What is good for the goose should be good for the gander, but not in Elon Musk’s Case. He receives billions from a Trump NASA DEI program. Will that be cut?
INTRODUCTION
Musk: “DEI is OK for me and my pocket, but not for anyone else.”
Musk is fighting to tear apart in government what he says is bad for the US. But take the money out of his pocket and see how his actions change. His SpaceX has a huge contract to send the first woman and person of color to the moon. Will he cancel it as part of his Dodge Initiative? The Artemis program, started by Trump, aims to demonstrate that NASA is a leader in Diversity and Equity. So far, Musk has been silent.
THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM
Donald J. Trump approved NASA's Artemis program during his first administration. The program aims to increase diversity in space exploration by selecting a woman and a person of color to land on the moon. Its goal is to inspire a new generation while demonstrating that NASA is a leader in diversity and equity.
WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN 2018 AND 2024?
Mr. Trump's support for diversity and equity during his first term resulted from the political reality at the time. His shift this term is due to his desire to garner unwavering support from his MAGA base. His shift is not about DEI, it is about using DEI as a target for his base.
Trump’s MAGA base is characterized by fear and distrust of those who are different. They feel threatened by the very ideas of diversity and equity, that those immigrants or black people may move into their neighbourhood, taking their jobs and way of life.
This fear has created a fertile ground for political manipulation, and Trump seized it. For Trump, appealing to their fears and prejudices has proven to be a much more effective political strategy than promoting inclusivity and understanding.
Now, we will see where Musk takes this, considering it is money from his pocket. Will he pull the same racist stunt with NASA as he has with other government departments, or will he try to persuade us that the Artemis program is truly worth the money and effort?
DON’T GET ME WRONG
Don’t get me wrong, this is nothing personal toward the women or people of colour in the Artemis program – but two things here stink.
This was a diversity program started by Trump in his first administration, and;
Musk has said that turfing diversity is good for everyone else. We will see if the pull to his pocketbook is stronger than questioning that will come from the MAGA base.
I can already hear the arguments: I signed this contract before we changed our minds about DEI, and this program is bigger than DEI.
But hold it, Musk. You are out there bashing and attempting to destroy all that was done in the past, turfing contracts as illegal, corrupt, and such. I say the same thing for all your contracts now that you are attacking everyone else.
What is good for the goose, Musk, should be good for you, the gander.
ARE THESE DEI HIRES?
As Elon Musk's new Department of Government Efficiency works to reduce government spending by cutting diversity programs, his SpaceX corporation currently has a multibillion-dollar contract to help NASA land the first woman and first person of color on the moon. This is the Artemis program.
"NASA is getting ready to send astronauts to explore more of the Moon as part of the Artemis program," NASA said in the 2021 press release. "At least one of those astronauts will make history as the first woman on the Moon.
Another goal of the Artemis program includes landing the first person of color on the lunar surface.
MUSK IS NOT CUTTING HIS DEI PROGRAM
As the head of DOGE, President Musk is slashing federal agencies and programs as part of Mr. Trump's efforts to reduce the size of government.
He claims to have cut a billion dollars’ worth of federal DEI program spending—a “believe-me” statement with nothing to back it up. That includes removing DEI signs, but so far, it does not involve cutting the Artemis program.
Since the 2021 announcement of the partnership with SpaceX, NASA has announced additional contracts for Musk's space company as part of the Artemis program.
Federal spending data shows that SpaceX has received over $18 billion in federal contracts over the last decade, with $13 billion from NASA and up to $4.4 billion from the Artemis program.
Last month, NASA said it would comply with Trump's executive order ending DEI programs. Still, nothing indicates whether NASA's compliance with the DEI order extends to the Artemis program, established in 2017 under a directive from Trump during his first administration.
CONCLUSION
All this comes as the new Elon Musk administration has started to lay off government employees and tear apart the government. It is not clear whether his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans the same attacks on NASA and the Artemis program. Will he do what he is doing to everyone else, or will the pull of the $4.4 billion earmarked for his pocket be too great?
To be consistent, the Artemis program must cut. The whole program is built on DEI principles. There is only one solution: Turf the program.
President Musk, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Let’s see where this goes.
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