As Western governments try to convince their respective publics that they are truly listening, they have set up the capability for web petitions to be posted with a promise to respond if an individual petition receives enough backing. Thus a new petition in USA demanding the construction of a Star Wars “Death Star” by 2016 which received backing from 35,000 signatories has elicited the following response from the Obama administration.
The response is from Paul Shawcross , Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget:
The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:
- The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
- The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
- Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?
The full amusing response is here.
