It’s about to get all stupid up in here
In 1987, Mel Brooks wrote, directed, produced and starred in the movie Spaceballs, a spoof or parody of Star Wars and other science fiction movies. Spaceballs has become a cult classic. The basic premise has to do with Planet Spaceball and the refusal of next-door neighbor Druidia to give Spaceball the code to the shield protecting Druidia. In what is not science fiction, Donald J. Trump has ordered the Pentagon and Department of Defense to establish a sixth branch of the armed forces, the Space Force.
Trump had first floated the idea last year. The White House, Air Force and Secretary of Defense James Mattis all disagreed and dismissed the idea.
Now, in an effort apparently to distract the United States from the border “no exceptions” scandal, as well as other issues of actual importance, Trump on Monday issued orders for the establishment of the sixth branch to begin immediately, demanding: “I am hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. Our destiny beyond the Earth is not only a matter of national identity but a matter of national security.”
According to various reports, this Space Force would have an area of responsibility encompassing the vast expanse outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. There are few details of exactly what this branch would be defending against, or why it is needed, or how it would actually function. NASA and the Air Force Space Command oversee most space launches. When one thinks of our branches of the military, we think of efforts to protect the United States and as our military forces.
Medicare and Social Security are running out of money, and we cannot provide healthcare to our citizens. We have many other real-world issues, including Trump’s international diplomacy, where he is alienating our allies and cozying up to our enemies. Yet he is seeking to have this presumably very expensive and clearly pointless branch established. Perhaps Vladimir suggested it to him; apparently, the Russians do have some kind of “space force.” This is simply a waste of our energy and resources on an unneeded additional program that sounds more like a Mel Brooks parody than our current reality.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.