It figures: Republicans target OCO-2 for cut

After OCO-1 didn't make it to orbit, NASA realized it was such a high and important priority that they immediately started an OCO-2 mission. But things being what they are with Republicans, anything with a sniff of a chance of indicating what a important issue global warming is, let alone supplying vital data that the IPCC would use, would be an obvious target. And so it is - the GOP scum on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, probably urged on by one of the scummiest of the scum, James Sensenbrenner, have targeted OCO-2 for termination. And all their other cuts were to Earth Science at NASA. God, they've got balls. (Actually, they don't have balls, as they LIED to the Democrats on the committee. See below.)

And of course our primary Maryland nutcase GOP representative, Andy Harris, signed on.

They also did this after the news cycle on Friday; so now let me see what's being said about it:

Republicans propose killing OCO-2 and other earth science reductions


Oh, it appears that the committee chairman Ralph Hall LIED to the Democrats and said that he wouldn't be sending any recommendations to the supercommittee -- according to the ranking Democrat.

Here's the opening of her letter to the supercommittee:

"Dear Chairman Hensarling and Chairman Murray,

The Budget Control Act of 2011 [Public Law 112-25] included a provision stating that Committees could provide recommendations to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. The Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has informed me that he does not plan to have our Committee submit any recommendations."

And the next day the GOP scum sent their list of recommendations to the supercommittee.

They are, quite simply, SCUM.

Lest we forget:

http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/

"However, in December 2009 the Congressional Conference committee directed NASA to allocate no less than $50M for the 2010 fiscal year (FY10) for the initial costs associated with an OCO replacement. Released on February 1st, 2010, the President's Budget provided adequate funding to support the launch of an OCO re-flight mission (now known as OCO-2). The OCO-2 mission underwent critical design review (CDR) in August 2010 and key design point-C (KDP-C) in September 2010. On October 2010, it began the implementation phase. This launch is scheduled to be no later than February 2013."

So... the Committee is seeking to cancel a mission with proven technology that is already being built.

SCUM!!! And idiots too!

Something else about this: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=22083.0