Newt Gingrich’s Space Quest

In a Newt Gingrich presidency, America would have a colony on the moon by 2020.

“By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American.” h/t ABC News

Seriously?

In theory it doesn’t sound wacky. We need something to rally behind, and the space program should be the very thing that could — again — capture our imagination and help answer many of our questions. But shouldn’t there be a reason why, in a time of infinite debt and foreclosures, President Gingrich could justify this?

Of course, Gingrich made his out-of-this-world announcement in Florida, where NASA has its primary base. Had he said the same in Atlanta or Boise or Las Vegas and the audience  might not have been so receptive.

If Newt Gingrich is serious about promoting this idea on campaign stops around the country, he should consider its justification.