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Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

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Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#661
> Trump said that Isaacman was a Democrat, although Isaacman has donated to both Republican and Democratic candidates and organizations over the year.

Beside the polemic over two toddler arguing in public, what grab my attention is the fact that someone who is considered to be appointed to NASA leadership use to give money to both opposite political side during election.

That’s messed up, someone like that has obviously absolutely no standing, honor,.. whatever you call it. Someone you can’t rely on, that will betray you.

I would consider it to be about the same level as a crackhead, you know he is going to betray you and all its responsibilities at some point, you just don’t know when.

Seriously, you don’t lead the NASA with people like that.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#662
post #443

I’ve got to love that these two guys both have their own social media platform.

Hopefully one day everyone will be on his own social media and when you want to check on someone, you get on his social media to see what he say.

Like I don’t know, how we used to do things with blogs, MySpace and so on ! The future is great.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#663

We have moved so past the "government is expected to be impartial" and now at "if musk backs a dem I will destroy him" stage. No one bats an eye. This is going to be the norm at least on the Republican Party. I worry every one expects presidents to weaponize everything against their perceived opponents.

In Europe, media and politicians are openly stating how you got to watch what you say to Mr Trump, be nice to him to get favored in deals.

Like the trade tax, if you’re nice to trump he may decrease your country tax.

It was made very clear in France that we invited him to 14 juillet, notre dame ceremony and other ceremony only to get favor from him.

People of the United States pay the price for his favors, he gets the benefits.

That’s just one step before handling him bags of money.

Of course all of that matters with previous presidents, they are humans before all, but it was marginal. With him, that’s the first time it’s openly spoken about on national tv and by politicians like it’s nothing, like what we did with dictator from middle eastern except it’s the president of the USA.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#664

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How can you have a president like that Did people really think that Berlusconi was the president of Italy?

Wasn't he? Unless you mean president !== primer minister, but that would be such a futile remark in this context.

That's exactly what I meant. A lot of people in the US don't follow politics in Europe, but those who do are unlikely to think Berlusconi was a president when he was actually a prime minister.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#665

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything you say is true. That said I think SpaceX is the only service even in the running for said contracts. Nasa doesnt have the capability, and Boeing is quite a way behind. There was already speculation that SpaceX would have to take on Boeings commitments for Artemis.

It's murky. NASA outsources a lot of money to SpaceX because Musk could burn through risk and money at levels NASA would get cancelled for. At what point is SpaceX's benefiting from tax money and NASA technology become a reason to fold into a national asset. China didn't achieve its Great Leap Forward by pandering to wealthy celebrities who cosplay as geniuses.

>At what point is SpaceX's benefiting from tax money and NASA technology become a reason to fold into a national asset.

Was speculating that this might be the outcome. If you wanted to punish musk this would be the way to do it.

You would need to pay off Boeing at the same time but it could work.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#666
post #621

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It turns out that when elections are fought on the basis of identity (race, religion) etc corruption is actually considered a benefit! This is because the loyalists interpret this as "we" are winning and "they" are losing. In history textbooks, it's known as the spoils system.

For those unaware of ~1900 US political history and how the spoils system was dismantled through political will: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_service_reform_in_the_...

hopefully this time around it will go a little quicker, aka one term. project 2025 specifically pointed out all "disloyal" government employees should be kicked out and only those who bent a knee to trump should replace them, whatever their actual merit and ability to occupy the position

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#667

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Authoritarianism is the umbrella term describing the behaviour of both fascist states and various others. AFAIK all fascist states have been authoritarian - but it’s a common outcome anytime the people running the government are replaced en masse.

The tyranny of the majority is another, often overlooked form of authoritarianism.

that's kind of what the USA is going through right now but it's more aptly described as "tyranny of the plurality" because Trump didn't win either majority of of registered voters or majority of the actual vote.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#668

> Trump said that Isaacman was a Democrat, although Isaacman has donated to both Republican and Democratic candidates and organizations over the year. Beside the polemic over two toddler arguing in public, what grab my attention is the fact that someone who is considered to be appointed to NASA leadership use to give money to both opposite political side during election. That’s messed up, someone like that has obviou…

Why not? We don’t know his motivations for political donations.

At the very least it might be worth questioning what he found appealing about each candidate’s view of NASA and leadership. But an outright disqualification over this?

Should we pull up voter records and see which party’s primary each person participated in?

I’d strongly prefer a society where agency leaders are picked for their expertise, not party allegiance.

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#669

What do we even need to be sending people into space for? It seems like a lot of savings could be had if we just completely shut down the entire manned space program. Unless there is some direct business case for it, why do it at all? Don't tell me some vague definition of "science". This isn't some new frontier that needs exploring, its well understood at this point. There needs to be a direct benefit to the america…

Are you unfamiliar with the many world-changing technologies and inventions that have come about because of the needs and drivers of the human space program? On what basis do you form the belief that we would not continue to develop and benefit from new world-changing innovations despite all historical evidence that says otherwise? A huge amount of scientific invention is made incidentally to another goal. It's inten…

Not the OP, but I am genuinely completely unaware - I don't follow space tech at all (or really know much about its history). Could you elaborate on some of them?

Re: Musk-Trump dispute includes threats to SpaceX contracts

#670

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Argentina.

Ahaha I'm pretty sure he meant that it was Greece and not Italy that invented everything first.

Ah, I thought he was referring to the clowns they have in Athens.

But, no. The Greeks didn't create Western Civilization because the only non-awkward definition of Western Civilization is that scion of the Roman Church.

Surely the cultural exchange with Greeks contributed to this.

Greece was always eastern facing as far back as before Alexander. It is only with the Cold War that they glanced West.

Aside for Magna Grecia, Greeks have very scant presence in Western Europe.

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