McCain Turns Against Technosocialism?

Posted by James Bowery on Monday, 23 June 2008 16:04.

Some potentially very big news breaking from Phoenix:

Sen. McCain offers $300 million prize for new auto battery
...
“In the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure,” said excerpts from McCain’s prepared text. “From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest success.”

The first attempt to legislate an idea for an orbital prize (rumored to have come up within the 1981 meeting of Niven/Pournelle’s “Citizen’s Advisory Council”) was made by some libertarian-leaning guys who were former members of the Tucson L5 Society. The idea was basically to have the government replace its launch vehicle development and operations programs with a simple incentive: US companies get a few hundred dollars from the US government for every pound of mass they place in Low Earth Orbit. The Tuscon guys had some significant interaction with McCain’s office on drafting the legislation. That effort was a failure but it was the start toward my involvement with the Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990, which was signed into law, and the 1992 draft of legislation for prizes of $100M each for several fusion energy milestones—both of which were precursors to Peter Diamandis (then of the International Space University) forming his X-Prize Foundation.

If McCain actually makes this a central part of his campaign, he is pulling off something of a coup. Trailing by 15 points and basically abandoning US territory, in the continuation of that long national nightmare—the great land-grab of the US’s territory called JFK’s “New Frontier”—he may have no choice but to turn against technosocialism. It is surprising that his brain would be working even _this_ well.

I smell a “libertarian” Jew from the Tucson L5 days—turned neocon...

UPDATE: Obama reacts by calling for yet another “Apollo-style” program to solve the energy problem. Oh well… Another 50 years down the tubes.

Tags:

Comments:

Posted by Captainchaos on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:56 | #

“I smell a “libertarian” jew from the Tucson L5 days - turned neocon-”

You mean this kind of jew?

http://www.energyvictory.net

Posted by GT on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:47 | #

In the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure,” said excerpts from McCain’s prepared text. “From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest success.

Oh this is exciting news! Once again we can indulge our fantasies and encourage others to do the heavy lifting without us having to lift a finger.

Meanwhile, in the same speech,

McCain told a town-hall questioner on Monday that he was unsure of the extent of any oil speculation, but if it has boosted the price of a barrel by 50 percent — as he has heard from some analysts — or just 1 percent, “then it seems to me there should be a thorough and complete investigation.”

He added: “If there is anybody who took advantage of Americans in order to enrich themselves, then it’s unacceptable.”

Uh, huh.

Anybody who believes McCain is unsure of the level and effect of oil speculation needs to see me about my ocean-front property in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

We don’t want to excite the Republican Party’s physically idle speculating contributors by informing the public about the nature and magnitude of the problem – or do we, Mr. McCain?

Ill tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then Ill get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again

Vote for McCain! Yes, I’m serious. Vote for McCain! No, not because he’s “white.” Vote for him because he’s our best chance of destroying the Republican Party and inserting ourselves in its place.

Posted by James Bowery on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:34 | #

Captainchaos, Zubrin is far more pathological and technosocialist than the the hypocritical “libertarians” to which I refer. The main problem with the hypocritical “libertarian” Jews is their refusal to recognize that national territory is land held in trust for the posterity of the founders—that and the concomitant requirement that any “ownership” of land within the national boundaries is simply rent from said posterity and its obligation to defend said territory from foreign occupation.

GT, writes of prize philanthropy: Once again we can indulge our fantasies and encourage others to do the heavy lifting without us having to lift a finger.

Oh YES! Give us more FANTASIES of heaving lifting by “others” like John Harrison, Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg and Burt Rutan.

Then, after we awake from our self-indulgent fantasies, we can get down to the real work!

But there’s at least one Big Problem: Technology prize awards are not indulgence in fantasy. They’ve worked ever since the Longitude Prize and they’ve worked well.

As for “other people” you’re damn straight I’d rather have “other people” than politicians and bureaucrats doing the heavy technological lifting! One of the biggest problems we’ve had is that these bozos are so full of themselves they think they can manage heroic technological achievements, and then when someone in the private sector actually decides its time to get something real done—all hell breaks loose because so many public choice apple carts are being upset.

You and I, GT, will have a lot better shot at big money from technology prizes than from SBIRs, even if the prizes _are_ offered by the government. If you don’t want “others” to do the heavy lifting then start lifting but don’t be bitter because some politician is proposing to provide a little competition for the public choice rent seekers now parking their haunches on the huge technosocialist middens.

