In a wonderful moment for both science and humanity, President Barack Obama repealed the policy of George Bush limiting federal funding for stem cell research. The policy put inot place in 2001 has slowed progress toward finding cures from some of the worst diseases like Parkinson’s disease.
Obama stated that “In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values.”
I was one of Bush’s critics in this area. As a columnist I was able to speak for millions with family members suffering from diseases that might have benefited from such expanded research. My father, Jack Turley, died from Parkinson’s Disease and was the subject of a number of my columns, here and here and here and here.
For obvious reasons, this is a wonderful day for many Americans and a true act of leadership by this president.
For the full story, click here.
Christian debt relief:
And now a word from our sponsor…. The good web site linked by our friend here is just another “Christian” business (a la Falwell, Robertson, et al, ad nauseum–I suppose Jews and Muslims need not apply) plying its wares and “debt relief” services under a marketing plan straight from the pearly gates. At some point, I am hoping that the Christian Right crowd, dull-witted and as easily led as they are, will figure these godly profit-takers out (WWJC-see below))and arise as one (they like that imagery) and question those who use religion as a business entre’. I am not holding my breath. A recent interview by D.L. Hughley with “Crazy for God” author Frank Schaeffer revealed as much and lots more about those who would pre(a)y on people’s religion as a gateway to their pocketbooks.
Many, though likely not all, “debt relief agencies,” are nothing more than scam machines bilking already desperate consumers out of whatever they have or can borrow, and of course I have no idea on which side of the divide CDR falls. But as the FTC warns, “In the last few years, the Federal Trade Commission has sued more than dozen debt relief companies. “They simply lie to consumers,” says the FTC’s Alice Hrdy.”
For more information on the deplorable practices of some of these helpful financial folks see the following:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18155301/
To read more about our friend here, check out the website. It makes interesting reading and compels me to ask just, “What Would Jesus Charge (WWJC)?”
Finally, after almost a decade of limiting taxpayer money for research president Barrack Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research today.
Back in 2001 George W. Bush restricted funding stem cell research to only a few stem cells that had been created prior to Aug. 9, 2001. This decision was based on politics and religion rather than science. Since then the rest of the world has taken a huge step forward in understanding and bringing commercial products closer to the market than the U.S.
For those unaware embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they have the ability to form into any cell type that make up the human body. Scientists across the globe (except the U.S.) hope to utilize them to regenerate brain cells lost in Parkinson’s, repairing spinal cord injuries as well as treating diabetes, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and many more defects. Stem cells also help in understanding the human development and growth of diseases. If scientists can map the growth of a disease they will have a greater chance at forming treatments.
Let’s think of how many Americans are suffering from the aforementioned ailments and what this research can do for them. I’m sure everyone reading this knows someone important to them that is affected by one of these maladies. Research in the U.S.has not progressed since earlier this decade, cures are a very long time away and lets not even discuss the approval requirement by the FDA. At least this can be seen as a huge step forward to join the rest of the world at bringing about cures that could help millions of people including you and I some day.
CCD,
I may be faster, but don’t undersell yourself. 😀
mespo
Your first post about there being no moral dilemma at all with stem cell research is right on the money for me as well. Thanks for saving my typing fingers–both of them.
eniobob
You’re paying taxes for ’08? Congratulations! What the heck are you complaining about? You may be only dude in North America who made enough money last year to actually owe any taxes.
Bron
I’ve read Atlas Shrugged twice (and The Fountainhead once) and was enthralled by Objectivism in my twenties (I’ll be 60 this summer). Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that there is solid value in the self-repect and self-reliance and goal attainment aspects of Objectivism, but in the end it has no soul or conscience and lacksa recognition of the human need for community.
In Ayn Rand’s utopia, the GWBush administration’s laisse-faire policies toward business should have brought prosperity to all in perpetuity. Instead, that unbridled capitalism bred and fostered selfishness, dishonesty and greed.
Agree w/Jonolan! Great comments!
Mespo:
This is a serious question, at least for me, the more I interact with objectivists the more I question objectivism. They seem to me rather dogmatic if that is the right word. They are in their own way as unrelenting in their objectivism as evangelicals are in their Christianity. Most take on “faith” what AR has developed and it has in some respects turned into the cult of AR, something I know she would not have wanted.
They use “reason” like Christians use faith. But I am not sure the “reason” they use is correct. Can you provide some insight into what I am trying to get at?
This is off topic to,but since it relates to paying fro something,I thought I would share:
Dear IRS,
I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15, but all is not lost. I have paid these taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, Medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle license registration tax, capitol gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico sales tax, and many more that I can’t recall but I have run out of space and money.
When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake.. Please treat me the same way you treated Democrat Congressmen Charles Rangle, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and ex-Congressman Tom Dashelle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest.
Sincerely,
Ed Barnett
Wichita Falls
P.S. I will make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.
Although this is an admirable decision, it is probably a day late and a dollar short for reasons which others have noted. The position of the Bush administration on this issue was hypocritical from the start. Although Bush professed opposition to stem cell research, I’ve never heard a single comment from any opponents of such research regarding the moral implications of creating and storing fetal tissue which will never be implanted. Why do religious conservatives never follow their logic to its end?
Bron98:
“I have, with my rethorical skills, converted you to objectivism at long last.”
***********************
You have indeed. I ‘m right there with Ayn Rand until she starts lecturing me about the bountiful fruits of unrestrained laissez faire capitalism — there we part company. I am more of a free trader than you know, but as in most things I avoid complete devotion to, or condemnation of, any philosophy. Call me an anarchist.
Mespo:
I have, with my rethorical skills, converted you to objectivism at long last. Maybe not on every issue but at least I have my foot in the door. Now on to free markets………
This is off topic, but since it relates to signing statements, I thought I’d pass it along.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/us/politics/10signing.html
Stem cell research in no moral dilemma at all, except in the minds of those who would choose a few cells congregating in a circle in a petrie dish over horribly burned children or those with spinal cord injuries. To equate a 100 cell blastocyst with developed human life is laughable — akin to preserving fingernail cells because of their potential to create human life from its mitochondrial DNA. Jonolan and I agree that just because you can do something does not compel you to do it — posing for publicity photos in a brothel as Sean Hannity just did comes to mind — but accepting First Century morality in the face of present-day, and potentially curable, human suffering poses more of a moral choice than the foolishness of trying to pass off human life as a circle of embryonic cells held divine by some cult of Iron Age mystics.
Bron98,
I have heard the same thing. That would be a large part of the “huge problem” I mentioned.
Jonolan:
did I not read/hear/see recently where an embryonic stem cell research protocol went awry when the subject developed cancer as a direct result of the ESC?
Someone mark down the date; Buddha and I are at least in partial agreement. LOL
Dang it BIL,
You’re faster, smarter and better looking. 🙂
The policy may be near obsolete; science and technology have advanced since 2001.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/juan_enriquez_shares_mindboggling_new_science.html
This vid is about 18 minutes; the summation and implications are food for thought.
This is really a non-issue as science is quickly finding ways to make stems cells from many other tissue types.
Specifically see Sections C – E.
http://www.bioethics.gov/stemcells/research_alt_sources.html
If one must choose – and it’s very rarely a “false choice” – between “sound science” and moral values, the moral values must always win in an upright and ethical society. Of course one could choose to go down the road of amoral science – but most people denounce the action of Dr. Mengele.
One should also note that there are huge problem with embryonic stem cell based treatments and that there have been such strides in adult stem cell research that embryonic stem cell research is nearing obsolescence.
I’m all for scientific research, but we must remember that just because we can do something doesn’t mean that we should.
This was a wise decision.