stem cell research

Bush has chosen to use is veto for the third time. Two of those three vetoes were used to block stem cell research. Yes...vital research that offers promise to millions of people suffering from many diseases.

Stem cell research offers the chance to grow new heart valvues, allowing for quicker and safer life-saving heart surgery.

Stem cell research offers possibilities to cure Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It offers the chance to repair and replace nerves, giving the paralyzed hope. Stem cells are useful in practically every level of medical research.

What is the down side to stem cell research? Well, I guess you don't get to incinerate all those un-used embryos that don't get used for in vitro fertilization. Why is he so in favor of burning balls of cells rather than using it to save lives?

Bush's most consistent veto has been to condemn thousands of Americans to death, dementia or paralysis when science could help them. He has turned his back on science, on medicine, on life. Everyone in America should be disgusted by Bush's veto. You can disagree about Iraq. Some may still cling to the thin belief that we might someday accomplish something, though to date the decline of Iraq under our watch has been an absolute travisty.

But how could ANYONE think they are accomplishing anything by insisting unused embryos from fertility treatments be burned instead of used to save lives?

The House has already passed legislation to help life-saving stem cell research. Recent polls suggest that nearly three quarters of Americans support this research. This issue was considered one of the main factors that led to the defeat of an incumbent Missouri Republican in that state's 2006 Senate race. Those who oppose it do so largely based on false information, incorrectly equating stem cell research with abortion. For more background on this issue, please go here.

The next battle ground for stem cell research is in the Senate. Extracting from a Daily Kos diary, the following are the seven "swing" senators who we need to convince to support this important research. If you or someone you know has a condition like Parkinson's or nerve injury that can be helped through stem cell research, or if one of these Senators represents you, please contact the following Senators:

Lindsey Graham: South Carolina. Phone: (202) 224-5972 FAX: (202) 224-3808
Address: 290 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
http://lgraham.senate.gov/...

Johnny Isakson: Georgia. Phone: (202) 224-3643 FAX: (202) 228-0724
Address: 120 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
http://isakson.senate.gov/...

Today, House Democrats passed their promised stem cell bill. Once again I feel good! I feel represented again by the politicians in Congress.

My fellow Culture Kitchen contributor, JJ Ross, has been chastising me for being a cheerleader for the Democratic Party. Something about partisan politics bugs her, and I can understand that. I alternately throw myself into it and get disgusted by it. And perhaps Steam Geek might like to notice that JJ Ross and I had quite a difference of opinion without either of us accusing the other of threatening or censorship. We just disagree, which is what this blog thing is all about, right?

But here is why I am cheering. It isn't just some kind of self-congratulatory back slapping. It's because I have watched America stagnate in pretty much every way during the period where a single party dominated everything--presidency, Congress, courts, media. Almost every promise made by Bush has been broken. Things have reached lows that I have never before seen, and I am counting Nixon and Watergate in that.

Now we are seeing a rare event in politics. In a historical election, a whole bunch of new faces came in promising a whole slew of promises and voters gave them their chance. They still face a sour-faced President who is holding his hands over his ears crying "LA LA LA LA" while the voters send him messages and they face a hostile media which is more than 50% owend by a small group people with a stated right wing agenda. But within DAYS of swearing their oath of office on whatever book they chose to swear on, this new Congress is actually keeping its promises. It is enacting everything these candidates promised they would enact, all at the very first opportunity.