The Counterfeit Debate over Federal Funding of/for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Oh, this one's okay ... it's an "adult stem cell."

By now you folks know that I just love scenarios -- especially World War III scenarios (thank you, Newt -- that was quite a sophomoric scene on Meet the Press yesterday) and the such, but the scenario that is currently center stage in Washington, DC is far less dramatic. As most of you know, the House of Representatives passed a bill last year to permit federal funding of embryonic research, but the vote was far less than that needed to override a Bush veto -- his first and it's 100% certain.

Depending upon who you happen to be listening to this debate is between "murdering" millions (maybe trillions!) of little blonde, blue-eyed babies (African American babies are seldom used in this debate, which suggests to me an element of racism among the Republicans involved) trapped in Petri dishes with our federal dollars ... and funding the solving of 99.99% of all of the world's known and unknown diseases (with emphasis on the "Big C" in all of its manifestations ... especially those cancers that are 100% lethal, which suggests an element of paranoia/dishonesty among the Democrats involved), genetic birth defects, obesity, etc. ad infinitum.

But the following scenario has been known for months: (1) the Senate will pass (by a hair) the major bill (there are a couple of frivolous bills, thanks largely to Senator Rick Santorum, that are floating about both in the foolish debate and taking the valuable [sic ... uh, sic except for the $$$] time of our Senate) that allows for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, (2) President Bush will veto the bill -- his first veto in five-plus years, (3) Congress will fail to override his veto, and (4) the research will go on sans federal funding since the research itself is not, in and of itself, illegal ... and there are about a half million fertilized eggs frozen in laboratory freezers just waiting for funds to be thrown at the hungry research analysts (medical doctors included) ... or not. All this in less than 48 hours!

That's what our Congress is doing today while the Middle East is exploding in steps 23 and 24 of the scenario I put together for my brother, Richard in Connecticut.

Oh, should you wonder what a true embyonic stem cell looks like (not an adult stem cell which has already "chosen" its future direction towards becoming one specific type of cell from among the 300 or so different types of human cells that are possible for it to become), I included a couple of copy-and-pasted photos.


They are interesting, I suppose, if you know what you're looking at. Most important to researchers are that these cells haven't "chosen" a direction yet and can be directed by the researcher (how, I don't know) towards the type of cell they "need" for curing the disease or saving mankind. That aside, I do know a waste of time when I see it and the entire Congress (House and Senate) should be ashamed for pushing a bill that has no chance of becoming law when there are a zillion things that can and should be done vis-a-vis poverty, the Middle East crisis, the Iraq occupation and oh yes ... the biggest (or at least it should be) concern of all -- Global Warming!

I would probably favor funding of embryonic stem cell research if (1) some promise were evident from current research and (2) safeguards were in place to keep person's from conceiving strictly to provide embryonic stem cells for research. As I understand it, the half million or so fertilized eggs (God knows how many stem cells) are a result of attempts at in vitro fertilization.

Start earning that ridiculous salary that we pay you Senators and Congressmen/women. Please! I know this is an election year, but this whole embryonic stem cell research debate smacks of a sham ... simple and clear!