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[name] Straight To The Moon!
[description] In response to a slow news week, astronaut turned senator James Picard made a suggestion to build lunar colonies. The suggestion has since become a viral hit. While most responses have been satirical in nature, there are some in the scientific community who believe that lunar colonization may become a necessity as @@NAME@@'s resources are quickly running out.
[validity] Valid for nations with an interest in outer space
[option]"Colonizing the moon makes perfect sense," reiterates Picard as he folds out a massive blueprint on your desk. "Let's face it. With a population of @@POPULATION@@ and growing we're rapidly running out of resources and space. The only place left to go is the stars! Sure, it'll be very expensive and some will even say it is impossible, but @@NAME@@ has shown time and time again that nothing is impossible! And once we've colonized the moon, Mars and all those new exoplanets are ripe for the taking!"
[effect]the numerous rocketships in orbit are often mistaken for new constellations
[stats]economy decreases, taxes increase, information technology industry increases, quality of the environment decreases, apathy decreases, unemployment decreases, deaths due to space shuttle mishap increase significantly
[option]"Surely you aren't going to waste the taxpayer's @@CURRENCY@@s on this science-fiction mumbo jumbo?" asks spendophobic conservative talk show host, @@RANDOMNAME@@. "We've worked too hard to allow crazy ideas like these bankrupt our economy. We need to put a stop to this fancy smanchy space program entirely! Why waste so many @@CURRENCY@@s just so some guys can stand on a rock? Trust me, we're better off in our own little corner of the universe."
[effect]the space program now consists of trained @@ANIMALS@@ literally reaching for the moon
[stats]economy increases, information technology industry decreases, taxes decrease, quality of the environment increases, unemployment increases, deaths to space shuttle mishap drop to zero
[option]"Cut the space program and let @@NAME@@'s enemies dominate us in the space race?" fumes General @@RANDOMNAME@@, slamming a fist on your desk. "We all know that those Maxtopians have plans to weaponize space. I say we need to beat them to the punch. We need moon bases alright. Fully armed and operational missile bases that is! After all, it would be easier to launch payloads from an orbiting death station and those science geeks keep telling me that a smaller payload could do a helluva lot of damage, if it was dropped from that high! @@LEADER@@, just consider the advantage this would give us over any nation who would dare oppose us!"
[effect]the moon has become known as the Death Star due to @@NAME@@'s new lunar missile bases
[stats]economy decreases, taxes increase, defense spending increases, most avoided decreases slightly, safest ranking increases slightly, most pacifist ranking decreases, deaths due to space shuttle mishap increase
[option]"Once again this sounds like a job for the private sector," suggests manufacturing tycoon @@RANDOMNAME@@. "I'm sure with the right investments we can find better, safer, and more cost-effective methods of colonizing the moon. When you consider the fact that private companies are already offering space tourism flights, colonizing the moon won't be too far behind."
[effect]every kid with a model rocketship is hoping to take advantage of government incentives in the new space race
[stats]economy increases slightly, information technology industry increases slightly, economic freedoms increase, deaths due to space shuttle mishap increases, quality of the environment decreases[/quote]
Constructive criticism is always welcome.