What space program and jobs?

I just read an article in the USA Today where just six years ago there were 17,000 people that worked for the shuttle program. The end of the shuttle program will leave approximately 1,000 people employed by the space program.

What was the President thinking when he ended the shuttle program? A loss of over 16,000 jobs! At one time the American space shuttle program was a template for all nations that would design programs for space flight; now a mere shamble.

Now, there will be 16,000 people out of work looking for work. The country will now rely on private contractors to put people into spac...