printObjectivist Robert Bidinotto has an interesting analysis of the aftermath of “Limbaugh’s self-indulgent, mocking tirades against actor Michael J. Fox on the issue of federally-funded embryonic stem cell research.”
He agrees with my “It’s About Federalism, Stupid,” writing, in his signature style that:
“Not only was Limbaugh’s mockery of a sick man disgusting, it was incredibly stupid. Rather than focus the debate on the narrower question of whether such research should be government-funded, he and other conservative Republicans chose instead to mock Fox, and to hinge their case on faith-based ‘right to life’ premises that every poll shows that most voters reject. As columnist Ilana Mercer points out today in a scathing column:
Limbaugh needed only to remind Fox (and his own soon-to-be-dethroned party) of a thing called the Constitution. He needed to berate Fox not for his spasticity, but for using his celebrity to petition Congress for money not his. Limbaugh ought to have suggested Fox refrain from pickpocketing the taxpayer, and raise money for private research among his stinking rich pals. Instead—and in character—Limbaugh beat up on a cripple.
“There is an irony here,” Bidinotto continues, “one that I hope conveys a lesson for ‘conservatives.’
Rush Limbaugh’s influence was widely credited with inspiring the ‘Republican Revolution’ of 1994, leading to the GOP takeover of Congress. But at that time his message — and that of the GOP conservative candidates — had focused on limiting government intervention into our lives.
By abandoning its core principles of individualism and limited government in the decade since, the Republicans in Congress have been fired by American voters. Likewise, by focusing stupidly on the alleged ‘rights’ of embryos rather than the actual rights of living citizens — and by substituting cruel personal attacks for principled arguments — Rush Limbaugh has now helped engineer his party’s crushing defeat.”
Read the post in its entirety here.
The press doesn’t even pick up the basic distinction here. They parrot, “ban on stem cell research”. It’s presented as if it were an up or down question on whether the research will be allowed. Nobody in the popular press seems to question the smuggled assumption that, “unless State Science researches it, the research won’t get done”.
The reality is that the government can’t ban the research. Given the track record of State Science on cancer research, AIDS research, Global Warming research, alternative energy research, and just about everything else they fund while dictating in advance what the findings will be, it seems that the entry of State Science into stem cell research might delay any valuable outcome. In fact, there is every danger that it might result in the premature release of harmful therapies after blatantly flawed research.
We might just be better off if the state stayed out of it.
Regarding the Limbaugh meltdown, from the first he has shown himself to be a pragmatist — no core principles to guide him. A huge miscalculation like this was inevitable. If there are any principled Republicans out there, he does them no favors.