U.S. quietly OKs fetal stem cell work - Bush allows funding despite federal limits on embryo use

Chicago Tribune ^ | July 7, 2002 | By Jeremy Manier

[Keyes For President]

The Bush administration has approved the first federally funded project using stem cells obtained from fetuses aborted up to eight weeks after conception, expanding the scientific promise of stem cell research and complicating the ethics debate that surrounds it.

[Askel5]

How insightful. About time you took a look at yourself.

The fact you make me laugh is hardly the stuff of "insightful".

I laugh at myself too ... that "types faster than most people think" applies in spades to me sometimes ... =)

[JMJ333]

Lets take this one paragraph, for example:

Human embryonic stem cells are derived from fertilized embryos less than a week old. Using 14 blastocysts obtained from donated, surplus embryos produced by in vitro fertilization, a group of UW-Madison developmental biologists led by James Thomson established five independent stem cell lines in November 1998. This was the first time human embryonic stem cells had been successfully isolated and cultured.

First off, life begins at conception. Biology says so. Therefore, they are freezing and killing someone who is as much a human being as you or I. Then they are taking "surpluss" of "blastocysts" to create an independent line if cells. English translation is "using body parts to experiment and research on."

Sick!

[Clara Lou]

Human becomes blastocyst, etc. I despise them.
Remember when "baby" became "fetus"? I also despise them.

[marajade]

Um... there was no bill...

[carenot]

One talks religion, the other lives Christianity.

Yeah, so GW had to think how to spin it for a couple of months while he agonized over his thoughts on baby stem-cell research.

Keyes didn't have to do that.

He knows what he thinks.

Maybe he should have taken a poll to see what he thinks?

[Kobyashi1942]

Now, didn't Dubya say he was against this?

Believe nothing Bush says. He tells the population one thing, than quietly does something elese in the middle of the night when no one is looking.

I am sickend that this "Great Born Again Christian" would seek to profit by the death of the unborn. I dare the Bushies to defend this! Neos make me sick.

[Satadru]

For someone who claims to have read the article, you missed the very first line:

The Bush administration has approved the first federally funded project using stem cells obtained from fetuses aborted up to eight weeks after conception...

Bush could have stopped this if he wanted to. He could have gone to the DC circuit challenging the law which prohibits him from stopping such funding, and asking for an injunction in the meantime. But he chose to fund this research, because in my opinion he does not really care about the issue of abortion.

[jwalsh07]

Remember when "baby" became "fetus"?

Fetus is Latin for baby. Another term of art to dehumanise. They all do it.

[carenot]

. So, either the law does not exist, or the administration does not want to overturn it.

Can we vote for both?

[Bandolier]

He could have gone to the DC circuit challenging the law which prohibits him from stopping such funding.

There is no such law.

[Amelia]

I am sickend that this "Great Born Again Christian" would seek to profit by the death of the unborn. I dare the Bushies to defend this! Neos make me sick.

Read the whole article. Bush had nothing to do with it. An agency established by Congress approved a grant, in accordance with a law passed by Congress.

[Clara Lou]

Um... there was no bill...
That's what I mean-- some people on this thread have no clue. It's as though they are immune to facts.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

OH OK I didnt know that either hmmmmmm

[Satadru]

Hey brainiac, this agency is under the Executive branch. It's head is nominated by the President. It cannot do anything unless the guy on top approves it. Bush could have challenged this alleged law in the DC circuit. He chose not to. Now get over it.

[carenot]

Would his attempts succeed with a Dem controlled Senate?

Could he try?

[marajade]

Could he try?

I believe he has and Daschle came right out and stated that he would advance full funding without any restraints...

[marajade]

Keyes didn't have to do that.

It must be nice to just have instant wisdom... However, some people call that arrogance...

[Satadru]

And since Daschle is the President of this country with a 200% approval level, then that is what we will get. Bush could choke Daschle if he wants to. But, he simply does not care about this issue at all. He thinks it is not worth it to go to the mattresses over this. He wants to have his approval level high, because he wants to be reelected just like everyone else. He will be back in 2004 asking for votes, with a bigger bag of lies.

[marajade]

Um, a majority of the people in this country support funding...

[TheBattman]

"that forbade any president from witholding funding. "

Wouldnt' that be a direct violation of the "separation of powrs" clause in the US Constitution?