Sorry, America - No Death Star for U.S.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.

34,435 people signed a petition requesting the U.S. government construct a Death Star for the purpose of national defense. The White House response was either intentionally or unintentionally funny, depending on who you ask. Star Wars fans will more than likely chuckle at the link alone.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/isnt-petition-response-youre-looking

I find it a little funny that they claim to be "working hard to reduce the deficit". That gave me a chuckle.

Comments

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

That's a good thing. A Death Star would be an oversized, expensive piece of overengineered equipment that would erupt if someone looked at it crosseyed, tied down too many good troops in a wasted position that does very little good for any society that builds it, and is an extremely pricey one-trick pony. Why would anyone with a good sense of military reality, thus, build one? ;)

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

You're right. The Darksaber is the efficient method of housing a planet-busting superlaser.

[404.livejournal.com]

Obviously the Centari Republic had the right idea when they employed Mass Drivers to bombard planets in the Narn-Centari war of 2259. A lot cheaper and more mobile instead of a giant space station.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Actually I'd just nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

Hollywood never really had a good sense of military reality.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

The Death Star would have been the perfect weapon system if they had just made the cooling vents quite a bit smaller than a womp rat.

[404.livejournal.com]

Or made the auto turrets actually be able to hit anything.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Not even then if we factor in the probable expense of a Moon-sized battle station and its tying down a huge number of troops better spent crushing the Rebellion the old way. Nobody can accuse Palpatine of anything but stark raving insanity, of course.

[oportet.livejournal.com]

850 quadrillion, for the purpose of National Defense... for the same price, couldn't we have almost 200 billion more drones?

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

Instead of just defense why can't we build a Death Star to be an artificial planet? The thing is large enough to be mistaken for a moon after all, and at least some of that space can be put to use as housing and land.

[404.livejournal.com]

"Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station." ―Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin.

[brother-dour.livejournal.com]

We're on the way to having AT-ATs. That's enough for me.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

That gave me a chuckle.

Because sometimes, the truth is funny.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Yeah, keep telling yourself the federal government under this administration is actively trying to lower the deficit. SMH

[dwer.livejournal.com]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/repeat-after-me-obama-cut_b_1955561.html
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/news/2013/01/08/49137/the-deficit-reduction-we-have-achieved-so-far/
http://www.offthechartsblog.org/of-zenos-dichotomy-paradox-takers-and-deficit-reduction/

truth hurts, eh?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. As of March 2012, it's gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office. That analysis was from the U.S. Treasury Department, not to mention our current national debt is over $16 trillion. Oh yeah, and Obama continues to raise the debt ceiling, nearly every year of his presidency.

Would you like a little aloe for that?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

you do understand that the debt and the deficit are not the same thing, right? And that the debt ceiling is about paying our debt, not borrowing more?

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Are you sure you're OK? You sound a bit hyper.

[usekh.livejournal.com]

Anyone who thinks they weren't trying to be funny is fairly fucking stupid.

[brother-dour.livejournal.com]

I like that we have a President and a White House staff with a sense of humor.

[usekh.livejournal.com]

I know, I thought this reply was awesome :)

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

So who is Obama fencing with anyways? His pants look interesting.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Tim Morehouse, fencer for the U.S. Olympic team. This was when Obama was promoting his (failed) bid for the Olympics in Chicago.