| abstract
| - Alpha base was set up to receive prefabricated modules on a daily bases and support a growing work force. With large nuclear-powered deep-hole drilling rigs, the bases could rapidly expand. Add to the fact that there are no EPA concerns, as there is no water or air to pollute and the background radiation is hundreds of times higher then a full nuclear meltdown could ever produce. Adding hundreds of residents monthly as the base construction ramped-up was no real problem. Adding to its growth was the setting up of a Electro-magnetic catapult launching site by Microrocket, a company specializing in this new technology that only a dozen years ago was only a few equations and concept papers. The electro-magnetic catapult was first used to transport rocket fuel for the orbital "tug-like" NERVA rockets, but soon after were man-rated and getting off the moon cost next to nothing. By 1980 Alpha's population had reached 550 people and dozens of small communities which had from a few workers to a few dozen workers, the moon was growing rapidly. With all these bases many nothing more than a mining operation with people there to fix automated machines that were very primitive and programing was poor. As the early communities grew many workers or scientists had their families moved up added to the growing pains. There was a great amount of confusion in the tax code for the new colonists who did not want to pay the state taxes of their previous home states. There was also a growing amount of administrative costs associated with launching timetable, food and water costs and a steady air supply and who is responsible for problems, shortages and price gouging and finally a lack of leadership from NASA which was mostly 250,000 miles away on Earth. With dozens of new major bases authorized the few established communities needed to take control of the situation. Most of the earlier meetings took place via telephone. However, little was getting done. The first face-to-face meeting between the communities' organizers also saw business leaders and NASA officials. The group pointed out that they were not trying to "sneak around" or start a revolution; especially in light of the fact that the early communities were in no way able to "do it own their own," under any circumstance. With 70% of food still being shipped up and new colonists arriving faster than food, expansion could keep up with. After the first meeting, a committee to lay out the goals of the group was set up and the group sent a Letter of Intent to the President of the United States and Congress. While many people on and off the moon thought it was premature, as the population was only several thousand, the United States government quickly embraced the idea as many believed that NASA held too much power and had made too many mistakes. It was quickly decided the statehood could not be seriously considered but that some kind of representative democracy in the American tradition was the only possible choice. While some believed that a new type of government, more in line with socialism, would make more sense, due to the need for a constant and reliable air supply, in addition to water and food. In response to these concerns a new group the Socialist Party of Tranquility was quickly set up. The new party set up conferences in the different communities to explain their point of view. However, both of America's traditional political parties quickly followed suit and as most people were already capable of legally voting and members of either the democratic or republican party; the socialists quickly lost their footing. The debates over how each communities should be set up, how the overall Luna community should be set up, and how NASA would turn over control, quickly became the talk of the moon. While the American communities were by far the largest on the moon and only the Soviets had bases at this time; a growing fear of the Soviets was that the Americans were going to seize the whole moon. This fear was felt more in Moscow then on the moon as little contact between the Soviets and Americans on the moon took place as it was. At this time there was no Luna Commission to solve problems or disputes among the various groups. But since neither the Soviets nor Americans had any military force in space or on the moon only saber-rattling took place and a watch and see attitude by the Soviets. However, a growing paranoia within the communities against the Socialists, in the belief that the Socialists were planning to overthrow the communities and join the Soviets, became a real problem. Many ever believed that recent arrivals from Earth were part of a conspiracy to seize control. This fear started an international incident when a group of cosmonauts on a damaged Soviet rover from a damaged surface base tried to seek shelter in an American mining community. The newly built mining base had at first denied the right to enter, despite international laws requiring immediate help for anyone in the open and seeking assistance. Not doing so can leave the person dead very quickly. The Americans thought they were being invaded. It was this incident that led to the forming of the Luna Commission in 1989. In addition to the incident with the Soviets a witch hunt-like, rampage was taking place in the communities. The offices of the Tranquility Socialist in Alpha Base (now Nixon City) were robbed by someone looking for names. Fortunately, there were no injuries and the loyalties of the socialists were proven to be without question. During and after these incidents, the work of forming a government was taking place. It was decided that as the bases grow to village-size communities and larger, they would have their own local governments. While mining or industrial bases away from the larger communities would fall under the oversight of the United Communities. This system was very similar to any government in the United States. However, the socialists won the argument about the air supply within the larger communities that would be solely under governmental control and freely distributed. Private production was legal and necessary in the smaller bases but travelers in need could not be denied air or shelter. The first election for assemblymen, community leaders and mayors was organized by the end of 1985. While an interim moon-wide government was formed and headed by Admiral John McCain. Admiral McCain in early 1986 resigned his commission to become eligible to run for a full term. With the basis of a government set up and the federal government on board, taxes and immigration to the moon became the leading issues. One thing that needed to be established was control on all Americans moving to the moon. With cost, too, entering LEO already reduced to the level anyone with a dream of space travel or to start over somewhere new, could afford with just a small amount of savings. Other options were to seek out employment with one of the many spacefaring companies or upstarts all of which paid very well. It was, of course, very difficult for anyone moving to the moon, as there was constant danger. However, there was so much government and private money going into research and development as well as construction and mining that all anyone really needed was a desire to go up. The biggest driving force in the early years was the mining of recently discovered ores. Since the start of colonization movement in the early 1970's both orbital and Lunar efforts centered around the launching of low cost prefabricated modules that were launched as fast as possible. Now the orbital colonies are capable of being built from "scratch" and that requires massive amounts of ores for their construction. With the head start that the moon has had in regards to mining the "belt prospectors" have been unable to effect the steady growth of the Lunar communities. Efforts on the moon now centered around digging of large sub-Luna caverns that offered "outside" like spaces. The building of these underground homes attracted even more people to migrate "up." With little slow down in sight, the population is expected to to quadruple over the next decade. See Science and Technology for further discussion on the science and construction of the Luna Communities.
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