Stem Cells, Still a Stalemate

For more on California -- the largest single source of embryonic stem cell research funding in the world, see the California Stem Cell Report,

Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Antonio Villaraigosa were interviewed on PBS' "News Hour" yesterday evening and both discussed an important point which has clearly been made with the President's veto of federally-funded stem-cell research: if the federal government won't or can't do something, it's incoumbent on state and local governments to step in and do what they believe needs to be done. Dale Carlson is quite correct in asserting that everyone should be involved in the research and development of various therapies. The President's veto is simply a delay for stem-cell research, and a more enlightened future occupant of that office will hopefully be able to remedy that delay.

Odd, isn't it, that the President holds life so dear, when he holds the record for the most executions while he was governor of Texas.

Adherents of embryonic stem cell research don't tell us thst success in this area is missing. There has been succesful results in adult stem cell research. President Bush is right on this issue.

Just as the article said, given Bush's beliefs, it's best to wait until 2009 to try again. Hopefully, we'll have a Prez who will sign the bill.

"Hypocrisy" rhymes with "Democracy." Still, someone should explain to the President that they mean different things. When George Bush "exercises hypocrisy" he is not embodying the spirit of America.

Take, for instance, his position on stem cells. Some might argue that the embryos from which stem cells are extracted are living, innocent children. Although this is an assertion of limited scientific validity, it is a legitimate expression of faith. Assuming it to be true, he argues that extracting stem cells is akin to murder and his government will not condone the murder of innocent children. The difficulty I have with this argument is that the government of George Bush brazenly and wantonly murders children every day. Thousands of innocent children have been maimed and killed in Iraq in a war of George Bush's own choosing. The War in Iraq was neither forced upon him, nor was it (as we now clearly know) connected in any meaningful way to the attacks of September 11th. Yet he freely chooses to pursue a war in which, inevitably, the lives of thousands of children (including the “unborn”) are willingly sacrificed. This can only mean that President Bush, in fact, is not generally opposed to the murder of innocents; he regularly condones such murder when it conforms to his ultimate political goals. In the case of embryonic stem cells, we are allowing a highly unqualified individual set scientific priorities many years into the future based upon a lie.

Lest you think that such is unique, let me recall the story of another man who led his country into scientific absurdity a mere half century ago. Like George Bush he was also a strong believer in "executive authority" and he shared George Bush’s absolute belief in the rightness of his causes and opinions (one possible result of a seminary education). Also like George Bush he brooked no opposition to his opinions. The man in question was Joseph Stalin. When he decided that the new science of genetics was antithetical to his belief in social engineering, he outlawed it and retarded his country's biology and medicine many decades.

My point is that the next time the President chooses to express his moral indignation over the slaughter of innocents wreaked by stem cell research, we should recall that this is a demonstration of the crudest form of hypocrisy and one that may have direct, dire and unforeseeable consequences on all of our lives.

I had read that adult stem cells work. Is there a reason why we cannot just use those to march forward with stem cell research. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can shed some light on the subject.

All I have to say about this, is thst, Bush has his wires cross.

The ethics are completely taxing. An arguement can be persuasive but still be a mistake. We want to make advances but is there a cost we have not considered? Impatience follows our desires. We feel we have the right in the name of science to pursue Stem cell research and we want to help others right now--RIGHT NOW. This is the greatness of America we want better for all and strive to help with every resource we have but.. in this case there is a lot of fear for those who see an industry sourcing from as the source of these cures is a embryo--Oh in case that doesn't sound scary--that is really a baby!

To those who argue that we should not waste an embryo why don't you consider eating your deceased parent while they are still warm. I am equally disgusted by embryo research.