It's official: Obama overturns stem cell ban

[Popeye]

In addition to signing an executive order overturning the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, President Obama also signed a presidential memorandum, which administration officials claim will be "aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence"...Geez, what a concept, science before superstition.

President Obama signed an executive order Monday repealing a Bush-era policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research.

Obama's move overturns an order signed by President Bush in 2001 that barred the National Institutes of Health from funding research on embryonic stem cells beyond using 60 cell lines that existed at that time.

Obama also signed a presidential memorandum establishing greater independence for federal science policies and programs.

"In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values," Obama said at the White House.

"In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research -- and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/09/obama.stem.cells/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

 

[Little-Acorn]

Time to re-re-debunk the usual leftists lies.

There was never a ban on any kind of stem cell research.

How can Obama overturn a ban when it was never banned?

Early in his Presidency, George W. Bush announced a program where all forms of stem cell research would be freely permitted, including the controversial embryonic form. He even provided lots of Federal funds for most of it. All kinds of stem cell research have been proceeding since then, without exception, again including Embryonic stem cell research. Bush did not hand out Federal funds for that type, but otherwise let it proceed freely with no restrictions of any kind.

Various leftists have been fibbing about it ever since, trying to pretend he had banned something, when in fact it had been going on before, during, and after his presidency.

Note that, despite the large amounts of money spent on embryonic stem cell research (and other kinds), embryonic research has never produced any cures, vaccines, new procedures, or any other benefits. All such benefits have come from research into adult stem cells. Yet the leftist hysterics keep acting like (a) embryonic has been banned, and (b) progress in fighting medical problems has been harmed, when neither one is true.

You have to feel sorry for a political agenda whose only workable tactic is telling lies about the opposition in hopes that someone will believe them.

https://www.houseofpolitics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=89050#post89050

 

[Popeye]

Actually the lie is from the right...When Bush, in 2001, announced that he would allow federal funding of research involving stem cell lines he restricted it to lines that had already been created.

Bush claimed that this restriction would not get in the way of stem cell research, for there were already 60 existing stem lines. These lines, he said, "have the ability to regenerate themselves indefinitely"...all of that turned out to be a lie, though it's more likely those on the right (including Bush himself) were too ill informed to comprehend the situation....and of course, in the Bush administration, fundies always ruled the day whenever there was a clash with science anyway.

The scientific community came to these conclusions..First off, there were not 60 lines available for research..only between 10-30 lines existed, and not all of them were suitable... also, many could not be regenerated indefinitely. And to top it off, most were tainted by mouse DNA....swell.

Just one more lie from Bush supported by the right wing...so take your Drudge Report, or wherever you got your information, somewhere else...it doesn't pass muster here.

 

[pocketfullofshells]

Time to re-re-debunk the usual leftists lies.

There was never a ban on any kind of stem cell research.

How can Obama overturn a ban when it was never banned?

Early in his Presidency, George W. Bush announced a program where all forms of stem cell research would be freely permitted, including the controversial embryonic form. He even provided lots of Federal funds for most of it. All kinds of stem cell research have been proceeding since then, without exception, again including Embryonic stem cell research. Bush did not hand out Federal funds for that type, but otherwise let it proceed freely with no restrictions of any kind.

Various leftists have been fibbing about it ever since, trying to pretend he had banned something, when in fact it had been going on before, during, and after his presidency.

Note that, despite the large amounts of money spent on embryonic stem cell research (and other kinds), embryonic research has never produced any cures, vaccines, new procedures, or any other benefits. All such benefits have come from research into adult stem cells. Yet the leftist hysterics keep acting like (a) embryonic has been banned, and (b) progress in fighting medical problems has been harmed, when neither one is true.

You have to feel sorry for a political agenda whose only workable tactic is telling lies about the opposition in hopes that someone will believe them.

https://www.houseofpolitics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=89050#post89050

well thats nice then you should have no issue with it as your view is he changed nothing...I would ask why Bush signed a bill ...that did nothing in the first place for Obama to overturn then though. Its almost like you dont know what you are talking about...or Both presidents just are playing a joke on us all?

 

[Little-Acorn]

(sigh) Looks like more debunking of the left is needed.

Bush never made any such restriction on most stem cell research. The Federal financing he approved for the majority of research (on adult stem cells), came with no strings attached at all, despite what people like popeye want you to believe.

I do want to thank popeye for pointing out one mistake I made, when I said that Bush provided no funding for the controversial embryonic version of stem cell research. I was wrong. Bush did approve funding for embryonic stem cell research, as he did for all other kinds. He just put the proviso on it that that govt funding be applied to lines of embryonic stem cells already in existence . It was not to be used for killing unborn children (the only way to produce new lines of embryonic stem cells).

So when I said that Bush had approved Federal funding for most stem cell research but not embryonic, I was wrong. Bush approved Federal funding for ALL forms of stem cell research, INCLUDING embryonic. The lies by our resident leftists, are even worse than I thought.

My apologies, folks. I stand corrected.

 

[Popeye]

(sigh) Looks like more debunking of the left is needed.

Bush never made any such restriction on most stem cell research. The Federal financing he approved for the majority of research (on adult stem cells), came with no strings attached at all, despite what people like popeye want you to believe.

I do want to thank popeye for pointing out one mistake I made, when I said that Bush provided no funding for the controversial embryonic version of stem cell research. I was wrong. Bush did approve funding for embryonic stem cell research, as he did for all other kinds. He just put the proviso on it that that govt funding be applied to lines of embryonic stem cells already in existence . It was not to be used for killing unborn children (the only way to produce new lines of embryonic stem cells).

