Posted on 01/12/2010 5:53:07 PM PST by Kaslin
Bioethics: Five years after a budget-busting $3 billion was allocated to embryonic stem cell research, there have been no cures, no therapies and little progress. So supporters are embracing research they once opposed.
California's Proposition 71 was intended to create a $3 billion West Coast counterpart to the National Institutes of Health, empowered to go where the NIH could not — either because of federal policy or funding restraints on biomedical research centered on human embryonic stem cells.
Supporters of the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, passed in 2004, held out hopes of imminent medical miracles that were being held up only by President Bush's policy of not allowing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) beyond existing stem cell lines and which involved the destruction of embryos created for that purpose.
Five years later, ESCR has failed to deliver and backers of Prop 71 are admitting failure. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state agency created to, as some have put it, restore science to its rightful place, is diverting funds from ESCR to research that has produced actual therapies and treatments: adult stem cell research. It not only has treated real people with real results; it also does not come with the moral baggage ESCR does.
To us, this is a classic bait-and-switch, an attempt to snatch success from the jaws of failure and take credit for discoveries and advances achieved by research Prop. 71 supporters once cavalierly dismissed. We have noted how over the years that when funding was needed, the phrase "embryonic stem cells" was used. When actual progress was discussed, the word "embryonic" was dropped because ESCR never got out of the lab.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
I voted against this. I KNEW it would be a boondoggle. 3 Billion more in taxes and where did it get Californians? Just more in debt. Granted it was supposed to be spread over 20 years. I hope they get rid of it altogether.
Yep, John Edwards said that Christopher Reeve would get up out of his wheelchair and walk again, if only we could do embryonic research paid for with federal funds.
Well, I wouldn’t call it a total failure.... I mean look at all the babies they got to kill. I’m sure “No child left alive” 0bama thinks it a success.
too bad he died first or I am sure he would be jogging by now
Gee, no accountability from ANY officials in Calif. just stick your hand out and let all the tax payers in America bail you out for your excess spending while all the while telling Joe six pack yo live within his means and don’t expect the government to bail you out of the problem you brought on yourself.
Great, just f-ing gtrat.
MA Ping?
If they wanted stem cells, they should have asked me. They can have all they want from my chicken-drumstick arms and baby belly. All they want, and for free, too /sarc
Just one of the many reasons I left.
Reeve died before the election IIRC. I think that claim hurt Kerry/Edwards.
It was a $3 billion thumb in the eye of social conservatives. I think that was the major motivation for the “yes” vote at the time.
California's Proposition 71 was intended to create a $3 billion West Coast counterpart to the National Institutes of Health, empowered to go where the NIH could not -- either because of federal policy or funding restraints on biomedical research centered on human embryonic stem cells. Supporters of the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, passed in 2004, held out hopes of imminent medical miracles that were being held up only by President Bush's policy of not allowing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) beyond existing stem cell lines and which involved the destruction of embryos created for that purpose. Five years later, ESCR has failed to deliver and backers of Prop 71 are admitting failure. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine... is diverting funds from ESCR to research that has produced actual therapies and treatments: adult stem cell research. It not only has treated real people with real results; it also does not come with the moral baggage ESCR does... We have noted how over the years that when funding was needed, the phrase "embryonic stem cells" was used. When actual progress was discussed, the word "embryonic" was dropped because ESCR never got out of the lab.Thanks Kaslin.
Well, California is in such good shape, it ought to spend another $5B on stem cells, then another $15B on global warming, and another $5B on aid to Africa. While at it, why not spend another $25B on “education” and $25B on “health”. Just tax the evil “rich” more. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
“To us, this is a classic bait-and-switch, an attempt to snatch success from the jaws of failure”
++++++++++++++++
Sounds a bit like Climate-gate...
Another fabulous bond backed by Arnold Kennedy
“Yep, John Edwards said that Christopher Reeve would get up out of his wheelchair and walk again, if only we could do embryonic research paid for with federal funds.”
Instead, Elizabeth Edwards got up out of her wheelchair and wrapped another frying pan around John’s head.
Yes Reeve died before the election. And it was a ridiculous comment for Edwards to make in the first place. The suggestion that this research would result in miracle cures was a liberal issue to use against Bush. It’s an old liberal trick — say that liberals are in favor of something, then by extension, imply that EVIL REPUBLICANS are against it, so by extension, Republicans are against science, or medical research in general.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQNkVmdicvA
Democrats always claim they can work miracles. Sadly, the majority of voters is often stupid enough to believe them.
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