What’s Wrong With Newt’s Moon Colony Idea?

A lot has been made about Newt Gingrich's proposal that the U.S. work towards building a lunar colony. I ask, what's wrong with this idea?

Now, don't get me wrong. With the state of the economy right now and the massive deficits piling up, now is not the time for the U.S. to be spending billions on a project like this. But, I personally like Newt's vision (even if he only said it because he was pandering for votes, I still like his vision) and I like the fact that he wants to include private companies to help develop the technology to do it.

When JFK pledge that America would put a man on the moon he had his detractors, but by and large it was something many Americans rallied behind. When it happened, most Americans were darn proud of this accomplishment. Now, Newt points out that the next logical step in space exploration would be lunar colonies (and, it's actually something NASA has been exploring for some time now. Up until 3 years ago when President Obama cancelled the program, returning to the moon and building an outpost was official U.S. policy and billions have been spent toward the project.) and he's labeled a quack.

What would a lunar base look like? Here is an excellent slideshow from the Huffington Post showing three decades worth of ideas.

I just can't think of anything negative about America returning to the moon and attempting to build an outpost (or colony) there. Think of the knowledge we will gain. The things that will end up being invented. The pride all Americans will feel knowing we accomplished such a feat!

If we don't do it, at some point another country will. I'd much rather our leaders push us to dream big  than to tell us how bad our lot in life is and how unfair everything is. Dreaming big and working hard to accomplish the seemingly impossible is what made America the super power it is today.