Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) gave her first policy speech urging the federal government to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), "a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation." In the speech, Palin cited the need to do more for children with disabilities such as autism. Palin claimed that the amount that Congress spends on earmarks "is m More.. ore than the shortfall to fully fund IDEA." She then ridiculed some of the projects — such as "fruit fly research" — saying they have little or no value. But she is apparently unaware that scientific research with fruit flies has led to valuable discoveries that have boosted autism research, as a study at the University of North Carolina demonstrated last year. The study of fruit flies has also been used for other autism research and "revolutionized" the study of birth defects. Less..