I saw him give the speech this morning, I have read it now twice, and I have heard reaction from radio talk show hosts, other Congresscritters..and some freepers here on FR.
The one question that seems to pop up the most is: It this research on ESC is so promising, why isn't the private sector, that would make billions prolly, going after this...which makes the taxpayers, a lot of whom DO NOT agree with this on moral grounds?
The way I read his speech, he is rationalizing using Federal funds only because HE says that the only way we can SURE that this is done ethically (according to HIS rules), would be to have NIH oversight...which wouldn't be the case in priavately funded research....
My problem with THAT is, who said that the NIH is the ones to make ethical decisions? Maybe they will follow a strict guideline, but maybe not....there is corruption everywhere, and what if on moral, religious or whatever grounds, Americans DO NOT want their tax dollars going to "killing" unborn babies..?
I just don't think that this is where the Fed. Govt. should get involved...
He actually said,
"Now, to date, adult stem cell research is the only type of stem cell research that has resulted in proven treatments for human patients."
Media Bias? FRAUDcasting? Honest error? Incompetent reporter?
You decide... All I know is that when I find things like that in a "news story", it reinforces why I need to go to the source instead.
I read his speech once, and don't have reliable recollection (in general), but a couple points enter my mind at this moment.
One triggered by your comment is the question of oversight. There is federal oversight now of our meat supply and of "good manufacturing practices" for pharmaceutical compounds. My point being that oversight and enforcement of ethical rules can be funded without funding the research. Enforcement can be funded independently from funding research.
Frist used similar sloppy logic in his recent "Terri (Schiavo) letter," I think in the hopes of placating constituents via confusion.
The other comment is based on Frist's assertion yesterday that he has held and expressed this for a long time, and expressed it in his "10 principles for ESCR." The reaction this creates in my gut is distrust of Frist. He's been for ESCR all this time, and was relatively mum about it.