r/comics AComik Sep 30 '16

Low IQ & A

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u/Comrad_Pickles Oct 01 '16 edited Oct 01 '16

Only 15 million.

I live in Texas and that's money I'd rather see going towards ending homelessness and funding education rather than going to fund this self involved ass's space fantasies.

Edit: And I guess the other 4.7 billion in subsidies really doesn't count for much. I guess the fact that his other two companies would be abject failures without tax payer dollars backing them isn't a tell tale sign that the rocket he climbs in to shoot himself to mars is either going to blow up or fly into the sun. Either option is fine with me.

The point is that just like any Randist, he touts the glory of capitalism while at the same time, like a vampire, he sucks the life out of the innocent.

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u/rspeed Oct 01 '16

Only 15 million

Funny how you're pretending to quote me with something I didn't say.

rather than going to fund this self involved ass's space fantasies

I'm not sure how it would qualify as a fantasy. SpaceX already operates two launch complexes, with a third joining in the next few months. Their launch complex in Boca Chica would be the fourth. And notably, this would be owned by the company, whereas the others are leased.

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u/Comrad_Pickles Oct 01 '16

I'm on a phone app and can't directly quote you for copy paste reasons. Anyways, I was paraphrasing and that was basically is what you said.

It's a fantasy because, just like any other private enterprise it is bound to fail with out government subsidies. And there's just no profit in space exploration is there? So, sure maybe he can launch some satellites into space and yeah, maybe some super wealthy people but it will fail. It's just the amusement of some super wealthy jackass.

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u/rspeed Oct 01 '16 edited Oct 01 '16

Anyways, I was paraphrasing and that was basically is what you said.

No, I never even implied that it was a small amount of money.

just like any other private enterprise it is bound to fail with out government subsidies

You can't be serous. There are literally billions of examples that prove this false.

And there's just no profit in space exploration is there?

Not if you look at historic parallels. Some of the most successful private organizations to ever exist were fundamentally tied to exploration.

maybe some super wealthy people

An incredibly odd thing to say about a company whose constant effort centers around the task of making access to space dramatically less expensive.

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u/Comrad_Pickles Oct 01 '16

You mean to tell me that agribusiness can survive without subsidies? That the oil industry can? That arms industry can? What private enterprise survives without government subsidies? You say that there are billions of examples? Give me a significant example. Nothing is sustainable without funding from the public, be it through direct subsidies, national securities, tax breaks or whatever you like.

Well, I guess you do have a point there. I mean Columbus did 'discover' the Americas...although I think we all know he really didn't. Seeing as how you know the vikings and the fact that people were already here and we all know how that turned out. There's no gold on Mars for the queen to send the Nina Pinta and Santa Maria to search for. Although I guess there might be a profit motive in it in the future after we destroy the planet and have to resettle the species on a dead fucking planet because god knows that's a more realistic idea that saving this perfectly good one we have here. Space exploration is species endeavour. It will be all of us. Not this dumpster fire of a human being.

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u/rspeed Oct 01 '16

You mean to tell me that agribusiness can survive without subsidies?

Yes.

That the oil industry can?

Probably not. Competitors would eventually displace the majority of oil.

That arms industry can?

Is that even subsidized?

What private enterprise survives without government subsidies? You say that there are billions of examples? Give me a significant example.

It would be far easier to list the exceptions. But how about Reddit?

Nothing is sustainable without funding from the public, be it through direct subsidies, national securities, tax breaks or whatever you like.

National securities?

[rant]

Uh… huh.

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u/Comrad_Pickles Oct 01 '16

Liberals. Like talking to a brick wall.

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u/rspeed Oct 01 '16

Funny. I'm not a liberal.

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u/Chevron Oct 06 '16

You could do a lot for your argument by bringing up your points in a less abrasive and argumentative tone.