'A great deal of damage to America': Paul Krugman slams Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for banning lab-grown meat, says many right-wingers are 'enemies, not defenders, of freedom'
The lab-grown meat industry represents a groundbreaking shift in food technology. This innovative sector aims to produce meat directly from animal cells, without the need to raise and slaughter livestock.
But Florida governor Ron DeSantis has taken a firm stance against it. In fact, you won’t be able to taste this new source of protein in the Sunshine State.
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On May 1, DeSantis signed a bill that prohibits the sale of lab-grown meat in Florida and followed up with a statement on his reasoning that reads like it’s been cooked in conspiracy theory rather than based in fact.
“Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Our administration will continue to focus on investing in our local farmers and ranchers, and we will save our beef.”
The ban has been met with criticism from experts, including Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman.
Krugman's beef
In his May 6 column for The New York Times, Krugman voiced strong disapproval of Florida’s new legislation and broadened his critique to include conservatives overall.
“The new Florida law is a perfect illustration of how crony capitalism, culture war, conspiracy theorizing and rejection of science have been merged — ground together, you might say — in a way that largely defines American conservatism today,” he wrote.
Krugman argued that the new legislation contradicts claims from the right about supporting limited government, because it's quite intrusive for politicians to regulate what people can and cannot eat.
Krugman admitted that he’s not a vegetarian himself and does not plan on eating bugs. However, he emphasized that he respects the dietary choices of others, while ridiculing the idea of any plot to force humans to consume insects against their will.
He believes that the legislation shows that “many right-wingers are actually enemies, not defenders, of freedom.”
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'Reagan's successors'
Krugman also mentioned former President Ronald Reagan in his discussion.
Despite being critical of Reagan’s presidency, he acknowledged that Reaganism centered on “real policy issues” such as tax rates and regulation.
The problem today, Krugman argued, is that “the people who cast themselves as Reagan’s successors” appear disinterested in serious policymaking.
“For a lot of them, politics is a form of live-action role play. It’s not even about ‘owning’ those they term the elites; it’s about perpetually jousting with a fantasy version of what elites supposedly want,” he explained.
Krugman concluded by saying that these people’s unseriousness is doing “a great deal of damage to America and the world.”
Billionaires' beef?
Florida may not stand alone in its prohibition of lab-grown meat. Reports indicate Alabama is on track to do the same, while similar initiatives were discussed in Arizona and Tennessee.
And considering the substantial investments made in the lab-grown meat industry, Krugman is likely not the only one opposing these measures.
Last year, UPSIDE Foods — a California-based lab-grown meat company — received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to start commercial production and sales of its cultivated chicken. The company is backed by multiple high profile investors, including Virgin Group co-founder Richard Branson and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is in the game, too. In March, his fiance Lauren Sanchez, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, announced their $60 million investment into sustainable protein sources, including plant-based, fermented and cultivated meat.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
