As we write this, we hear that SpaceX’s first orbital flight of the Starship was not a total success. But not a failure (despite how some have claimed that it was). Good for them.
But the entire saga should remind us that government is incredibly bad, not just when it does bad things, but when it tries to do go things. Like promote space travel.
Courtesy of the social media group Aerospace Now:
SpaceX is not perfect. Its founder, owner, and actual manager is far, far from perfect. But compared to the FedGov? Really…
Yes, SpaceX is a government contractor. Just like Northrup-Grumman, Boeing, the United Space Alliance, and hundreds of other firms, present and past. All subject to the inanities of government regulations. Regulations implementing laws that supposedly prevent corruption, theft, and other dire things. But ultimately seem to just benefit corrupt bureaucrats, congresscritturs, and companies. Beltway bandits.
So is SpaceX different? Apparently. Like some government contractors, SpaceX appears to be at least honest enough to sell a service, to sell products, and not simply to rob the taxpayer. Even when having to work with the likes of NASA, DoW, and DOT, to name a few. In essence, with SpaceX, NASA is buying commercial – off the shelf, so to speak. And that is, we submit, far, far better than the usual government procurement process. Where hundreds or thousands of pages of specs, diagrams, instructions, orders, change orders, and more generate more spending, more money in the pockets of certain people for really accomplishing very little besides the inevitable paperwork.
But it doesn’t mean that the company is completely honest. It isn’t a very high standard to be more moral, more honest, than government. Of course, government is doing its best to corrupt not just SpaceX but every other company, from the local convenience store and pizza shop to any large firm that hasn’t succumbed to the temptations and wickedness of human government.
We still like to think that SpaceX is at least a tiny bit of fresh air.
What are your thoughts?
Extending the reach of the State to your kitchen?
A correspondent shared this situation with TPOL recently:
“John and Breanna Woolard’s Christian faith is central to who they are, and they want to ensure their children receive an education grounded in those beliefs. That’s why they chose to teach them at home.
“California offers a program to assist homeschool families. But the state rejects any work the kids turn in that even mentions faith. A federal appeals court essentially declared their kitchen table a ‘public school.’”
Our friend goes on to explain how a volunteer legal free speech/free religion group is stepping up to help the Woolard family. Good for them.
But…
TPOL pays attention to more than just the overt situation. Why? Because most of us have been or are involved in home schooling and know the damage to people and society caused by government-run, tax/theft-funded schools. And because we see this in other countries, not just our own fifty nations.
There are a number of vital lessons which we can learn (and which many people have learned) from this situation. We’ve long written of these, but we know that we must constantly remind ourselves of these things.
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