McCain is toast but that doesn’t mean he can’t have an effect on the policy direction Obama pursues.

Posted by GT on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:28 | #

James, I’m sympathetic to your position. Really, I am. I like the idea of incentives to industry. If and when my rural campaigns hit the road I’ll advocate it. I’m not basing the survival of our people on it, however. There’s a lifeboat in the works, one I can build with help. That lifeboat has to be built regardless of anything else.

As far as McCain is concerned, he may be toast. Or he may not. I’m voting for him because it’s the right thing to do – not because he’s white or “moderate” or pro-gun – but because our people’s interests are best served through the destruction of the Republican Party with McCain as the facilitator.

Posted by .357 on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:33 | #

“It is surprising that his brain would be working even _this_ well.”

My guess is it was one of his more astute strategists that came up with the prize idea. It’s not quite so grand compared to JFK’s announcement that we’ll have a man on the moon by the end of the 1960’s decade; however, McCain’s call to action [$300 prize money], does spark motivation - it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

“McCain is toast”

Fact: “On 03 Nov 2004, An estimated 201.5 million U.S. citizens age 18 or over will be
eligible to vote Nov. 2, although many are not now registered.
Of these, about 55 million are registered Republicans. About 72
million registered Democrats.”
source: USA Today”

I couldn’t find the 2008 statistics; but because of racial demographic changes since 2004, we can speculate that the ratio of Democratic voters to Republicans has increased.

Too, B. Hussein is energising has base. Conversely, McCain is depressing his base.

Indeed, McCain is toast.

Posted by GT on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:24 | #

Despite the larger Democratic base, loyalty to Obama among Democrats is less than loyalty to McCain among Republicans. That is one reason why Obama is playing the race card. Voter reliability is greater for Whites of both parties. Registered Africans, Mexicans, and youthful Whites supporting Obama in Gallup polls are less likely to vote on election day. The same holds true online. In the end, the percentage of turnout to registered voters is what will matter.

Toast or not, the destruction of the Republican Party and the birthing of something better requires a McCain presidency. Promote McCain if you’re serious. Promote Obama or stay home if this is a hobby.

Posted by James Bowery on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:51 | #

.357 writes: My guess is it was one of his more astute strategists that came up with the prize idea.

And strategist is what I “smelled” in the last line of my post. My additional background with technology prize awards leads me to look for some Jewish guy who 20 years ago was rather young 20, living in Arizona, “libertarian” and involved with the L5 Society—who has quite naturally morphed into a neocon during his 2 decade climb up the political hierarchy in association with McCain.

GT writes: I’m not basing the survival of our people on it [prize awards—JAB], however. There’s a lifeboat in the works, one I can build with help. That lifeboat has to be built regardless of anything else.

Of course—just as I’m not basing the survival of our people on McCain being elected to finish off the Republican Party.

The most likely course of events is degeneration to a country that looks like Brazil but with “leadership” more like South Africa. The work you’re doing on self-sufficient microcommunities is going to indispensable in that most likely situation. In that respect the work you’re doing is like building a lifeboat while the ship is sinking.

The reason I think the technology prize awards may be so important is that it is a wild-card in this whole situation. Obama may be under the illusion that the technosocialist bureaucracies (and their contractors) like NASA, DoE, DARPA, etc. are still a white middle class welfare system rather than the affirmative action rent-seeking haven (with the substantial side benefit of giving credit for inventions to members of “protected groups”) that they have become. If so, he may inadvertently back the fashionable movement toward prizes at the expense of these rent-seekers, and unleash some substantial potential for technical innovation in among the “rednecks” in their privately owned machine shops.

That could avert the Malthusian crisis with a Cornucopian explosion of potential… The crew of the ship may yet patch the breach.

But, again, I agree, this is not the most likely course of events.

PS: One of the things I’ve thought of doing in the unlikely event that I ever get my hands on substantial money is setting up some prize awards for key self-sufficiency milestones. The problem, as usual with specifying such prizes, is to make the award criteria simultaneously objective, attainable as an increment over prior art and to the point.

Posted by GT on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:56 | #

The most likely course of events is degeneration to a country that looks like Brazil but with “leadership” more like South Africa.

Agreed.

