FRIST COMMENTS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH - Floor Statement -- Remarks As Prepared For Delivery

Senator Bill Frist website ^ | July 29, 2005 | Sen. Bill Frist

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I agree.

[plain talk]

based on which specific points he made? I'll read this carefully later as well. But from what I read, at least some of his points seemed thought through.

[kjenerette]

SUBJECT: Stem Cell Statements should lead to the REAL Question...

"Are we all cowards as we dance around the real issue? We should at least be brave enough to start by asking just one question: What if scientific medical research finds that embryonic stem cells are a cure for any disease or condition known to man and they could be used to prolong and improve human life indefinitely?
			...would this change the argument? or, at this point will the argument really just begin?"

HUMAN LIFE and RIGHTS		We have to respect and Protect All human life
		To each individual their life is sacred. As a people, to begin to pass judgement or sentence on human life by age, quality, position or potential has the effect of placing a price or a measure on what can only be deemed a gift from our creator. However, there is a paradox of life and rights: Our rights as a people for individual-self-government are based upon the uniqueness of human life with rights granted by 'nature's God,' which in turn are protected by our Constitution. One must follow the other, or else the entire argument of human rights becomes based on man's opinion. Either life with rights is given at the same time that life begins or we have no rights beyond which other men or governments are willing to allow us. If we as a people do not respect the sacred notion of human LIFE how can we expect to have respect for RIGHTS that are dependent upon the concept of human LIFE itself? Any society that diminishes the value of one life from another risks its very existence. thoughts on human stem cells... Nearly every discussion about the stem cell question has centered on the question of the sources of stem cells - adult versus embryonic - and the potential each has with regards to medicine - and of course the argument that some embryonic research had ended in disaster during research. To see the truth, I personnally believe that we should look at the stem cell argument from a totally new perspective. I don't think that any of the questions so far are going to the heart of the matter. Are we all cowards as we dance around the real issue? We should at least be brave enough to start by asking just one question: What if scientific medical research finds that embryonic stem cells are a cure for any disease or condition known to man and they could be used to prolong and improve human life indefinitely? Would this change the argument? Or, at this point would the argument really just begin? Does it matter if embryonic stem cells are proven to be the medical equivalent of the elusive 'fountain of youth?' Most civilized nations and people throughout history have been willing to sacrifice themselves so that the next generation will survive. Are we on the verge of becoming a people who are willing to sacrifice the next generation so that our current generation can continue to survive? I don't think that it matters if we are capable of creating or using one life so that we can save another life. Either we respect all human life or we respect no human life. We cannot have it both ways at the same time. The reason we as a people must have moral judgment and values which are clearly defined is that any action we take can and could be 'justified' from some practical standpoint. Our morality forces us to draw a line that we won't cross. It is only our sense of morality that allows us to be called human and it is only that which separates us from the jungle. Once the line is moved from the moral high ground the very concept of morality becomes prosituted and becomes a matter of group or power opinions. For example, if the Titantic were to sink today, using today's standards of morality and ethics - who would get to climb into the lifeboats first and who would be expected to go down with the ship? I'm not sure that today's society or medical community would stand back and save the women and children... Any people who move from the position of protecting human life from its beginning to its end becomes just another part of the immoral mob - no better with any opinion - no worse without one. Just a mob. In the end, the line that we draw on the argument of individual human life will become the line that is drawn to define individual human rights. ...post thoughts part I As for the argument about the eventual destruction of frozen embryos - the 'they are going to die anyway' logic - history is full of examples of this 'foot-in-the-door' argument. For background, read about the post WWII 'ethical' use of medical information that resulted from Nazi experiments on institutionalized and concentration camp men, women, and children. For starters, read about the following 'respected 'members of the WWII medical community including one who was a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation: Dr. Julius Hallervorden a distinguished academician, who occupied the Chair of Neuropathology at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut in Berlin-Buch throughout the war years and following the war was a neuropathologist at the Max Planck Institute in Frankfurt. The following is a post-war quote from Hallervorden during an interview: "I heard that they were going to do that and so I went up to them and told them, 'Look here now, boys, if you are going to kill all those people, at least take the brains out so that the material could be utilized'." He is also is documented to have directed the selection of certain children for extermination and subsequent pathological studies as their brains were suitable for a research project. Dr. Sigmund Rascher a researcher in neurophysiology and originally a Captain in the Luftwaffe Medical Service he wrote of his 'Experiments on Escape from High Altitude' where he had vivisection carried out on his subjects even prior to the heart completely stopping. He also experimented on exposure to hypothermia by the immersion of subjects in ice cold water and took part in a top secret report entitled "Freezing Experiments with Human Beings." Rascher was quite proud of his work with humans. "I am the only one in this whole crowd who really does and knows human physiology because I experiment on humans and not on guinea pigs or mice." Dr. Georg Schaltenbrand a pre-eminent German clinical neuroscientist who had served as a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation who used humans for multiple sclerosis experiments designed to find a cure for the disease. "If the physician presumes to take into consideration in his work whether a life has value or not, the consequences are boundless and the physician becomes the most dangerous man in the state." - Christopher Hufeland, 18th century German physician ...post thoughts part II To Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and the great celebrities like the late Chistopher Reeves - Michael J. Fox - Mary Tyler Moore - or any pro-stem cell politicians if they really support the use of human embryonic stem cell they should please follow these instructions: #1) Go to a clinic with your 'better half' and create a fertilized child embryo. #2) Use that particular embryo for your own research and your own cure or to help others. OPTION: If you are past the production point ask one of your children or grandchildren to provide(or be) the raw materials for your miracle cure. Regardless of the political decisions, we can be certain of one thing: those who support and yell the loudest for embryonic stem cell research funding will NOT be the people who will provide their embryonic offspring to the research laboratory.

