In 1961 President Kennedy addressed congress about putting a man on the moon?

Question

in 1969, just 8 years later we accomplished that feat... yet in the years since then we have failed to achieve so many other important goals... what has changed for us... what has happened to our nation?

Serious answers only please.. no "It's the repuglican" or "it's the demoncrats"

I don't think I was perfectly clear.. by "we have failed to reach so many other goals" I didn't mean in the space race... goals in general for our nation.. most assumed I meant that ... but I think a few kept on the space track.

Answer 1

We have, as a nation, gotten more wrapped up in wanting to be personally superior to our own countrymen and, therefore, win every tiny little argument that comes up. This has caused every argument to have the same intensity. Case in point? Global warming is now being treated like communism was in the '60s. There is no reason on earth people should be ANGRY about anyone wanting to educate the world about global warming, but some are. It should be one of those things you either choose to pay attention to, or don't. But it's being given the same weight (by people on BOTH sides) as the war in Iraq. That should never be the case. But we all have to be right.

Answer 2

It was primarily a technological goal -- with the basic technology in place. Being technological, all it needed was money pumped into it.

The coolness factor, and the "we'll show them Rooskies" made it so the money needed could be pumped in.

Let's look, now at, say, renewable energy. There the problem, though in a sense, technological, also has economic and political forces. Those who profit from oil (who happen to own the government) prevented development of alternative energy.

Also, that wasn't a specific thing that most saw a value in (as a lot of people just hadn't gotten what a great thing it would be in so many ways).

For a different sort of goal, look at Johnson's War on Poverty. A biggie there is that the goal itself was controversial -- a lot of people feel that people who are starving deserve to starve.

Also, it's not a matter of figuring out technology, but has to do with basic economic and political structures; much less easy nut to crack.

Add to that, the money it needed ended getting pumped into the Vietnam War. There wasn't enough money for both.

There have been huge things done, such as wiping out certain diseases, and, well, we're all typing into units that have connected hundreds of millions of people all over the world, and a lot of people watched the year 2000 arrive, in each time zone (the satellite system).

When I was a kid, there was no such thing as recyling (notice here, it isn't universal, partly because it's something that depends on each person to do -- change basic ways of doing trivial things -- partly because it requires thousands of systems in place).

There have also been things, such as the micro-loans system -- it hasn't been comprehensive, but then it isn't a single goal in the way reaching the moon was, but it's improved the lives of millions in substantial ways.

Look at getting health care -- not everyone agrees with the goal, and, as with energy, those who profit from the current system (big pharma, all the insurance middle-man companies) politically prevent the system being fixed.

I guess that's part of it, too. Getting to the moon didn't involve fixing complex systems on Earth, just cracking the last bits of the technology.

So, unlike many of the answers, I think it's a fundamental difference in the nature of the goal itself.

A big push in one direction was what was needed; not radical rethinking of how money gets distributed, questions of social class and race, and all those sticky wickets.

Although there where people against wasting the money going to the moon, it wasn't the same thing as, say, people hating people of color, or believing the poor are lazy.

And, the companies supplying the technology made their money from it.

Hope I've shed some light here.

Answer 3

Pip,
in 1961 President Kennedy "challenged" us to accomplish this goal within the context of his inaugural address to the country (and world). I anticipate that the Cold War did have something to do with the initial push; however, there have been many space accomplishments since. You may be aware that there is now a plan being developed to go back to the Moon. In addition to this we have also sent rovers to Mars and other major accomplishments.

There are other important goals that have not been met (I take it by "goals" you mean somethings other than and including Space) but challenges exist in each and every direction. The "War on Poverty" was overshadowed by the War in Viet Nam at the time. The "War on Poverty" being an important social issue for the nation as a whole, the War in Viet Nam being very costly and time consuming politically.

"What has changed for us?" and "What has happened to our Nation?" these questions largely depend upon who you ask. The War in Viet Nam and the resignation of President Nixon made most of us skeptical of both War and Politics. It is in each of us to decide what is important and/or what the important issues are and to pursue them one person at a time, seaching and linking up with those who have similar view points and concerns to become a bigger voice. There are now "many" issues and "many large voices" of concern for important issues.

As President Kennedy "Challenged" us all in 1961 I "challenge" you to find an issue that you care about and get involved - don't wait for the "heard" to lead you.

