The Moon Colonized by the US: How Should it affect the US Electoral System?

[Harshaw]

Much like the western states in frontier days. Colonies would begin as territories, and later rise to statehood when they met certain criteria.

Eventually, as with the New World Colonies of our history, they would secede and become their own countries, if they managed to achieve self-sustaining systems... which would probably require some very advanced technology, but it could happen.

The Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies.

 

[MMC]

That was from 2006, before Obama.

Yeah that's true.....but NASA still has carried on despite Obama cutting the Program. Here is what Bush had stated in 2004. NASA still has gone forward with the plans. They are looking at Man back on the Moon by 2017. They have been creating New Suits and are now sending in the robotics first.



Uploaded on Apr 12, 2007


The Vision for Space Exploration is the United States space policy announced on January 14, 2004 by U.S. President George W. Bush. It is seen as a response to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the state of human spaceflight at NASA, and a way to regain public enthusiasm for space exploration.

The Vision calls for the space program to:

Complete the International Space Station by 2010
Retire the Space Shuttle by 2010
Develop the Orion spacecraft (formerly known as the Crew Exploration Vehicle) by 2008, and conduct its first human spaceflight mission by 2014
Develop Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles
Explore the Moon with robotic spacecraft missions by 2008 and crewed missions by 2020
Explore Mars and other destinations with robotic and crewed missions
When the Vision was announced in January 2004, the U.S. Congress and the scientific community gave it a mix of positive and negative reviews. For example, Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) said, "I think this is the best thing that has happened to the space program in decades," while physicist and outspoken manned spaceflight opponent Robert L. Park said that robotic spacecraft "are doing so well it's going to be hard to justify sending a human."

Others, such as the Mars Society have argued that it makes more sense to avoid going back to the Moon and instead focus on going to Mars first.

In a position paper issued by the National Space Society (NSS), a return to the Moon should be considered a high space program priority, in order to begin development of the knowledge and identification of the industries unique to the Moon. The NSS believes that the Moon may be a repository of the history and possible future of our planet, and that the six Apollo landings only scratched the surface of that treasure.

According to NSS, the Moon's far side, permanently shielded from the noisy Earth, is an ideal site for future radio astronomy. Unique products may be producible in the nearly limitless extreme vacuum of the lunar surface, and the Moon's remoteness is the ultimate isolation for biologically hazardous experiments.....snip~

 

[Kal'Stang]

If the United Stated Colonizes the Moon. How should this affect the US electoral System? Meaning would the Moon be given status like a State? A Territory?
Consider a Colony with a Governor and Court of Law. Military and or Police Security Force. Would they get a Senator and Congressmen or women? Would it affect our process now?

A Kicker would be.....a US citizen born on the Moon and able to run for the Presidency.

Difficult. The moon is like Antartica in that it does not belong to any specific country. So I would imagine that any colony established on the moon would be a reflection of all the countries. IE people from the various countries living there. As such it would not be a US Territory or a State.

Initially it (the voting) would probably be handled just like any citizen that is abroad and not in the US. "Mail in" voting or absenteism. By "mail in" I would imagine it would be done electronically and not actual mail though...

Once established for a decent amount of time I could see two things happening. 1st would be only registered citizens would be allowed to vote (ID required no doubt....). 2nd the Colony would claim independence and form their own "country".

This is of course assuming that the world is still shapped the same way then as it is now in regards to Countries and Citizenship and not some World Government being in effect or if the US even exists. As there is no date set on actually building a colony on the moon these two things are possible since we have no idea when this would happen.

 

[MMC]

Why would you need a military base on the moon? What would they do?

Train for Warfare in Zero gravity and the Idea was actually thought of 59.

An Army Base on the Moon

What Might Have Been: Project Horizon Was an Idea Whose Time Never Came

a lunar outpost … is of critical importance to the U.S. Army of the future.” It was March 1959, and Army Lt. Gen. Arthur G. Trudeau, the author of those words, was tasking the Army’s chief of ordnance to develop a proposal for a “manned lunar outpost” that would “protect potential United States interests on the moon.” The story behind this secret study (called “Project Horizon”) and the plan to have an Army base on the moon by 1966, is the story of a great idea whose time has never come.

The plan was to build a self-sustained moon base that would serve as an outpost for exploration of the moon, and further exploration of space. The base – which would house 10-20 personnel – would be the “first permanent manned installation on the moon” and, perhaps most importantly, would provide a platform for the Army, if required, to conduct “military operations on the moon.”

