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?