Faith vs Science
The stem cell decision is indeed a repudiation of a Bush policy but it is more: the strange death of socially conservative America, which began in the mid-terms in 2006, continues apace. The repudiation is of a policy but also of a way of life, that puts faith above science.
The initial from their most vocal congressional spokesman struck me as vapid. You can attack the decision on grounds of morality if you believe that embyos are people as John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House later did with his statement: "Taxpayer dollars should not aid the destruction of innocent human life."
You can also attack it on grounds of practicality if you believe that it will lead to very little real progress. But to suggest it kinda doesn't matter? Mr Cantor didn't even recognise the obvious fact that .
As for the poltics of it - as I have said previously one cure that genuinely affects thousands of Americans, one piece of real progress, and the Republicans will be sunk. Meanwhile the jury is out.
I should add a personal note: my son, of whom I have written recently, has type one diabetes and could one day be cured by stem cell treatment. I do not resent Mr Boehner's views but I note with real anticipation that America, with all its energy and zest for improvement and technical knowhow and openness to ideas and talent, is now able to devote much more of those qualities to this field. I have faith!
UPDATE: Anyone who wants to hear first hand the excitement the Obama stem cell announcement causes in the scientific community - this is your site. The twitterer is Larry Solar of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
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