According to Hot Air, President-elect Barack Obama has slightly modified his promise on embryonic stem cells. He has stated that he would prefer legislative action by Congress rather than an Executive Order on his part. That's a mixed blessing.
The government does not ban embryonic stem cell research--what they do ban is federal money being spent on embryonic stem cell research. Generally speaking, if a science advancement has great potential, private money is willing to fund it (we are a profit-driven society). Because the advancements in stem cell research have been more common in adult stem cells, that is the research that has received the most private funding. Funding embryonic stem cells is like someone who is looking for his car keys under the street light rather than where he dropped them--he won't find them, but the light is better!
I hope that Americans who care about the destruction of human embryos and also care about how our tax dollars are spent will contact their congressmen and let their voices be heard. The success in stem cell research has come in the area of adult stem cells. Private funding for that research will continue because it will eventually reap financial and practical rewards. Why should we throw our tax dollars into something that has consistently proven to be unsuccessful?
Leave a comment