K&V Jenerette...

�

[SierraWasp]

"FRIST GOES LIMP IN THE WRIST"

Trouble with that is... Whenever it happens to one of "our guys," we here on the homefront have to BOHICA!!! (Bend Over... Here It Comes Again!!!)

You know, like our 7 out of the "Gang of 14!" Judas Priest those Repellicans make me sick!!! (not all of 'em, just those "LIMP IN THE WRIST" ones)

[SierraWasp]

Well... You sure as heck couldn't call it the "Sampson Syndrome!"

[SerpentDove]

"How long before Frist is called a RINO?"

Interesting question. It seems to me that it is getting harder and harder to determine what "Republican" politicians believe in the first place, much less what a "RINO" believes.

[NormsRevenge]

Orrin Hatch was just on on Fox News / Special Report w/Brit Hume questioning advice the President received re: embryonic stem cell research.

[Republican Wildcat]

Shock - the LA Times would lie?

[Republican Wildcat]

It is real.

[SierraWasp]

There seems to be a decidedly concerted effort to infect the Republican Party with this moral turpitude and It's already driven me out of the Party due to utter embarrassment!!!

I'm an American Originalist Conservative first, that usually votes for Republican candidates since the other candidates are either so fruity, or stupid that my conscience would drive me to drink if I ever voted for any of those dorks.

Many times, I don't vote either for, or against a candidate, or issue at all. It amazes me how many otherwise intelligent people do NOT understand that doing that does NOT invalidate one's ballot!!!

[Brian_Baldwin]

I was against it, but this was never a major issue for me. In fact, I haven't really thought about it beyond the surface level. However, today Sen. Orrin Hatch came on FOX to state that Frisk's stand on this is good for America. Reading what Frisk has to say, I've reversed my position on this. I am on Orrin Hatch's side on this one.

So now I guess I am counter with Bush on several issues.

I am counter on Bush regarding the border, and the refusal of Bush to protect the border with Mexico, and he angers me to no end regarding this.

I am counter on Bush regarding Islam as "the religion peace".

I am counter on Bush regarding CAFTA.

And now, I guess I am counter on Bush regarding this.

[Brian_Baldwin]

Sorry, Frist not Frisk ... anyway, that doesn't mean I'm a supporter of him, he's really isn't very important. But I think I do now reverse my position on this....

[Romish_Papist]

Embryonic stem cells also have the nasty habit of turning into rampant tumors. Adult and umbilical cord blood stem cells do not.

Frist is an f-ing traitor! Forgive me my language but when our "leadership" will betray us so easily then he can take his party and shove it! I am f-ing livid!

[CollegeRepublicanNU]

Like many of you I am still reading up on this subject. I have always been against any stem cell research and of course I am against government funding of such research. If we allow stem cell research (in the private sector) what happens next?

[webboy45]

A web page at http://www.griffith.edu.au/er/development/content_icmt_adultstem.html
tells about Australian researchers growing nerve cells, glial cells, liver cells, heart cells and muscle cells all from nose stem cells. It seems that it we put our mind to it we can do as much with adult stem cells as we think we could with embryonic stem cells. Another point is that ESC research must eventually lead to cloning, since only cloned embryo cells will solve tissue rejection problems.

[Brian_Baldwin]

Regardless of your position on this question, you do not have to worry about Frist becoming the Republican choice in 2008 because it isn't going to happen. Perhaps in his mind he thinks he is important enough to perchance it, but perchance it forget it. In this age of image, of the human voice and human face shown everywhere at any moment, people look for a charisma and also what they want to see is a strength that does not need to come from physical capacity, but from indomitable will. So in that regard, it will very likely be that 2008 a dark horse will come, and it could come from anywhere, it could even again come from the media culture, or even, don't laugh, complete unknown, or even a talk show host, from anywhere. Frist doesn't have a chance. So even though we, me and you, disagree now on this issue, we both agree Frist isn't the man to lead the Republican Party. And actually, unless that Party gets some back-bone, e.g. the borders issue for example, they are going to suffer a great loss. Bush is making some major misjudgments. However, his selection of Roberts was a very good move, I support it. The Republicans, whether they understand it or not, actually DO have the strength in numbers from the American people, so there is no need to be wimps. But even in this strength in numbers, I think the candidate of 2008 has to be VALIANT, valiant in spirit to be strong enough to fight alone. To stand alone, stand up to the Republican check-pants, and stand with the American people regarding our borders, the war on terrorism, and to stand up to the ACLU and call them what they have now become which is far left-wing street thugs and America haters.

So, no, I am not a Frist supporter, but on this issue I guess I will have to side with Sen. Orrin Hatch, whom I respect. One day, conservatives will find that he was, and is, worthy of great respect, he would have made a great President.

[XR7]

A pinhole in the dam soon starts eroding all around it until the dam breaks.

Look around you.
Read the newspapers.
The dam is already broken.
The floodgates have burst.

[Stellar Dendrite]

LOL :)

[XR7]

Here's the take on it from the cartoonist from Non-Sequitur...

Yep.
Kill unborn babies so we can save some old geezer's life.
What is sickening is the pompous assurance implied in these messages that if it were not for conservatives and their fundamentalist right to life beliefs, Alzheimer's would be reversed, quadriplegics would walk again, the blind would have their vision restored - as if modern Medicine is the Messiah, and all we need are stem cells to usher us into the Promised Land.

[Republican Wildcat]

I have always been against any stem cell research

Are you against Adult Stem Cell research too? If so, why?