Neil deGrasse Tyson Wants To Make America Smart Again

He largely held back from criticizing the president following Election Day, but on Sunday, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson ripped Donald Trump's budget in a series of eight tweets. Trump's federal budget for 2018 was unveiled on Thursday, and was widely criticized for the proposed deep cuts to scientific research, the arts, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Agriculture Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and a long list of other agencies and programs. In his tweet spree, Tyson hailed Trump's budget as a quick and easy way to make American "sick," "weak," and "stupid."

He wrote:

The fastest way to Make a America Weak Again: Cut science funds to our agencies that support it.

The fastest way to Make America Sick Again: Cut funding to the National Institutes of Health.

The fastest way to Make America Stupid: Cut funds to programs that support education.

The fastest way to thwart Earth's life-support systems for us all: Turn EPA into EDA — the Environmental Destruction Agency.

The fastest way to melt glaciers & flood the World's coastal cities: Ignore scientists and do nothing to stem the rise of CO2.

We can all imagine a land that provides no support for Art. But is that a place you’d want to Live? To Visit? To Play?

The very best way to support and feed your delusions: Surround yourself with people whose world views match yours exactly.

We all want to Make America Great Again. But that won't happen until we first Make America Smart Again.

Tyson first tweeted a call to "make America smart again" on Nov. 4, days before Trump even claimed victory. He has since posted the same message again on another occasion, promoted it on his Star Talk podcast, made shirts bearing the slogan, and talked about it on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

“I think we have a four-year mission now,” he said during his interview with Colbert. “I think what we need to do, let us together, make America smart again.”

In total, Trump's budget would cut $54 billion across federal agencies and popular programs. With a 31.4 percent proposed decrease in funding, the Environmental Protection Agency is set to take the biggest hit of all. The State Department comes in second with a planned 28.7 percent cut, and the Labor Department takes third place with 20.7 percent of its funds set to be stripped.

With an administration that habitually misrepresents facts or presents flat-out falsehoods, it would benefit the whole country to listen to Tyson's message.