Shrub vs. Nancy

[Liberalboy]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,2763,1211237,00.html

Nancy Reagan tackles Bush on stem cells

Former president's wife to make public plea in support of extending research to include embryos

Nancy Reagan, the wife of the former president Ronald Reagan, is to make a public plea in favour of embryonic stem cell research in a growing bid to force the issue to the top of the agenda in a presidential election year.

-snip-

While Mrs Reagan, whose husband has Alzheimer's disease, has never publicly contradicted Republican presidents while in office, she has made known her views on the subject and her disappointment with the current administration's policy.

Her attempt to highlight the topic comes in a week when new research has supported the theory that stem cells from embryos have a greater potential to cure diabetes than stem cells from adults.

In August 2001 President George Bush announced that research would be restricted to ensure that embryos could not be destroyed with funds from the tax payer.

While he was contemplating the issue three years ago, Mr Bush was contacted by Mrs Reagan saying she hoped he would do what he could to spare other families what hers had suffered and this could be a great part of her husband's legacy.

Michael J Fox, who has Parkinson's disease and runs a foundation promoting stem cell research, will present Mrs Reagan with an award at this weekend's function.

Last week 206 members of Congress, including some Republicans and almost 40 opponents of abortion, signed a letter urging Mr Bush to finance studies on surplus embryos at in vitro fertilisation clinics. The Republican Senate leader, Bill Frist, who played a key role in encouraging Mr Bush to take up the issue in 2001, said he backed the current policy but believed it was time for a review.

-snip-

Meanwhile John Kerry, who was an early supporter of stem cell research, has been lambasting the Bush administration on the issue, accusing him of choosing ideology over science.

Mrs Reagan's speech coincides with an apparent breakthrough in research into diabetes using embryonic stem cells. In the latest issue of Nature, a Harvard cell biologist, Douglas Melton, argues that only embryonic stem cells can transform themselves into the insulin-producing "beta cells" which are destroyed or fail in around 10% of diabetics.

[oldhat]

1. Shrub

Preznit know Jeebus don't go for that sciencery.

[young_at_heart]

2. As long as Bush is beholden to extremists, he'll hold back

Because he is such a religious person he can't allow scientists to fool with such research. The Evangelicals might not vote for him!

[Clyde39]

6. Wasn't Reagan chummy with those extremists too?

I've read that he is responsible for allowing them access to the White House (something to do with votes) and they've increased their "power" ever since.

[Iceburg]

3. While Bush is seraching for WMDS, The Cubans are researching stem cells

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2004/febrero/juev26/9celulas.html
snip
THE Cuban scientific community is staking itself on the benefits to be derived from research into adult stem cells, certain that in the near future, these will be the answer to many unsolved problems in medicine.

In theory, human beings could create a clone of themselves to produce replacement parts for when aging or illness begin to take their toll. The use of stem cells makes this possible today.

more ...

[AlCzervik]

4. you know it's amazing

that Bush and his supporters are so opposed to stem cell research for reasons i'll never understand but you never hear them saying how unnatural it is for a woman to give birth to a litter of 7 babies all done through science.

[jdj]

5. So the same rightwing that Reagan aligned himself with

to keep funding away from AIDS research is now aligned with Bush against Reagan and others who might benefit from stem cell research?

What's that bible verse again...

Oh, yeah, "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord."

[truthisfreedom]

7. i hate to be a stickler, but that's not the title of the article you have

in your subject.

it should read

Nancy Reagan tackles Bush on stem cells

not shrub vs. nancy

[donotpassgo]

8. Who'd have thought Nancy had class?

First she thwarts the nitwits attempts to Deify her husband and now she's speaking some sense about stem cell research. Why? Maybe because her HUSBAND HAS ALZHEIMERS!!!!!! Heartless conservatives.

[Moderator]

9. locking

1. post violates copyright rules (4 paragraph, max)

2. duplicate:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=536870