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Just don't spend the money--It has a nice ring to it--But
Posted on: May 27, 2025 at 12:43:23 CT
*M* KC
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About 80 years ago, at the end of WWII, our nation decided as a matter of public policy that (1) basic scientific research was essential to the wellbeing of our country; (2) that for-profit businesses would not likely perform this research adequately or at all; and (3) the best place for this research to be performed was at the universities, where the top scientific minds tended to congregate.
Since then, trillions have been spent in grants to universities to perform this basic scientific research. Major topics have included such things as pharmaceuticals/treatment of disease, agricultural technology, military and national defense functions, and countless other topics that are boring on their face but contribute to essential development of products and technologies.
Some results of this research include treatments and/or cures for dozens of types of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases, innumerable military advancements, agricultural products that have fed millions, and healthcare technologies that have saved and improved countless lives. Just look at cancer survival rates over the past 50-80 years. The reason for the vast improvement is because of this type of research, which pharmaceutical companies than use to develop lifesaving treatments.
Or look at stealth technology in our air force, which has become fundamentally instrumental in protecting our nation--again, the product of basic research performed at universities under government grants, coupled with the product development skills of private companies.
It's superficially easy and facile to say "don't spend the money", until you have a parent with a still incurable disease like Alzheimer's, or until you or one of your kids comes down with cancer or diabetes, at which point you may find yourself wishing that more research had been done more quickly, rather than simply "not spending the money."
It's also easy and facile to say "let private businesses do the research", except that they can't and won't, because the need for short term profit inhibits or prevents that kind of long-term investment.
The Harvards of the world make easy targets, with their elitist arrogance and left-wing cultures, but the work they do under our system of government research grants has preserved millions of lives, and improved the lives of tens of millions of others.
A decision to abandon this highly successful 80-year public policy project should not be made lightly or carelessly, or with flippant, simplistic, thought-free truisms like "just don't spend the money."
Edited by *M* at 12:43:55 on 05/27/25
Since then, trillions have been spent in grants to universities to perform this basic scientific research. Major topics have included such things as pharmaceuticals/treatment of disease, agricultural technology, military and national defense functions, and countless other topics that are boring on their face but contribute to essential development of products and technologies.
Some results of this research include treatments and/or cures for dozens of types of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases, innumerable military advancements, agricultural products that have fed millions, and healthcare technologies that have saved and improved countless lives. Just look at cancer survival rates over the past 50-80 years. The reason for the vast improvement is because of this type of research, which pharmaceutical companies than use to develop lifesaving treatments.
Or look at stealth technology in our air force, which has become fundamentally instrumental in protecting our nation--again, the product of basic research performed at universities under government grants, coupled with the product development skills of private companies.
It's superficially easy and facile to say "don't spend the money", until you have a parent with a still incurable disease like Alzheimer's, or until you or one of your kids comes down with cancer or diabetes, at which point you may find yourself wishing that more research had been done more quickly, rather than simply "not spending the money."
It's also easy and facile to say "let private businesses do the research", except that they can't and won't, because the need for short term profit inhibits or prevents that kind of long-term investment.
The Harvards of the world make easy targets, with their elitist arrogance and left-wing cultures, but the work they do under our system of government research grants has preserved millions of lives, and improved the lives of tens of millions of others.
A decision to abandon this highly successful 80-year public policy project should not be made lightly or carelessly, or with flippant, simplistic, thought-free truisms like "just don't spend the money."
Edited by *M* at 12:43:55 on 05/27/25
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Just don't spend the money--It has a nice ring to it--But - *M* KC - 5/27 12:43:23
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