Arm Waving And Shouting Shutdown Misinformation Is Not Helpful

Keith's note: There was a protest rally in Washington today. NASA folks participated. One of the speakers was Barry Epstein, the new head of the union at NASA HQ. A tweet from a Washington Post reporter appeared quoting him: 'Barry, a NASA engineer, says the #GovernmentShutdown could impact astronauts on the International Space Station. He and others tasked with "ensuring their health and wellbeing" in space are furloughed.'

Two things. First, NASA civil servant and contractor employees are being punished for something that has nothing to do with them. Civil servants will eventually get paid but contractors could well get stuck with no pay. Either way this totally sucks and everyone involved should be angry as hell and protesting.

Second: Barry works at NASA HQ and sits behind a desk pushing paper. He is not one of the engineers tasked with keeping the crew on ISS safe. Not even close. If something breaks he does not get a phone call. ISS does just fine without him. The people tasked with this responsibility are considered "essential" and are sitting behind consoles in Houston. Moreover, the suggestion that NASA is running the ISS in a fashion that puts the crew at risk is simply incorrect. To stand in front of a microphone in public and try and suggest the contrary is irresponsible. Arm waving and shouting misinformation helps no one right now, Barry. Stick to the facts.

Barry, a NASA engineer, says the #GovernmentShutdown could impact astronauts on the International Space Station. He and others tasked with "ensuring their health and wellbeing" in space are furloughed, he told the crowd here at the #ShutdownProtest in #DC. pic.twitter.com/cSUTxzOr3T

— Marissa J. Lang (@Marissa_Jae) January 10, 2019

from NASA Watch http://bit.ly/2FlzQ8e
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