Sarah Screws up Speech

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) gave her first policy speech today (October 24, 2008) in which she urged the federal government to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). "Early identification of a cognitive or other disorder, especially autism, can make a life-changing difference" according to Palin. Claiming that the amount Congress spends on earmarks “is more than the shortfall to fully fund IDEA,” she ridiculed some of the projects, including one for “fruit fly research” - saying they have little or no value:

"Where does a lot of that earmark money end up anyway? [...] You’ve heard about some of these pet projects they really don’t make a whole lot of sense and sometimes these dollars go to projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not."

Guess what Sarah?

Yep - scientific research with fruit flies has led to valuable discoveries that have boosted autism research. Last year, for example, the University of North Carolina's Drosophila fruit fly study let to advances in understanding autism spectrum disorders (something having to do with human neurexins as having been identified as a genetic risk factor for autism). The study of fruit flies has also been used for other autism research and has revolutionized the study of birth defects.

Gotta look out for those Gotcha policy speeches!

FMI (including a video clip of the speech), see: Memo To Sarah Palin: Fruit Fly Research Has Led To Advances In Understanding Autism.