Spending Spree

Remember the $150M that was promised by a certain American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the E Street Theater? A musky donation to a certain candidate's campaign was geared towards getting those funds aimed at accelerating the ability of a certain 2-3 rocket company (and maybe one or two others) to get into the crew transportation business. All was on track until a certain Senator from the Yellowhammer State put his paws on the funnel and diverted two thirds of the funds into an uncertain sinkhole in the upper middle of his state.

With the 475nm Ribbon Panel promoting further significant funding for commercial transportation above the wild blue (or shall we say wild 475nm), we, the taxpayers, have to wonder if the remaining $100M might now be better directed back towards its original targets?

Oooppps. Too late.

For as soon as the minions came to a similar realization, they embarked on a spending spree to commit the remaining funds as fast as possible to their doomed pet projects. Never mind that most of the remaining funds will likely soon be directed towards termination costs, instead of adding value to whatever outcome comes out.

We suggest that the headlines denouncing the $3B that will be thrown away on Ares 1 when it meets its just ends should now be updated to more accurately reflect a spending spree augmented figure of $3.1B.