Quote (GarryGarry @ Jan 13 2013 03:08am)
White House rejects Death Star petition
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The White House has pledged its allegiance to the Force.
The U.S. government has issued an official response to a petition requesting construction of a Death Star, like the planet-destroying space battle station featured in the film Star Wars.
The petition requested the government begin construction on a Death Star by 2016 to create jobs, explore space and bolster national defence. A serious argument for a science-fiction proposal but that hasn't stopped the White House from having a laugh.
The response posted on We the People, a website designed to foster engagement with the government through petitions, shoots down all hope for a Star Wars reality from the very beginning.
"This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For," reads the title, cheekily echoing a moment from the first film: "These aren't the droids we're looking for."
The post is credited to Paul Shawcross, the Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The response says a Death Star would be too expensive. Building such a station would cost $850,000,000,000,000,000 by one estimate. That's $850 quadrillion, for the record.
Not to mention, the administration says, it does not support the blowing up of planets.
Even if President Barack Obama was inclined to become more like Darth Vader, Shawcross notes the Death Star didn't hold up too well under attack.
"Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?"
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But wait, look up! The White House points out that we already have a football field-sized example of scientific advancement floating in space. It's called the International Space Station.
We also have droids and U.S. researchers have designed a robotic arm named after Luke Skywalker. The response encourages Americans to pursue a career in math, science, technology or engineering, saying the Force will be with them.
"Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force," it says.
May the Force be with you, too, light saber-wielding President Obama.Don't see why they WOULDN'T have built it because they waste money on everything else. 