Right-wing bill opens moon for mining

Even on the moon, you're not safe from the hug-a-thug Tea Party - which thinks it owns everything.

The House has just approved a Republican bill called the SPACE Act of 2015. If it becomes law, this bill will give private corporations the "right" to open up the moon, asteroids, and other celestial bodies for mining.

The problem with that is that it's not theirs to mine. There are no property rights in outer space. The United States is a signatory to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which declares celestial bodies are an international zone not open to ownership by private companies or even an individual country. It's much like international waters being free from private ownership.

The SPACE Act also attempts to give itself the power to trump challenges from other countries. If a country tries to challenge a corporation's "right" to mine the moon, the SPACE Act tries declaring itself Judge Judy and executioner.

Gives a whole new meaning to "Oh no, R2!"

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/11/18/how-property-rights-in-outer-space-may-lead-to-a-scramble-to-exploit-the-moons-resources)