MItt Romney on Space--Let's Study it

"A strong and vibrant space program is part of being an exceptional nation.  A mission for that space program is essential."

I searched Romney's website, Googled news and looked at the one YouTube speech from Cap Canaveral to learn about Mitt Romney's campaign.  I'm sorry, guys, but that is the most direct thing I could find.  The rest was his opinion that Newt Gingrich is fiscally irresponsible with his lunar colony idea and accusations that he's just pandering to the people of the Space Coast, and Roney's vow to put together a group of key advisers to study what we should do with space.  Even his campaign speech in Cape Canaveral said little about his actual plans, but was more about the campaign itself and how he feels President Obama does not understand American values.  Here's the only complete speech I can find.  There was nothing on his campaign website, though I have contacted them to see if they can provide me with something more concrete.

My own opinion:  How often has the government studied the space program?  If I may put on my fortune teller's cap for a moment, I see...

• In his first year, Romney calls together "experts" from a wide range of space interests, each with their own personal favorites to defend.
• A year and several million dollars of government money later, they will come to the conclusion that 1. space is important 2. we need to keep exploring 3. we should support maned and unmanned mission for research and colonization, both near earth and within the solar system, focusing on jobs and economic growth.  There will probably be a phrase to the effect of promoting synergy between commercial industry and government  contractors, probably using the awards program we already have...   Anyone see where I'm going with this?
• Romney will recommend some changes that the Democrats will fight because he's Republican.
• Assuming he's successful, his plan will have 2-6 years unless he does something sweeping and grand.  (Must say, I don't see him as the sweeping and grand change type of guy.  Besides, grand and sweeping changes mean big disruption, and by now, he's looking at Congressional elections if not the Presidential.)

Here's a video I found about one of Romney's space advisers.  It is a campaign video, so keep that in mind, but it brings up some interesting points:


My own opinion:  If you want to study, then forget calling together a team.  Hire a national think tank like RAND corp to do an independent study--and be sure you've got what it takes to back that study up with a plan that will survive.

Just want to remind folks that no campaign is a single-issue.  I have e-mailed the Romney campaign for more info and will post it when I get it.  Ditto for Rick Santorum, for whom I've found nothing except assertions that Gingrich's lunar colony is fiscally irresponsible.  If anyone has any thing concrete concerning the space policies of these gentlemen, I'd be glad for the leads.