Obama may be under the illusion that the technosocialist bureaucracies (and their contractors) like NASA, DoE, DARPA, etc. are still a white middle class welfare system rather than the affirmative action rent-seeking haven (with the substantial side benefit of giving credit for inventions to members of “protected groups”) that they have become. If so, he may inadvertently back the fashionable movement toward prizes at the expense of these rent-seekers, and unleash some substantial potential for technical innovation in among the “rednecks” in their privately owned machine shops.

That is a possibility. A long shot, but there nevertheless.

One of the things I’ve thought of doing in the unlikely event that I ever get my hands on substantial money is setting up some prize awards for key self-sufficiency milestones. The problem, as usual with specifying such prizes, is to make the award criteria simultaneously objective, attainable as an increment over prior art and to the point.

Okay, I think I understand where you’re coming from. You’re looking for speculating members of H. Monetarus who are willing to place race loyalty on a slightly higher level than times past. The next question is how do we triangulate? I must politically appeal to the working- and lower middle-classes. That involves positive proposals, shaming the huge “I wannabe idly rich without having to work” contingent who are passively supporting the regime, and identifying the regime’s wealthy gentile allies and useful idiots. A new ethos is required, one which motivates and encourages the top and bottom of this “movement” to do the right thing instead of following the failed, dichotomous “wait n’ see or Turner Diary” approach.

A new ethos. This is a job for the philosophically-inclined GW, Bo Sears, this guy, and whoever else they feel could productively contribute. You and I really haven’t time for it.

Posted by James Bowery on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:25 | #

That is a possibility. A long shot, but there nevertheless.

And like most Hail Mary shots, it missed.

See the update concerning Obama’s reaction to McCain’s prize proposal.

Posted by Nidhi Gupta on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:03 | #

is’nt the world leading again to a world war?

WW2 happened because the whole world hated jews and Germans thought they were superior race. At present the whole world hates Muslims or has been brain washed to hate Muslims AND at present America thinks it most superior…can this lead to a world war 3. If it does then I don’t know if human race will survive!!

Let me know your views….

Posted by 2R on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:41 | #

European Football (Soccer) Semi-Finals

Germany VS. Turkey: 2:30 EST ESPN 2

Posted by GT on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:21 | #

Indeed, technosocialism continues:

“After all those years in Washington, John McCain still doesn’t get it,” Obama said. ” I commend him for his desire to accelerate the search for a battery that can power the cars of the future. I’ve been talking about this myself for the last few years. But I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough. When John F. Kennedy decided that we were going to put a man on the moon, he didn’t put a bounty out for some rocket scientist to win — he put the full resources of the United States government behind the project and called on the ingenuity and innovation of the American people. That’s the kind of effort we need to achieve energy independence in this country, and nothing less will do. But in this campaign, John McCain offering the same old gimmicks that will provide almost no short-term relief to folks who are struggling with high gas prices; gimmicks that will only increase our oil addiction for another four years.”

So,

Do we spend another 4-8 years whining about returning the country to a time when the disease didn’t hurt so much, hoping to persuade the non-persuadable on one hand or praying for another Great Depression that we ‘think’ will incite Revolution on the other?

Do we shift our focus to building and powering microcommunities in the countryside, practicing alternate economics, Local-State-Congressional populist political engagement, and (quietly) prepare for the possibility of secession should the regime not recognize our legitimate needs and concerns?

Posted by 2R on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:34 | #

Well, Germany won 3-2. Before the game—while playing the national anthems for both countries—there was a big sign behind the players that read “Unite Against Racism.” After the anthems, each teams captain said a few words on why the world needs to “unite against racism.”

I’m not making his up. Its actually gotten to the point in Europe where race-replacement activities have to accompany sporting events.

Posted by Anonymous on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:11 | #

If and when my rural campaigns hit the road I’ll advocate it. I’m not basing the survival of our people on it, however. There’s a lifeboat in the works, one I can build with help. That lifeboat has to be built regardless of anything else.

Can you say anything more about this? I’d be happy to send some money and I’d certainly like to hear what you have to say.

Posted by ben tillman on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:52 | #

Thecarpetbaggerreport.com has to be one of the scariest websites I’ve ever seem. Pure misanthropy.

Posted by Bert Rustle on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:37 | #

http://www.raw-solar.com/index.html via http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/