Someone will have to explain this one to me.
Throwing away frozen embryos created within the process of operating a fertility clinic is Good and Moral. Using those to-be-discarded, laboratory-grown embryos for stem cell research is Murder and Immoral. So, yes, someone needs to explain that one to me. It is an argument with no basis in the real world.
As I mentioned earlier today, it is unfortunate that tax-funded research sets the marching tone for medical research in general. Given the blindingly high costs of every single level of medical care in the nation, to see that the funds available for research need taxpayer supports also perturbs me.
Hysterical claims are made by some that stem cell research is bogus, that adult cells can provide identical opportunities -- the plain unvarnished truth is the science itself is so new that no one can say with authority one way or the other. (Yes, Science is held in contempt by the current administration, and by the so-called religous political movement, as if it were the central spear on Satan's flaming trident. I suppose we should all be glad that there haven't been public burnings and drownings of scientists.)
The veto of the president today makes no logical sense, and truly appears to me to be sheer political football at everyone else's expense.
And that seems to be a behavioral trend for the Bush presidency.
There you go...trying to make logic from a place where they ain't none.
ReplyDeleteWe should have told him the embro research was being done on terrorist to remove the gene that causes American's to ask questions.
Good post, Joe. Hopefully the next administration will support this VERY promising science.
ReplyDeleteAs to the adult vs. embryonic stem cells issue: Adult stem cells are already "coded", so to speak to replicate themselves as they are, and therefore can only become one type of cell. Embryonic stem cells are kind of a "blank slate" which carry DNA, but are able to become any type of cell.
Adult stem cell research is awesome, but the possibilities for this science pale in comparison to the embryonic variety.
I think this whole thing was 'pre-decided' by Frist & gang.. telling Bushit, 'We'll pass it, then you veto it.. then we can all say well-we-tried, come the elections in Nov..'
ReplyDeleteThis veto was a death sentence for sooo many people alive today.
Speaking of Frist...
ReplyDeleteHe is about to try and get a bill through that would make it a crime for anyone to transport an underage girl across state lines who is seeking an abortion when her home state requires parental consent.
Apparently, the House has tried to push this sort of bill through over the last eight years, but it always gets dropped in the Senate. The whole stem cell thing was strategically planned, as is the introduction of this new bill. Just in case at election time constistuants don't like that you thumbed up the stem cell research, you can come back and say, "Yes, but I'm tough on underage abortion."
And... today Bush finally speaks at the NAACP. He's really trying now to keep the House and Senate red.
Butt munch.
I just want so much to plant my foot in his ass, but his head is already taking up all of the space there.
ReplyDelete