That's no Stimulus Package, its a Space Station!

[Stardreamer]

Its as if more than 34,000 petition signers cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced!

The White House announced that they were rejecting a petition for the government to build a Death Star class space station as a means of stimulating the economy and replacing nuclear weapons as the ultimate national security deterrent. At a price tag estimated around $852 quadrillion and the need for a work force in the millions to build and man it the project is a Keynesian infrastructure stimulus dream!

“The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense,” writes Paul Shawcross, chief of the science and space branch of the White House’s budget office. But “the Administration does not support blowing up planets.”


Plus, Shawcross points out: “Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?” (Cue speculation that China has built an X-Wing fighter).

And with the price tag estimated to run at least $852 quadrillion, Shawcross says, “we’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.” (Hmmm, so the stimulative impact of government infrastructure spending does not balance out its cost? That might come up again as Obama clashes with Republicans this Spring over how best to reduce the national debt.)

Build a Death Star’ petition clears threshold for Obama response

White House answers Death Star petition: No.

[GiancarloC]

Aw darn. I wanted to be the commander on that.

[DonQuixote]

I saw the threshold response earlier today. I'd seen the petition when it was posted.

Well, you can't say they aren't living up to the President's promise for the WH to respond to any petition of 25K signatures or more.

[Kulindahr]

We can't even make regular trips to the moon; isn't entertaining the notion of building something as big as one a bit premature?

I say put it on NASA's list of goals, for about 2222.

[DonQuixote]

I liked the quip about "why would we build something with such a patent defect" or words to that effect - along with the
"queue Chinese X-Wing fighters".

[JB3]

Their response was great. At least they have a sense of humor with them.

[Rolyo85]

If not the Force...

[DonQuixote]

How can you say they don't have the force?

http://gangstersquad.warnerbros.com/


http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/the-untouchables/

[Stardreamer]

Misc details, The Death Star was officially designated the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station. Though I never understood why they called it a station as that made absolutely no sense from a naval nomenclature point of view. A station is well stationary, and should only really have station keeping capability as far a propulsion goes, a fortress defending an area in space and not an offensive platform going to the enemy. Most space navy sci-fi would have called the Death Star a Super Dreadnaught or Monitor. But that is just the tech geek in me rattling on.

Its diameter was approximately 161 Kilometers.
265,675 crewmen
52,276 gunners
607,360 regular troops
30,984 stormtroopers
42,782 technicians
180,216 pilots and flight crew

What an employment program that could be.

[Just_Believe18]

How do you even begin to estimate the cost of this project to be somewhere in the "quadrillions?"

[White Eagle]

We can't even make regular trips to the moon; isn't entertaining the notion of building something as big as one a bit premature?

I say put it on NASA's list of goals, for about 2222.

Wouldn't that be Star Date 2222?

[Stardreamer]

How do you even begin to estimate the cost of this project to be somewhere in the "quadrillions?"

They essentially took the cost of building a modern warship and scaled it up. Not sure if the took into account the cost savings of not installing any guardrails on any of the bridges and walkways but then the Empire didn't have OSHA to contend with.

[Kulindahr]

Wouldn't that be Star Date 2222?

Only if it has warp drive.