[SlargTarg]

And people seem to be missing the fact that he is not expecting the government to do it, but simply to encourage private individuals to do it.

This is disingenuous, there is no possible profit to be made from a moon base and no venture capitalist would risk money on it.

When politicians say a "private" space company, what they really mean is private contractors funded by government instead of giving the money directly to NASA.

Its not free market capitalism by any measure.

[livius]

Why don’t you go back and look at his actual proposal.

There is money to be made on the moon, which is precisely why the Chinese want to get there. There is not only mineral wealth, but the zero gravity environment can be of great aid in manufacturing certain things. In addition, it’s a stepping stone to other places in space. And who knows what medical and scientific discoveries may come out of this?

Probably people also had the same negative comments about people setting off for the New World or even for the American West. But I think both of those worked out pretty well...

[cripplecreek]

This is disingenuous, there is no possible profit to be made from a moon base and no venture capitalist would risk money on it.

And Gingrich knows it. As usual he's just saying whatever he thinks people want to hear. While the space and moon treaties are in place the only money to be made in space are under government contract.

The time frame literally made me laugh out loud.

[null and void]

Welcome to FR.

[david1313]

Nonsense! There are already several venture capitolist that are investing in space.

[Wonder Warthog]

"This is disingenuous, there is no possible profit to be made from a moon base and no venture capitalist would risk money on it."

Just the raw materials of the solar system.....other than that....nothing.

"When politicians say a "private" space company, what they really mean is private contractors funded by government instead of giving the money directly to NASA."

Which would be far cheaper than giving the money directly to NASA.

"Its not free market capitalism by any measure."

"Free market capitalism" has never existed, and likely WILL never exist, anywhere. But what Newt is proposing is exactly what the US (and the colonies before them, and the Brits even before that) have done forever....provide the "seed money" to get a risky venture up and going. See....Erie Canal...intercontinental railroads.....establishment of air transport (contracts to "carry the mail")....and on and on. It has worked, and will work. Being a historian, Gingrich knows this.

[W. W. SMITH]

You are so wrong I won’t even start.