When parts of the Democrat party started calling for defunding of the police, I thought what a stupid, irrational and short-sighted way of thinking. An institution, especially one as large as law enforcement, is an important part of a functioning society. Laws have to be enforced and citizens protected. So when parts of that institution do not function as planned, or morphs into something dangerous, unproductive or even damaging to its mission, as educated, evolved citizens of a society, we work together as a community to improve the faults, sharpen the vision, and provide the resources to make it better. We do not just burn it to the ground and move on. That’s irresponsible and depending on the institution, barbaric. The impacts are too great and recovery or replacement, especially in this politically divided and unstable climate, too uncertain.
This administration, and with the seemingly limitless guidance of DOGE, the department of government efficiency, seek to make things better by burning key institutions to the ground without a communicated and aligned strategy, the citizenry and vox populi should not stay silent. I am already convinced that inefficiency exists in government. You can show me how to improve that inefficiency, you can ask me to fund the improvement or lend my expertise to help. But to simply destroy the infrastructure that is already there to eliminate the current funding burden, create a highlight real of numbers that are neither validated, or rational, I have a hard time coming along with the plan.
This administration is essentially defunding cancer research. Years ago, I would be asked the question, after so many billions of dollars, why don’t we have a cure? However, after surviving pancreatic cancer, and now being immersed in a world of biotechnology companies driving towards development of specific therapies, novel drugs, diagnostics and all of the elements that make up trying to solve and treat cancer to achieve better outcomes, I would be ignorant to ask that same question. There are billions of dollars between the many entities that raise donations for their specific cancers, government research dollars and private capital. Are there more efficient ways to use those funds, I would argue yes.
However, when it comes to the component of government funded research, and Elon should know this more than anyone, the baseline of so much research that turns into actual development of innovation. You can’t deny that while NASA is not the major player in the space travel market, their efforts to lay the foundational physics and science behind space flight. The internet began as a government research product. Almost every major technological innovation available to us today, somehow finds its roots in the research forwarded by government, to the private community to develop. The same goes for cancer research. The baseline science behind where developers can take the principles and turn them into actual products designed to detect, treat and cure cancer are all supported by that government research. While many of today’s most profitable companies prosper because of the benefits they gained from government research, they look to support the tax cuts that will come when they deny the future of their opportunity.
I do believe that it take a community to drive change, but I don’t believe cutting government research out of the process of curing cancer is the answer. Cancer is complicated in every way. Biology has principles but humans are all very different. We are impacted by many generations of genetics, environmental factors and our own daily lifestyles. It is complicated. To take an axe and reclaim funding designated to progress research to ensure a bigger brighter headline with long dollar amounts is irrational in this space. It’s debilitating to the medical community and it will stagnate growth and possibly even create a dangerous situation for cancer patients moving forward…I hope I’m wrong.
Thank you for taking the time in this space
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