One (Nelson) speaks forebodingly about the perils of climate change, including rising seas that threaten low-lying areas of the Sunshine State.
The other thinks the concern about climate change is some broad government scheme to take control of energy production and every other aspect of our lives. (No, Ted Cruz really believes that.)
Cruz thinks Obamacare is yet another scheme for the government to take over our lives; Nelson, of course, does not.
The list goes on.
Yet it's always kind of nice to see that people with such different beliefs can be on the same page about something.
Since it's Friday, we thought it'd be nice to write about something not soul-crushing to ease us into the weekend spirit.
Cruz and Nelson penned a letter this week urging the Trump Administration to ditch plans to kill federal funding for the International Space Station by 2025 — with the idea that a bunch of Elon Musks will step up with private cash.
The plan would also offer up $150 million in seed money, essentially, to launch a program that aims to encourage private investment that NASA could use to make up for the loss of federal funds.
The two senators said the facility is far too important to potentially lose.
“The International Space Station is the largest and most complex habitable space-based research facility ever constructed by humanity,” their joint letter reads. “It’s a marvel of engineering, and critically important to our nation’s space program. For over 17 years, the ISS has provided the United States with continuous access to low Earth orbit, which has been paramount to the success of NASA, our commercial partners, scientific research, and human space exploration."
That's not to say the feds shouldn't try to attract private investment, they continued, but come on.
"While we have been strong proponents of the U.S. commercial space sector, prematurely ending direct U.S. government funding of ISS could have disastrous consequences," the letter continues. "The future of ISS should be determined by the emergence of a viable and proven commercial alternative and the needs of our national space program.”
Cruz and Nelson both have tough reelection battles on their hands for their respective seats, which makes their collaboration on this issue interesting.
Nelson has a likely challenger in Florida Governor Rick Scott, whom Cruz undoubtedly will support.
As of Tuesday's Texas primary, Cruz has a challenger in Texas Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke, whom we don't see Nelson not backing.
This article appears in Mar 8-15, 2018.