Answer 4

Anctually it is the Democrats. Back then, it was the beginning of the take over of that party by left wing radicals and special interests groups. These groups realized that they could in no way otherthrow the government or the country by force. Their plan was to take over one of the political parties. The Democratic party was chosen because they would appeal to the average citizen, which is the demographic that was targeted to be brainwashed and duped. Over several decades, they slowly infiltrated the party and got an ever increasing number of their ilk into power. Once they got a foothold, they started making laws and rules that favor their evil maaster plan which is largely based on the communist maifesto. They used the covil rights movement as an excuse to gete laws put into place that did more harm that help. These new laws crippled the countrys abilty to move forward, and do what it needed to do to both protect itself and thrive. The master plan was to erode our social culture, bogg down our industrail base and control the people. So far its worked beautifully. American has an almost completely eroded social struture devoid of God and where the ability to make and enforce laws is almost impossible. The industrial base has been crippled by environmental idiocy, and needless costs. The peoples rights in many cases have been denied especially when it comes to things that are good and helpful for society and the country, while things that were and are bad and deterimental for the country are now promoted as good and healthy. That is why the US have gone nowhere since the birth of the civil rights movement which morphed into the politically correct movement and morphed on to the humanists movement. Democrats like to toss out such phrases as "Slippery Slope". They should, they've mastered putting us all on one that will lead to the destruction of this great country.

Answer 5

There are factors such as Vietnam and the counter-culture that caused a split shortly after that time, but I think the main thing is the tremendous growth of social programs as a proportion of the federal budget and the insertion of the courts into American life following the civil rights movement.

Think about it - when the government rather than your personal effort is what decides how much money and power you will be awarded, you will turn your attentions to grabbing as big a piece of that governemt pie as you can get. It's a zero-sum game. One group wins out at the expense of another group.

To use the example of the space program, it wasn't long before the Rev. Abernathy was protesting the expenditures on the space program, saying "If you can put a man on the moon, why can't you put a man on his feet?" In other words, "why spend all that money on space exploration when you could be spending it on me?"

Ironic, since the research and development portion of the NASA budget provided an economic stimulus in everything from CATSCAN technology to computers to new weather-resistant paints that far more than paid for the tax dollars spent on space. It was an economic engine that benefitted everyone who worked and earned money, and also made money available for government give-aways to those who couldn't or wouldn't work. Today, NASA's budget is a tiny fraction of the portion of the federal budget it used to be thanks to the "we've got more serious problems to solve by throwing money at" mentality.

Answer 6

It's sad but people will comment on this and say the landing was fake, might even blame it on bush somehow.

That was a great speech. We were behind it I think because Russia put a man in space first, and we want to to beat them at there own game.

I really don't understand what has happen to America, we used to be united but ever since the late 70's we are just getting worse and worse.Everyone wants something different. Nobody is happy with anything lately.

Answer 7

that is easy.. we dont have the "race" going on any longer.. mostly people are made to think it isnt for them to try any more... it is someone else's fault for "place your statement here" ...during that time frame we had the great war of words and action between the US and the USSR.. who was better... that was the way to prove it.. also Americans all wanted what was best for America .. not just them

this mostly changed during the spoiled brat stage of America.. the baby boomers... the most spoiled generation in World History.. they messed up a lot of things.. and are the reason we have so many problems in the US.. it is sad but the world will be better off when they die off

Answer 8

An intriguing question! I suppose we do not have a goal behind which that the country is united, like we did back then.

There's too much disagreement.

I suppose after 9/11 there was near-universal agreement that we needed to go after the Taliban.

I wonder what goal(s) people think should be emphasized today?

Answer 9

Look, it's simply the growth of anti-intellectualism in this country which, in turn, results in a decreased enthusiasm and ability for science. It's "cool" to be stupid, and Europe/Asia will be laughing all the way to the bank while our conservatives cater to this mentality ... a mentality laid squarely at the foot of the religous right.
I'm sure you're aware of all the petitions signed by the scientists that accused the Bush administration of misrepresenting their work and undermining their conclusions on global warming, among other things. As a religious fanatic, Bush doesn't like science -- science is where evolution comes from.
Of course science is just another name for the study of REALITY.

Answer 10

I believe that our election process has turned into a dog and poney show (not that it wasn't before) that elects the most pleasing (or least offensive) person to high office.

When you have that situatiion, then it is a crap shoot as to which candidate will have real vision and lead the nation to a better place.

Kennedy, had warts, but he also had guts and a vision for America. "Ask NOT what your country can do for you, ask what YOU can do for your nation?"

I think another great president that had guts and vision was Reagan. Who knew?

Sadly, with the two party system in control of our election processes, we are subject more and more to the political class that pledges allegience FIRST to their party and only THEN to America and Americans.