Kerry misleading the public on Bush funding ESC
Posted on August 17th, 2004 in Politics, Stem Cell Research by tavaresforby ||
Back in 2001, President George W. Bush has decided to endorsed limited federal funding of embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. Sen. John Kerry is once again misleading the public about President Bush banning stem cell research to deter votes away from President Bush.
John Kerry has repeatedly spoken of President Bush’s “ban” on stem cell research. Kerry knows very well it isn’t a “ban” or that Bush isn’t “shutting down” research. But “ban” is a powerfully emotional word. It has more impact on swing voters than “allowing private research, but not using taxpayer money for work on stem cell lines derived after Aug. 9, 2001.”
Kerry seems to talk about ESC research like there are no moral issues involved. Kerry, can you say “abortion”! When President George Bush decided to fund ESC back in 2001, he compromised between the moral issue of abortion and for the people who does not see moral issues of ESC.
But Bush did not impose ideology; he came out with a compromise that gave each side of the stem cell debate half a loaf, allowing federal funding and research, but not federal support for work on new stem cell lines. Politicians almost always seek compromises, and here Bush was trying to accommodate people who see no moral problem in working with microscopic embryos, and those (count me in) who don’t want to pay scientists to create human beings so they can dismember them for research.
Final note of false impression:
The lobby for embryonic stem cell funding is deeply dishonest. It involves a “ban” that isn’t a ban, a claim of cures “right on our fingertips” (John Kerry) that falsely implies an early cure for Alzheimer’s, and a discounting of promising stem cell research that doesn’t involve the creation and destruction of embryos (cells from adult bone marrow, teeth and umbilical cords). Kerry and the Democrats have a case to make. They just don’t want to make it honestly.
August 18th, 2004 at 11:02 pm
- There are many embryos created from IVF that are in storage indefinitely. They were the “leftovers” that didn’t get picked to get implanted in the uterus. Most likely these surplus embryos will be discarded eventually if they are not used. Why not use them for biomedical research towards something constructive?
- Many of the stem cell lines that Bush sanctioned for research are of questionable quality. Many have been cultured in laboratory settings for years and have altered or unpredictable properties. I would view data coming out from these lines with a huge grain of salt. Bush’s partial pan on stem cell research has greatly hampered research in this country, considering that most cutting-edge research is funded federally. We’re still at the infancy of stem cell research, and having access to good quality stem cell sources is vital for guiding research in the right direction. The cures may not be “right at our fingertips”, but at least we’ll be moving towards it faster without the restrictions posed by the Bush administration.
August 19th, 2004 at 2:23 pm
I agree with you on your first point, but for the sake of argument, destroying a fertilized embryos regardless if it is in a woman’s uterus or not, it is still abortion.
About your second point, I am not saying that Bush in not restricting ESC research, my argument is he in not banning it as Senator John Kerry puts it.
August 20th, 2004 at 10:58 am
I’ll ask a question that I’ve heard others ask before (and I’ve never seen anyone answer it adequately). If embryonic stem cell research holds so much potential to cure all that ails humanity why aren’t private companies willing to put their own money into the research? Why all the clamouring for government money? Why do people rarely make the distinction between embryonic stem cells and adult stems? From what I’ve read adult stem cells are much more reliable and they don’t stir up the ethical dilemma that using embryonic stem cells does. Another question, can stem cell research really deliver on all that has been promised?
August 20th, 2004 at 3:46 pm
I was commented by my http://blackpundit.com/index.php?p=11”> Kerry misleading the public on Bush funding ESC post and some really good questions were asked. So I dec […]