We are talking about SCIENCE here, not speculation. One does not base public policy on speculation, which is what the ESC proponents are asking for. The MORAL agrument against ESC is un-questioned, but by NOT pointing out the fact that ESC has thus far FAILED all SCIENTIFIC tests to date, we are leaving the field open to the proponents to make speculation-based arguments. Propaganda HAS to be answered, or "preception becomes reality".
Not true. Public policy -- at least in the funding of scientific research -- is based entirely on (informed) speculation. Informed speculation says "this might work, if you gave us time and money to work on it." We generally frown on the use of government money to tell us things we already knew.
In the case of ESCs, there's a faid chance that sufficient time and money would produce results (we already know that ESCs can create an entire human, after all). Certainly there are plenty of reputable scientists who've made a case for there being a reasonable chance of success.
The MORAL agrument against ESC is un-questioned, but by NOT pointing out the fact that ESC has thus far FAILED all SCIENTIFIC tests to date
First off, the MORAL argument against ESC is not un-questioned. If it were, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all. The problem is that there are powerful interests who have rejected the moral argument entirely. If you look closely, you'll see that the MORAL argument is the only thing standing between ESC research and federal money, and that argument is beginning to crumble.
As for it having failed all scientific tests to date, I'd say that's a gross over-simplification. The scientists can no doubt point to a wide variety of basic advances necessary to achieve a workable ESC treatment. If they're getting "closer," then the "always fails" argument doesn't work.
Propaganda HAS to be answered, or "perception becomes reality".
You're right. And that counts for propaganda on our side, too. Kellmeyer's article looks like propaganda to me, and I think he's being dishonest. It does not help to mislead the people on your own side.