Why the Bush Decision is good news to Democrats...
Ok, I know I already updated today, and I know politics can be boring as hell. Sorry for wasting your time if this is stuff you don't care about. Come back in the morning and check your horoscope instead.
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The President just announced limited federal funding on EXISTING lines of stem cells. Currently there's about 70 known lines - about 54 of which are privately owned and will probably not seek federal funding.
That leaves 16.
Stem cell lines have a shelf life of about 2 years.
So in 2 years those 16 lines of stem cells funded by the US will no longer be useful.
"So why is this good?"
Because people in power who refer to themselves as moral conservatives, such as Gary Bauer, who ran against Bush in the primaries last year denounced the president�s decision.
"This is a tragedy and a disaster, What is the president going to say when the scientists run into a roadblock and need fresh samples? What is the moral basis from which the president can argue �no� when he�s already given up the central fact, which is that these are innocent human lives?"
The groups who voted for Bush who also call themselves conservatives, such as Wendy Wright, a spokeswoman for the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America said Bush�s decision meant that his credibility with conservatives "is shot. It comes down to an issue of trust. How can we trust him on any other issues?" She went on to say that there�s certainly a possibility that Bush�s decision might lead a conservative to challenge him in the 2004 presidential primaries.
Dashel, the Democratic majority leader has said that they will now look into passing laws (that already have bi-partisan support) to allow stem cell research on embryos destined for destruction anyway.
"Yeah, but why is this good?"
Because this issue will give Democrats yet another issue where Bush differs with thier beliefs as well as many members of the Republican party. Those members of the Republican party are already on the record as saying they support what Bush denied.
Because the 'Conservative Right' and 'Religious Right' that greatly helped to elect Bush into office are now very pissed off at him yet again. They were previously angered at Bush for not denouncing abortion on the recent anniversary of Roe vs Wade.
"But what about the research?"
Its screwed, but other countries such as Great Britain have been funding this research at full bore since January.
Now the US is behind the world in advanced medical research, environmental issues (The US is the only UN country to not sign the Kyoto Accord), and we are one of the few countries left who put our prisoners to death.
Like I said, it sounds to me like his Stem Cell decision was good for the Democrats. As far as those people with Parkinson�s disease, child leukemia, Alzheimer�s disease, spinal cord injuries... lets hope they get a lot of research done in the next few years.
