Decided to get out of my comfort zone and give this a try. Be gentle.
TO POSSIBLY GO...
The Issue:
The @@DEMONYM@@ Space Agency (@@DEMONYMINITIALS@@SA) has proposed building a brand-new state-of-the-art spaceport complex on the outskirts of the capital, right next to the sleepy suburb of Pleasant Glades.
The Debate:
Option 1 - “This is the future, folks,” monotones @@RANDOMNAME@@, the agency’s director who looks like @@HE@@ just walked out of an instructional video. "A spaceport here would be an efficient, centralized hub for our nation’s ventures into space. It’s simply practical. Sure, it may involve some noise and... disruptions, but progress always does. We need this if we want to stay ahead in the global space race. Now, where did I put my slide projector?"
Result - @@DEMONYMINITIALS@@SA spends its budget producing "How to Cope with Gentrification" videos.
Option 2 - “Noise? Disruptions? Try mayhem!" shrieks @@RANDOMNAME@@, a stay-at-home parent clutching a toddler in one arm and swatting two more hyperactive kids as they race around @@HIS@@ legs. "I’m already drowning in screaming, chaos, and toys! Now you want to add rocket launches into the mix? I haven’t had a moment of peace since I don't know when! I just want to drink my coffee without being jolted out of my chair by sonic booms, thank you very much!"
Result - Local coffee shops sell "Serenity in a Cup" by the gallon.
Option 3 - “Sonic booms are the sound of victory," grunts General @@RANDOMFIRSTNAME@@ “Iron Fist” @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, pounding a fist into @@HIS@@ open palm. "This isn’t just about exploring space; this is about dominating it. We need this spaceport for national defense. Think about it: orbital laser satellites, military expeditions to claim distant planets, projecting @@NAME@@’s power across the stars! Let’s seize the high ground before some other nation beats us to it."
Validity - Nation has a military
Result - Concerned citizens can’t decide if the military or alien overlords would be worse.
Option 4 - “Well, if you’ve ever watched Galaxy Trek or read Rendezvous With the Martian, you’d know this spaceport is the first step toward a Type II civilization,” gushes Felix Quibble, pushing up his glasses. "We’re talking wormholes, faster-than-light travel, maybe even a Starforce! This could be the gateway to a utopian intergalactic society like the one in The Vast, but without all the war. I mean, we’re practically on the cusp of the next Golden Age of Science Fiction! Shall I explain how this fits into my 12-part blog series on terraforming?"
Validity - Nation has the internet
Result - Space exploration grinds to a halt as sci-fi nerds insist on optimizing ion propulsion.