“WHY is this happening? Why would anyone want to blow up cancer research in the U.S.? When is cancer political?”

That’s probably the most common question asked about the recent devastation at NIH. Yes, Project 2025 talked about some of this, and Chris Rufo vowed to take over federal grantmaking. But before January 20th, there was no major public discussion of this level of attack on NIH, medical research, and cures for disease.

So why is this happening?

Sadly, it’s a natural evolution of the agenda of the American right. 

I wish that this was not true.  But this is where we are, now, and honestly, no one should be surprised.  As this article points out, Karl Rove talked about this a long time ago, and it's been brewing for decades.  This isn't conspiracy theory here, or hyperbole.  Karl Rove, one of the most influential Republican strategists of the 20th century, flat out SAID that this was the plan.

Rove goes on:

”Bigger government strengthens the Democratic Party. It generates federal employees who will mostly vote Democratic, and government programs whose beneficiaries will have reason to feel grateful and protective toward a large central government.”

“Conversely, smaller government helps the Republicans. The more taxes are cut, the more programs are privatized, the fewer strictures put on economic activity, the more people feel that their security and well-being depend on markets and not government or unions, the more the fundamental rationale of the Democratic Party erodes.”

And here we are.  This thinking does not care about actually caring for people, or making their lives better, or curing diseases.  It cares about gathering votes.  And the more precarious you make peoples' lives, the less they feel they can trust the government or that the government is looking out for them and their health, the more they go "well, why should I pay for that?  Stop taking my taxes, if you're not going to help me!"  The more they don't want to prepay for anything "just in case" (which is how the federal safety net and investment in scientific research works), because they're afraid of getting screwed.  Thus, there is HUGE POLITICAL INCENTIVE to convince people that government agencies are inept, corrupt, and/or a waste of tax dollars.

I repeat, there is huge political incentive to convince people that government agencies are useless or broken or corrupt.  Even if it's not true.   Break confidence in those institutions to gain political capital (to sow doubt that the NIH is useful and helpful), then break the institutions (cut NIH funding and staff to the bone, now that the public is now doubtful of the NIH and won't immediately scream bloody murder), then point to the broken institutions and say, "look, they're broken, you shouldn't be paying for them!"

This is the plan.  This has, sadly, always been the plan.