Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future • Hacker News Board

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#181

Post by rstat1 » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:45 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #139

davidw wrote: post #31

Well, yes, that's the point. Authoritarians want to consolidate power and loot wealth, not improve things or make the world a better place.

You're not supposed to take the Democratic talking points about Trump being a "wannabe dictator" seriously. It's just political mudslinging. I figured that was obvious after Trump and Obama were all buddy-buddy at Carter's funeral. I mean, typically you don't have a friendly relationship with someone you think is ending democracy in your country.

I take it you're not big on the whole "actions speak louder than words" thing are you?

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#182

Post by Nevermark » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:46 PM UTC

timeon wrote: post #174

Theodores wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is the art of the deal with Trump and I would say that he is a narcissist rather than authoritarian. Trump has a massive ego and I would have expected him to want the biggest rockets, and to pain them gold. If he did then I would denounce him for spending money on space when America has trillions of debt. I don't disagree with him on everything he says just because he said it. So, with space, my honest take is tha…

He is not that relevant here because he is senile at this point. "Authoritarian" is what is made by people around him.

You mean the unqualified people he specifically put in place because they are malleable toward operating like he wants them to, expendable if they don’t?

Senile or not, he is most definitely in charge of the chaos.

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#183

Post by dboreham » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:49 PM UTC

The plan is working then.

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#184

Post by greenpizza13 » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:49 PM UTC

stronglikedan wrote: post #172

davidw wrote: post #31

Well, yes, that's the point. Authoritarians want to consolidate power and loot wealth, not improve things or make the world a better place.

[flagged]

Ya know, deportations without due process is authoritarianism. So is attacking the media and ignoring the courts. I guess the blinders are up cause you love Trump. More power to you, man, but you are in fact the baddie.

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#185

Post by hackyhacky » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:50 PM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #168

hackyhacky wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There's also near zero evidence we actually need a balanced budget for a healthy economy. The alternative is to pay an ever increasing amount of interest on our ever increasing debt. The other alternative is to default on our debt obligations. Neither option is good.

If you borrow at 3% to invest in an asset that yields 10%, you can increase your position forever and will be rewarded.

Sure, but that is not what is happening. In reality, debt is increasing faster than GDP and interest represents a larger part of the budget. Do you think that's sustainable?

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#186

Post by cced » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:52 PM UTC

piva00 wrote: post #156

refurb wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're not supposed to take the Democratic talking points about Trump being a "wannabe dictator" seriously. It's just political mudslinging. I figured that was obvious after Trump and Obama were all buddy-buddy at Carter's funeral. I mean, typically you don't have a friendly relationship with someone you think is ending democracy in your country.

> You're not supposed to take the Democratic talking points about Trump being a "wannabe dictator" seriously. It's just political mudslinging. I think you should go up this comment thread and read this[0], it's not the words of Trump but the actions his administration take, they are authoritarian, it's clear to most people outside of the USA with a decent education. Cynicism about "political mudslinging" as if these…

> decent education

Looks like those dividends are finally starting to pay out.

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#187

Post by dboreham » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:54 PM UTC

llm_nerd wrote: post #122

palmfacehn wrote: post #15

Wherever budget cuts are proposed, you can rely upon detractors to present the issue in apocalyptic terms. If we believed all of these claims, then it would be impossible to cut the scope of government spending. Furthermore, if we accepted the premise promoted by some commenters here, then research, which is presented as incredibly valuable - would be unable to be funded or valued in the private market. For these rea…

>then it would be impossible to cut the scope of government spending Despite becoming insular and retreating to being a hermit nation, already outrageous military spending is increasing by $100B+. Add a few trillion in tax cuts for the mega rich. In the context of those things, dismissing the harm to NASA, with its relatively tiny budget, seems absolutely perverse.

NASA are smart well intentioned people, therefore must be tortured to satisfy the mob.

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#188

Post by vlod » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:55 PM UTC

The All-In-Podcast recently interviewed (1-1) Jared Isaacman (NASA admin nominee) about the bloat.

Worth watching the whole interview ~1 hour.

[0] Jared Isaacman: What went wrong at NASA | The All-In Interview https://youtu.be/6YdOjoaQTOQ?si=FUeL8mJ6LwHwO_B4&t=1275

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#189

Post by rockemsockem » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:56 PM UTC

bumby wrote: post #169

aga98mtl wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US rockets were always made by private providers like SpaceX or Boeing.

Yes, but the government has much more control over all aspects, especially design. That changed with the commercial crew program.

And that was good because... Why?

Re: Trump's NASA cuts would destroy decades of science and wipe out its future

#190

Post by 0xbadcafebee » Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 5:56 PM UTC

Leading with "Trump" just makes it political/ideological. People need to stop making "the personality" the center of these discussions, because people who like him will just like whatever he does, and immediately disagree with you. Focus on the issue instead and people have to debate on merits rather than ideology.