The Spencerian

Great Day in the Morning: Obama Lifts Stem Cell Ban

There are a lot of activists -- many of whom I count as friends -- who have been waiting for this day for a long, long time.  After eight years of a failed science policy generally, and an inhumane policy on stem cell research specifically, President Obama has lifted the ban on this important research funding.

Read the Washington Post account here.

President Obama today lifted restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and called on Congress to provide further support for what he called a "promising" line of scientific inquiry under "strict guidelines," including a ban on human cloning.

After signing an executive order lifting the funding restrictions imposed in 2001 by President George W. Bush, Obama also issued a presidential memorandum aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence, ensuring that scientific advisers are appointed because of "their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology."

Read the New York Times account here.

But Mr. Obama went on to say that the majority of Americans “have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research; that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight the perils can be avoided.”

In making his announcement, Mr. Obama drew a strict line against human cloning, an issue that over the years has become entangled with the debate over human embryonic stem cell research.

Read the AP/St. Petersburg Times account here.  

"Promoting science isn't just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry," Obama said. "It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

Read the White House blog entry here, and the press announcement here.

Of course, once again, Republicans step on their own message.  From the New York Times:

One Republican lawmaker, Representative Christopher Smith of New Jersey, called Mr. Obama “the abortion president,” and planned an event to protest the new stem-cell policy later on Monday. The event was to include some so-called snowflake children, born after a couple that underwent in-vitro fertilization released leftover embryos for use by other couples.

Mr. Smith said Sunday that he did not think lawmakers would go along with overturning the embryo-experiment ban.

Problem is, Representative Eric Cantor from Virginia is calling it a "distraction."  Well, which is it, boys?  Worthy of protest, or a mere distraction?

I'm proud of my old friends and co-workers at the Parkinson's Action Network, and all of the other advocates and leaders who worked so hard to make sure this happened.  

This really is change we can believe in, gang.

Vote Yes On Stem Cells

Well, we've been waiting for this day for a long time, and now that it's here, we could use your help.

It looks like Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is going to allow a vote on H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.  Now, before you get all warm and fuzzy on Senator Frist, remember that Bush has vowed to exercise the first veto of his term on this very bill.  Stupid idiot.

You've heard us talk about how necessary civic participation is in these pages.  If ever there was a time to do it, now would be that time.  If enough Senators hear from enough constituents, then perhaps Bush will think twice before vetoing this critical bill. 

Stem cells are more than just potential cures for horrible diseases, as if that wasn't enough: they are the very future of science itself.  And thanks to the myopic leadership in Washington, we are falling behind the rest of the world.

Here's the word from our old colleagues in the Parkinson's community on the purpose of this important legislation: 

H.R. 810 -- which was passed in the House of Representatives by a wide bi-partisan margin -- would expand the current Federal policy allowing researchers to use embryonic stem cells and will establish federal guidelines to ensure that embryonic stem cell research moves forward in a safe and ethical manner.

The bill specifies strict ethical guidelines. The stem cells may only be derived from In Vetro Fertilization (IVF)-created embryos. After the couple seeking fertility treatment has decided that they will no longer use the embryos to have children and they will otherwise be discarded, the couple then has the option of donating their embryos. The couple must provide written informed consent, and would not receive any compensation.

Science has simply moved beyond current policy. In August 2001, at the time of the current policy announcement, it was believed there were over 60 stem cell lines available for research. Currently there is an estimated less than 21 approved lines in existence and those lines are contaminated with mouse feeder cells.

If you don't believe them, visit an organization called the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR).  Visit the CAMR website here:link. CAMR  is a broad-based coaltion, and they have good information on stem cells, including a poll that shows us just how much this country would like to move forward on this.  According to their research, 72 percent of respondents favored embryonic stem cell research, up from 68 percent in 2005.  Only 24 percent opposed it, down from 28 in 2005.      
 

 So what do you do? 

You visit the StemPAC website here:link, and Take Action Now!  Or go to Congress.org (here:link) and write to your Senator (put in your ZIP code and they'll find him or her for you), and tell them to tell President Bush that a veto is not acceptable. 

This is the real deal, folks.  This is what public policy and politics are really all about.  And if we don't communicate with our elected officials, then, well, why bother at all?  ts