Like a bug being crushed underneath a heel — that’s what fascism feels like. And that’s what President Trump and his minions intend — to keep everyone feeling so low that no one has the energy to act. Everything this chainsaw administration proposes is heart-wrenching: deeper than deep cuts to social services, education, medical research, public media, environmental remediation, infrastructure, etc. — while ICE continues unfettered, unaccountable and unconstitutional.

I could go on about these tax breaks for the wealthy disguised as budget “savings,” but here I’m writing to alert readers to the harm that will be done by the proposed budget cuts of 56% to the National Science Foundation and 14% to the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. NASA’s top line funding would also be slashed by 24%, and its science budget would be crippled by a 47% cut.

What would these cuts mean for us? Ongoing studies of our solar system, galaxy and universe would end. New studies would never start. And, like American scientists in other fields, U.S. astronomers would need to either turn to other professions or seek employment outside this country.

The potential brain drain is quite real and it should scare the hell out of people.

A country that turns away its best and brightest is headed for the darkest sort of outcome. This isn’t about saving money; this is about keeping the unmoneyed down and in the dark. We must speak while we can. We must fight for the light, fight for the truth of science.

Anne Rankin
Brunswick