Isn’t it ironic…

That our illustrious President has threatened to use his first veto to squash the hope of those suffering from debilitating illnesses and the hope of their loved ones, all based on an argument that turns out to be a LIE. But then again, why should we expect anything different from the regime that has given us a war based on questionable intelligence, environmental policy based on questionable science, and fiscal policy based on questionable accounting.

In a vote yesterday, that most certainly reflected the will of the American people, the Senate passed a measure to expand embryonic stem cell research by a vote of 63-37. Unfortunately, that majority falls 4 votes shy of the 67 needed to override a promised Presidential veto. President Bush and his ilk have argued that this bill would amount to destroying human life. His propaganda minister, Tony Snow stated, “The simple answer is he thinks murder's wrong… The president is not going to get on the slippery slope of taking something living and making it dead for the purposes of scientific research." What the administration fails to mention is that the embryos in question are unused specimens created for in-vitro fertilization purposes, and will be destroyed by the fertility clinics anyway. But of course our decider-in-chief never lets the truth get in the way of playing to his religious fanatic base.

Stem cells, the “master” cells that can transform into any type of cell in the body, are considered to be the philosopher’s stone when it comes to potential treatments for countless diseases and injuries. These cells have the potential to literally “grow” into replacement organs, replace diseased tissue, and provide the cures to various forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal chord injuries. Even the government’s own National Institutes of Health recognizes the promise of stem cell research:

“Studies of human embryonic stem cells may yield information about the complex events that occur during human development. A primary goal of this work is to identify how undifferentiated stem cells become differentiated. Scientists know that turning genes on and off is central to this process. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation. A better understanding of the genetic and molecular controls of these processes may yield information about how such diseases arise and suggest new strategies for therapy. A significant hurdle to this use and most uses of stem cells is that scientists do not yet fully understand the signals that turn specific genes on and off to influence the differentiation of the stem cell.

Human stem cells could also be used to test new drugs. For example, new medications could be tested for safety on differentiated cells generated from human pluripotent cell lines. Other kinds of cell lines are already used in this way. Cancer cell lines, for example, are used to screen potential anti-tumor drugs. But, the availability of pluripotent stem cells would allow drug testing in a wider range of cell types. However, to screen drugs effectively, the conditions must be identical when comparing different drugs. Therefore, scientists will have to be able to precisely control the differentiation of stem cells into the specific cell type on which drugs will be tested. Current knowledge of the signals controlling differentiation fall well short of being able to mimic these conditions precisely to consistently have identical differentiated cells for each drug being tested.

Perhaps the most important potential application of human stem cells is the generation of cells and tissues that could be used for cell-based therapies. Today, donated organs and tissues are often used to replace ailing or destroyed tissue, but the need for transplantable tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.”

Yet our President has decided that rather than pursue the promising potential of this next great medial technology, he will apply fanatic religious ideology to place roadblocks in the way of potentially lifesaving research. Of course, for political cover, the President and his cronies will say that they still support research into adult stem cells, and work done with existing stem cell lines. But as with everything else involving this administration’s narrow view of the world, it’s all smoke and mirrors to make them look less like the narrow-minded ideologues that they really are.

In the end, this is about saving lives, not destroying life. And the administration knows it. But they don’t want the American people to know that. They want to preach their “culture of life” propaganda while pursuing a “culture of death” ideology. And as always, I think they are underestimating the intelligence of the American people. Most of us are smart enough to see through the B.S. of their sound bites and see the hateful and spiteful heart of their actions, or lack thereof. And for those out there who can’t see through it… Time to wake up and smell the manure.

After all, the ones who could benefit from this science could be your parents, your grand parents, your children, your grand children, or even you and I. And the cost? Utilizing existing cells that would otherwise be destroyed. So you have to ask yourself, isn’t it worth it?

A Brief Hiatus

For those of you who have recently stopped by the blog, wondering whether I've dropped off the face of the earth... First off, thanks for checking out the blog. Secondly, no, I haven’t been kidnapped by aliens, or the Bush regime, I’ve simply been incredibly busy. Between work and home and some major shtuff I got going on right now, the blog has been pushed to the back burner.

Don’t worry, I’ll be back to it soon enough. Lord knows I’ve got lots more to say about so much that is going on in the world today. But right now, the real world takes precedent over the virtual world.

So, in the meantime, keep working, keep fighting, keep seeking the truth, and keep the faith. Our country needs us, now more than ever, and for the sake of what lies beyond that horizon, we all need to answer the call.

So, until my next post (hopefully soon), take care and God bless.

Marlipern

The Bush policy: If we ignore the problem of North Korea, perhaps it will just go away.

After three years and 2500 U.S. casualties, it seems clear that the primary reason for invading Iraq, the WMD threat, did not exist. Yet during that same period, North Korea has repeatedly defied the international community in their actions and rhetoric regarding their nuclear weapon and missile programs, and the United States has done virtually nothing to deter or reverse this trend. So my question to President Bush is this: How do you reconcile your administration’s apparent policy of going after the wrong dictator, and what is your plan to address the real and growing threat of a nuclear North Korea?

Cause it sure looks to me like dubya has no plan to deal with North Korea, nor apparently, any intention to develop one. Is this another case of a .22 caliber mind trying to wrap itself around a .357 magnum world? Curious (and deeply concerned) minds want to know. Here’s a hint George, you’re not playing “Risk”, you’re in the real world, and you’re supposed to be making real world decisions. Or didn’t your daddy tell you what being President was all about – wait, I forgot, there’s a “higher father.” (BTW, I have to give credit where credit is due – the gun reference was paraphrased from a West Wing episode.)

Several Republicans have pointed the finger at the Clinton administration, suggesting that this whole mess was somehow Clinton’s fault. I’d like to point out to these pass-the-buck Republicans that during Clinton’s watch, IAEA inspectors were on the ground in North Korea. On Clinton’s watch, NO NEW FISSIONABLE MATERIAL WAS PRODUCED by North Korea (unlike during this, or daddy Bush’s admin.). During Clinton’s administration, there was a moratorium on missile testing by the North Koreans, which they adhered to. But most importantly, on Clinton’s watch, there was a dialogue between the United States and North Korea. You know, “diplomacy”. You might want to try it sometime. Oh, and while you’re at it, stick to being obsessed with Clinton’s penis, cause your hero dubya’s administration can’t come close to matching the real accomplishments of the Clinton admin.

Of course there are some on the left who have suggested that perhaps the admin. wants this crisis to escalate, to drum up oil prices, and to sell the American people on the oh-so-stale “Republicans are tough guys” reputation in advance of the fall elections. Personally, I think that’s giving this crowd way too much credit, given their track record of botching just about every scheme they try to pull off.

So here we are. In the real world, dealing with a REAL WMD threat in North Korea. This is the time that the Bush administration can once and for all show that they’ve got what it takes to sit at the adult table. Cause up until now, this crowd has demonstrated that they are rank amateurs when dealing with real world diplomacy. Saber rattling isn’t going to do it this time. “Wanted dead or alive” or “bring it on” isn’t going to do it. We need solid, competent leadership and skilled diplomatic skills to deal with this serious issue. And what do we have? Dubya and company. God help us all.