any of my previous articles you may know that this tragedy affected me deeply. The day after the tragedy I made a commitment to pray daily for Congresswoman Giffords. Though I have not made public posts daily, as I did in the very beginning when things were so touch-and-go with Ms. Giffords, I still pray every day for her complete healing and restoration.

One of the most beautiful things about this event today is that Congresswoman Giffords was actually in attendance for the final space launch that her husband is commanding. I know this is something they both treasure and rejoice over, if for no other reason than she is alive! Her life is truly a miracle!

The sadness, anger and bitterness comes from the actions of President Obama, who has cut the budget for NASA to next to nothing, essentially closing down the entire Space Program as we know it. This affect not only the Space Exploration Program itself, but it also abolishes thousands of jobs! Once again, this President knows nothing about leadership. He is truly an embarrassment to the American people- current, past and present!

Now, coming from someone who has stated many times that we must cut everything we can in the National budget you may be wondering why I am so upset with this budget cut. As with most things, with this Administration, their priorities are completely off kilter. Real jobs are being eliminated by dismantling the space program. Is there government waste in this agency? Well, yes, that is a given, because it is in fact a government agency! So I am sure there are many effective cuts that can be made to the budget without dismantling the program competely. There are other programs that should be dismantled before we think about walking away from this historic project. I say we start with the Department of Education. Give Education back to the States where it belongs! This one cut alone would solve several problems right off the bat, one being cutting the budget by billions, if not trillions of dollars!

The United States has been the leader in Space Exploration and Space Travel since its inception. What will happen to us, now that we will become dependent on the Russians to lead the way? This has the potential for disaster in many ways. Even if you are not a “fan” of NASA or Space Exploration and Travel,  as many people are, thisaffects much more than just the “Trekkie’s” out there.

You must ask yourself how much of what we do and depend on each day has roots in outer space. Stop and think how many of these things affect your life. There are more than two thousand satellites that allow communications that would not be available otherwise. There are commercial satellites, government satellites, military satellites, and civil satellites.  How much of what you do on a daily basis falls under one of these categories?

Will we notice an immediate difference in our country once Endeavor returns to earth? No- not immediately. The first affect we will see is the loss of jobs that will impact our jobless rate and economy.

I believe the real affects- the most important affects- will come later down the road when The United States no longer holds the reigns in this program that has become a vital part of our lives.

With great sadness, I bid you farewell, NASA. Though for now you still exist in theory, I fear it will not be long before we see a mere shadow of the thriving queen you have become.

I pray for a successful mission and a safe return to earth for the crew of Endeavor. May the hand of God Almighty be with each of you every step of the way on this historic mission.

NASA- We The People salute you! Your accomplishments are forever embedded in our hearts. You will be greatly missed. Maybe one day we will enter the race once again. Maybe.

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Rich Mitchell

Rich Mitchell is the editor-in-chief of Conservative Daily News and the president of Bald Eagle Media, LLC. His posts may contain opinions that are his own and are not necessarily shared by Bald Eagle Media, CDN, staff or .. much of anyone else. Find him on twitter, facebook and

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One Comment

  1. I am just curious — I had understood that NASA was NOT a government agency…..am I wrong?

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