The tech billionaire and Trump adviser “donated” Starlink service to the White House. The move resembles a previous maneuver by Microsoft, which used “free” trials to lock in costly upgrades across the federal government.

The tech billionaire and Trump adviser “donated” Starlink service to the White House. The move resembles a previous maneuver by Microsoft, which used “free” trials to lock in costly upgrades across the federal government.

  • caffinatedone@lemmy.worldEnglish
    672·
    2 days ago

    After all of the sketchy contracts that musk seems to be getting under this regime, the next administration should nationalize SpaceX. With their corrupt self dealing, perhaps give him a dollar or so for it.

      • Viri4thus@feddit.orgEnglish
        263·
        2 days ago

        100% this.

        The well regulated militia in the most armed country in the world is just the typical exceptionalism story. Talk is cheap but when it comes to act, americans are just little bitches. Hollywood can whitewash the history later.

        • fluxion@lemmy.worldEnglish
          131·
          2 days ago

          Folded like a lawn chair the second a dictator pops up to pry every past remaining bit of wealth and power out of our hands.

        • ebolapie@lemmy.worldEnglish
          35·
          2 days ago

          For decades the American left has been, on the whole, anti-firearms. There simply are not enough of us who own and train with guns. If/when a civil war happens we lose. And that’s before you start taking into account drones and surveillance. People keep making fun of the 2A but seem to conveniently forget that damn near half the electorate just ceded the power of arms to the other half out of fear.

      • los_chill@programming.devEnglish
        141·
        2 days ago

        What do you want me to do? I’m fucking out there protesting. Shit I’ll be at another rally today. I wish things were different but I’m not a coward and I’m doing what I can. I’m sorry.

      • shplane@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        Okay, if this was happening in your country, what would you do that would actually stop fascism?

        • whodrankarnoldpalmer@startrek.websiteEnglish
          38·
          2 days ago

          Oh, don’t worry- we’re all aware it’s coming to our country. And we’re armed.

          I love how every time Americans are challenged on their lack of urgency, the response is always to pull a tu quoque, though. Never fails.

    • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      1 day ago

      So there were some military contracts that were just awarded.

      54 missions total:

      SpaceX: 28 missions, $5.9 B = $210.7 M per launch

      ULA: 19 missions, $5.4 B = $284 M per launch

      BO: 7 missions, $2.4 B = $342.9 M per launch

      SpaceX did get the most money, but they were also the cheapest provider due to their reusable 1st stages.

      Just with those 9 extra launches over ULA SpaceX saves the US government and taxpayers 668 million dollars.

      If SpaceX didn’t exist, it would have been 8 2 billion more but actually worse since the other providers can’t supply that much and wouldn’t have had as much competitive incentive. Just look at BO the next one which was almost 60m more than ULA. It easily could have ballooned to 4b more adding a 3rd even more expensive option.

      Doesn’t seem so self dealing to me, they were able to bid lower and win more, and saved, (I’m assuming you given your rage upset) a shit load of money.

      This is what SpaceX has been doing for years, well before he got in bed with Trump.