The Army insisted that there were no known technical barriers to establishing a manned lunar base and believed that Project Horizon “should be a special project having authority and priority similar to the Manhattan Project in World War II.” After all, if America had built the atomic bomb, there was no reason that it could not put a handful of soldiers on the moon. Project Horizon contemplated using the multistage Saturn II rocket, then under actual development, and intermediate orbiting space stations (then only on drawing boards) to ferry construction materials to the moon. The Army concluded that seventy-five Saturn II rocket launches could be achieved by the end of 1964 – with forty of these launches needed to put sufficient Project Horizon equipment into orbit for the lunar base’s construction.

Known formally as the “Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,” this international agreement limited the use of the moon to peaceful purposes. In short, the militarization of the moon was no longer an option – and remains an impossibility since this international treaty is still in effect.....snip~

An Army Base on the Moon | Defense Media Network


Should we abide by that treaty?

There would be all kinds of reasons as to why we should have a Military outpost on the Moon.

 

[PirateMk1]

I am not sure.

Puerto Rico has voted down statehood many times.

Maybe the moon would do the same.

All the benfits without all the taxes.

They may well do exactly what Puerto Rico Does. No biggie.

 

[Aderleth]

If the United Stated Colonizes the Moon. How should this affect the US electoral System? Meaning would the Moon be given status like a State? A Territory?
Consider a Colony with a Governor and Court of Law. Military and or Police Security Force. Would they get a Senator and Congressmen or women? Would it affect our process now?

A Kicker would be.....a US citizen born on the Moon and able to run for the Presidency.

I think we should tax them without representation and see how that works out.

 

[MMC]

I think we should tax them without representation and see how that works out.

Once we establish initial supply lines we should be able to start running transports back and forth. Moreover besides Russia who could do anything about it if we did stick Military base up there.

It also gives us another advantage over the Europeans plus is we start mining before others. Then China wont be able to do anything but play catch-up.

 

[clownboy]

It's just a silly waste of money and manpower to colonise the moon. Just for starters we still have no way of normalizing gravity for the residents. Their bones will lose density at an alarming rate and their organ function will suffer within time. We're not talking a lot of resources on Luna, and I'd be very paranoid about any mining or alteration a most vital part of the Terran weather system.

 

[Fisher]

It's just a silly waste of money and manpower to colonise the moon. Just for starters we still have no way of normalizing gravity for the residents. Their bones will lose density at an alarming rate and their organ function will suffer within time. We're not talking a lot of resources on Luna, and I'd be very paranoid about any mining or alteration a most vital part of the Terran weather system.

Shhhh. It will be easier to kill off the millionaires and billionaires and take their wealth if they are out of sight and out of mind.

 

[EdwinWillers]

It's just a silly waste of money and manpower to colonise the moon. Just for starters we still have no way of normalizing gravity for the residents. Their bones will lose density at an alarming rate and their organ function will suffer within time. We're not talking a lot of resources on Luna, and I'd be very paranoid about any mining or alteration a most vital part of the Terran weather system.

Yeah, there's my concern. The minute we set [permanent] foot on the moon you can be assured of ALW - Anthropogenic Lunar Warming; and *that* we all know is a bad thing.

 

[MMC]

Yeah, there's my concern. The minute we set [permanent] foot on the moon you can be assured of ALW - Anthropogenic Lunar Warming; and *that* we all know is a bad thing.

No it will be alright.....there will be no smoking. Nor running water. :lol:

 

[EdwinWillers]

No it will be alright.....there will be no smoking. Nor running water. :lol:

LOL - but spitoons will dot the landscape.

 

[MMC]

LOL - but spitoons will dot the landscape.

True.....but there will be no going out for a walk.

Just to get some Air. :lol:

 

[head of joaquin]

We should appoint a Moon Czar and I recommend Newt Gingrich, the one guy who kept the faith in this.

If only we could send Gingrich there for good.

 

[EdwinWillers]

If only we could send Gingrich there for good.

Who??

 

[head of joaquin]

Who??

Your party's leader and major spokesman.

I understand. If I were a conservative, I'd pretend not to know any conservative leaders either. They're freaks.

 

[Moon]

I think you people should leave me the hell alone.

 

[MMC]

Your party's leader and major spokesman.

I understand. If I were a conservative, I'd pretend not to know any conservative leaders either. They're freaks.

Don't worry there will be a place for the Progressives......erm, uhm.....I mean the infected. :2razz:

 

[EdwinWillers]

I think you people should leave me the hell alone.

:moon:
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