Debate tonight

Don't forget to watch Tom at the debate tonight on CNN!

Hopefully, he'll get more than the customary 4 questions tonight!

Comments

[Bobbie McAuliffe]

I hope so too, Alan, but I am not holding my breath. I will be watching just to see; and as usual keeping track.

[Karen Schweiker/AZ]

Tom was excellent in the CNN debate,and even though he was given a limited number of questions, he was able to contribute more with those answers than the other candidates. He was sharp and to the point, and showed his ability to talk over the others with reserve and a calm presence.

Congratulations, Tom!

[Jay Fuller]

Mr. Tancredo,
I just finished watching the YouTube debate and was very saddened to hear your response to the question about the US space program. I am just an average American citizen, but I know that NASA is an important agency well worth its budget. The US space program has brought us solar panels, medical breakthroughs, and smaller more powerful computers. It inspires our school children to study math and science. Plus in 1969, everyone no matter what they thought of Vietnam, was PROUD to be an American when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Don't you think we need that now? And NASA only uses less than 1% of the federal budget! Compare that to the billions being spent on welfare for illegal immigrants. Yes America needs to be financially responsible, but I see the space program as one of the few government agencies that actually is worth its money. I know space is not one of the "big" issues facing our country today, but it is very important to a small but dedicated part of the population. Please reconsider your misguided views on this issue in order to reconnect with many pro-space Americans in this country.

[carolynn]

I was able to catch the debate on CNN. I think Tom did a great job with his answers. Others may not like his answer in regards to the US space program, but Tom understand's that we have other things that are much more important right now, like our country's survival.
What good is a space program when you have no country?
The debate's have been good, but I think we can do without the questions like, what do you own for a gun, and do you prefer diamonds are pearls. Our country is going down the crapper and really what I care about is that American's do have guns and their powder is dry! As
thing's stand now we are going to need them. In the time it took to ask such silly question it could of been time they could of used to ask Tom how he plans to save OUR country! I am sorry I guess I am just bothered by my neighbors Obama sign in their yard. But my Tancredo sign is bigger and better, and it is in a better place, out front, their's is in their backyard where I moved it under the cover of darkness. Ha! Our family is pulling for you Tom, we are ready to vote January 3rd!

[L. Harris]

"I just finished watching the YouTube debate and was very saddened to hear your response to the question about the US space program."

Tom understands that we simply cannot afford to increase our national debt by hundreds of billions of dollars on something like going to Mars just to raise American pride. And make no mistake, that's what it will cost. Most Americans don't realize that every shuttle launch costs about half a billion dollars, and when development costs are figured in, it averages about $1.5 billion/launch. Missions to Mars will be much more expensive, offer few if any benefits to our citizens, and probably kill some people in the process. Including the Apollo One disaster, and in space flights or launches, 17 of the 277 people who have participated as astronauts in the US Space Program have died accidentally.

"The US space program has brought us solar panels, medical breakthroughs,"

There is some truth to this, but the reality is that technological advancements achieved through the space program represent a very poor return on investment. We can encourage and achieve technological advancements in much more cost-effective ways than the space program (though I'm not advocating eliminating the space program). Solar panels may have been invented for use in space, but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't have invented them anyway once a use for them warranted developing them. And I think you'll find the same thing is true of medical breakthroughs. Very poor return on investment, and our space program is currently doing little or nothing in this area as a result.

"and smaller more powerful computers."

I'm not aware of any evidence to support the notion that this is result of the space program now that computers are ubiquitous.

"And NASA only uses less than 1% of the federal budget!"

This is irrelevant. Tom's point, which is a good one, is that an important reason the national debt is over $9 trillion is that everyone wants a piece of the pie, and there isn't enough pie to go around as a result. Too many people fail to realize that there are thousands of expenditures, all of which are less than 1% of the budget individually, but in total add up to a lot of money. "What's $100,000 compared to the rest of the budget?" they ask. Tom understands that it's $100,000, independent of the rest of the budget.

Rather than wasting money on boondoggles like going to Mars, we should be upgrading the satellites that provide valuable information about the weather, climate changes, and other such matters. I think it's insane to spend money going to Mars while not spending money to address our aging satellites, and NASA said exactly that, that money for Mars exploration was coming at the expense of upgrading our satellites.

Tom gets it. He really gets it. He has, by far, the best ability I've ever seen in a politician to view issues in a logical and rational manner, unhindered by the kinds of emotions that cause most people to make poor judgments. This is essential to arriving at the best solutions to our problems. To be clear, this does not preclude having compassion for people or helping those who need help. It just means Tom can help people in ways that make sense, that really help people, and do so without placing an undue burden on the rest of us.