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posted by janrinok on Friday April 20 2018, @07:46PM   Printer-friendly
from the when-politics-runs-science dept.

Oklahoma Representative James Bridenstine, a Navy Reserve pilot, was confirmed as NASA's 13th administrator on Thursday.

In a 50-49 vote Thursday, Oklahoma Representative James Bridenstine, a Navy Reserve pilot, was confirmed as NASA's 13th administrator, an agency that usually is kept away from partisanship. His three predecessors — two nominated by Republicans — were all approved unanimously. Before that, one NASA chief served under three presidents, two Republicans and a Democrat.

The two days of voting were as tense as a launch countdown.

A procedural vote Wednesday initially ended in a 49-49 tie — Vice President Mike Pence, who normally breaks a tie, was at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida — before Arizona Republican Jeff Flake switched from opposition to support, using his vote as leverage to address an unrelated issue.

Thursday's vote included the drama of another delayed but approving vote by Flake, a last-minute no vote by Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth — who wheeled onto the floor with her 10-day-old baby in tow — and the possibility of a tie-breaker by Pence, who was back in town.


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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Friday April 20 2018, @09:03PM (8 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday April 20 2018, @09:03PM (#669815) Journal

    At the current rate of voting, Trump will need 9 years to get his nominations confirmed. That seems like a good reason to amend our constitution to let Trump serve as long as FDR. Trump's presidency doesn't fully start until his nominations are confirmed.

    This post seems like a good reason to implement internet face stabbing technology so that we can use it repeatedly until you stop posting crap like this.

    The obvious rebuttal here is that voters can decide if that is what they want their legislators to do via election. If it is, then sucks to be Trump.

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  • (Score: 1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @02:47AM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @02:47AM (#669910)

    The frustration and anger is real. We like Trump, we chose him, and we want him to have his way. At this point, seriously, an awful lot of us would go for an "enabling act". We're pissed.

    In the long term, whether you know it or not, you want this too. Things can go two directions. In one direction, we MAGA, and the USA doesn't really change that much. It gets to be a powerful country with a traditional American culture. In the other direction, you don't let us MAGA, and the USA collapses like the Roman empire -- well, nothing is forever -- and a century later some sort of "caliphate" pretender runs a brutal 3rd-world islamofascist dictatorship.

    Well, I suppose you could really not care about the future. It's typical for leftists to not have kids, so what does it matter if life goes to Hell in a handbasket? Party on! More free shit! Let civilization burn!

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by khallow on Saturday April 21 2018, @03:23AM (2 children)

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday April 21 2018, @03:23AM (#669924) Journal

      The frustration and anger is real. We like Trump, we chose him, and we want him to have his way. At this point, seriously, an awful lot of us would go for an "enabling act". We're pissed.

      And other people didn't choose him and don't want him to have his way. Welcome to democracy.

      The problem here is that Trump's administration is incompetent and he hasn't developed many political allies, which you need in order to get things done in Congress. I oppose altering law for the convenience of an incompetent leader.

      In the long term, whether you know it or not, you want this too. Things can go two directions. In one direction, we MAGA, and the USA doesn't really change that much. It gets to be a powerful country with a traditional American culture.

      I imagine there's a lot of US citizens who want MAGA. They just don't agree on what it is or how to get it. I think the Trump approach will fail, but he's free to prove me wrong.

      In the other direction, you don't let us MAGA, and the USA collapses like the Roman empire -- well, nothing is forever -- and a century later some sort of "caliphate" pretender runs a brutal 3rd-world islamofascist dictatorship.

      Nonsense. China would keep that from happening. They'll be the power of that time. Besides I think the problem ideologies of a century from now will bear little resemblance to the ideologies of today, among other things being heavily based on technology and infrastructure rather than raw belief. Islam could be a component of that, but it's unlikely IMHO.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @12:42PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @12:42PM (#670033)

        China would keep that from happening. They'll be the power of that time.

        No comment.

        • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Saturday April 21 2018, @02:15PM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday April 21 2018, @02:15PM (#670042) Journal

          This is your vision of a bright future?

          Guess what buttercup? I didn't say the future would be absolutely perfect. In China's defense, they're already vastly better than they were thirty years ago, and not just in terms of economics.

          The hysteria over Islam is way misplaced. I think it's already on its way to being resolved with such things as the "Arab Spring" - it just takes time. I find it remarkable, for example, that someone can babble about a nonexistent global caliphate and completely ignore China.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @07:02AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @07:02AM (#669986)

      I see others are giving you more attention than you deserve so I'll just be brief and to the point.

      You're a fucking idiot.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @03:47AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @03:47AM (#669933)

    This post seems like a good reason to implement internet face stabbing technology

    Oh my, it's the tolerant Left again! Thankfully the desire to violently control what others say was never a strong selling point for your side. And voting with the goal of obstructing an administration that is doing helpful things for the country is just sad.

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday April 21 2018, @04:58AM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday April 21 2018, @04:58AM (#669966) Journal
      So you agree that we can face stab you until you're tolerant? I'll work up a prototype for the Tuesday after next. Prepare for a face stabbing experience unlike any other! At least until you're GOOD that is.

      And voting with the goal of obstructing an administration that is doing helpful things for the country is just sad.

      That's one way to interpret it. I imagine the obstructionists have another.

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @06:01PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @06:01PM (#670125)

      Where is aristarchus to comment on khallow being lumped in with him?