14 DAY TRIAL // About a month ago, the news that several American citizens had set up a petition hoping to raise enough signatures to convince the White House to build a Death Star cause quite a stir.
Later on, the news that this petition actually managed to get all the signatures it needed in order to reach Barack Obama's desk made headlines.
Fast forward about two and a half weeks, and the White House finally agrees to share their views on the matter at hand with the general public.
The official response to this petition, funnily titled “This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For,” was written and posted online by Paul Shawcross, presently employed as the Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Despite admitting the fact that those who had set up this petition were right in stating that American citizens are in dire need of both more job opportunities, and a more reliable national defense system, Paul Shawcross shows that building a Death Star is by no means the answer to these two problems.
“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,” he lists as the first argument standing in the way of the Death Star project.
“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?” Paul Shawcross goes on to add in a rather amusing manner.
Lastly, this White House officials wishes to emphasize that, despite the fact that the US lacks one such Death Star, it nonetheless has a well put together space technology and exploration program.
From his standpoint, those who signed this petition and are interested in space exploration should perhaps look into the possibility of pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering and the like.
“If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! 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,” Paul Shawcross concludes.