So when I said that Bush had approved Federal funding for most stem cell research but not embryonic, I was wrong. Bush approved Federal funding for ALL forms of stem cell research, INCLUDING embryonic. The lies by our resident leftists, are even worse than I thought.

As I've already stated, most of the so called lines already in existence were not suitable for research ...okay Hannity?

Anyway, Nancy Reagan seems to think there were some restrictions...as she released a statement today praising Obama's lifting of the restrictions you claim never existed.

I’m very grateful that President Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. These new rules will now make it possible for scientists to move forward. I urge researchers to make use of the opportunities that are available to them, and to do all they can to fulfill the promise that stem cell research offers.

Countless people, suffering from many different diseases, stand to benefit from the answers stem cell research can provide. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to do everything in our power to find cures for these diseases – and soon. As I’ve said before, time is short, and life is precious.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/09/nancy-reagan-praises-obamas-stem-cell-policy-change/

 

[top gun]

Actually the lie is from the right...When Bush, in 2001, announced that he would allow federal funding of research involving stem cell lines he restricted it to lines that had already been created.

Bush claimed that this restriction would not get in the way of stem cell research, for there were already 60 existing stem lines. These lines, he said, "have the ability to regenerate themselves indefinitely"...all of that turned out to be a lie, though it's more likely those on the right (including Bush himself) were too ill informed to comprehend the situation....and of course, in the Bush administration, fundies always ruled the day whenever there was a clash with science anyway.

The scientific community came to these conclusions..First off, there were not 60 lines available for research..only between 10-30 lines existed, and not all of them were suitable... also, many could not be regenerated indefinitely. And to top it off, most were tainted by mouse DNA....swell.

Just one more lie from Bush supported by the right wing...so take your Drudge Report, or wherever you got your information, somewhere else...it doesn't pass muster here.

You are correct and it was a very important and needed move to help science and speed along a lot of MAJOR HELP for a lot of major injuries and major diseases!

After the constant chipping away at science & medical research in favor of personal dogma by the Bush administration it's sooooo good to see President Obama putting Americans and their serious medical problems first.

Another HOME RUN for our President IMO!

 

[chestnut]

Private companies were doing the research. but I guess the government needs to control everything -

 

[PLC1]

This is not a left vs right issue. It is a science vs ideology issue.

That is, unless you're ready to categorize Nancy Reagan as a "leftist".

Nancy Reagan praises Obama for overturning Bush's policy on stem cells

LOS ANGELES, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Nancy Reagan, widow of late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, said on Monday that scientists would move forward in stem cell research thanks to President Barack Obama's decision to overturn the 8-year-old policy that limited federal funding for such research.

 

[chestnut]

So why not just let private companies keep doing the research. Why do we need to spend "tax" dollars we don't have on this.

It's legal research. No one wants it to stop, The government should not be in the "bio" business.

There are so many other pressing problems to deal with starting with illegal immigration / mexico borders, and the economy.

 

[Pidgey]

Don't know if it's going to matter... we're already well on our way to doing some pretty cool things without 'em:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxhi4Q8EDTU

 

[top gun]

So why not just let private companies keep doing the research. Why do we need to spend "tax" dollars we don't have on this.

It's legal research. No one wants it to stop, The government should not be in the "bio" business.

There are so many other pressing problems to deal with starting with illegal immigration / mexico borders, and the economy.

The government under Bush and the Republicants WERE making it illegal to do any research on embryonic stem cells except for a very few old strains of which some were already contaminated.

The government is going to give out research money for disease and medical research regardless. The whole issue was the government under Bush was massively hindering the labs from going full tilt on major medical breakthroughs using new and readily available embryonic stem cells.

This has now been corrected and the scientists could not be more pleased now that they can go back to doing all the necessary research without their hands being tied by Bush and the Far Right's dogma!

 

[Chip]

Regardless of what Bush did or didn't do ...

... Embryonic stem cell research functions to murder newly conceived human beings ...

... Depriving these people of their foundational inalienable right to life ...

... And therefore embryonic stem cell research is an act that is simply wrong.

Besides ...

... It has long been common front-page headline news that, not too many months ago, scientists created base stem cells from more mature human tissue without killing anyone, and now advancements in that technique have solved all of the stem cell issue matters: Stem Cell Research Breakthrough.

There is simply no need to continue Dr. Mengele type experimentation on people, murdering them in the process, which is what happens in embryonic stem cell "research" ...

... And, President Obama most certainly knows there has long been no need to continue embryonic stem cell research.

Thus Obama's "release" of embryonic stem cell research is nothing more than a pander to those of his ilk, a cheap, easy pay-back to those who campaigned for him, a posturing act of blind partisanship ...

... Which, once again, illustrates that BHO is nothing special, whatsoever.

 

[Popeye]

Regardless of what Bush did or didn't do ...

... Embryonic stem cell research functions to murder newly conceived human beings ...

... Depriving these people of their foundational inalienable right to life ...

... And therefore embryonic stem cell research is an act that is simply wrong.

You mean like left over embryos from IVF clinics that are going to be thrown out anyway? These are the "newly conceived human beings" you speak of?..

If the owners of these embryos don't wish to pay to store them, and instead of having them thrown away would like for them to be used for scientific research, what gives you or any other wingnut the right to say otherwise?

 

[Chip]

You mean like left over embryos from IVF clinics that are going to be thrown out anyway?

No matter what power the discarders possess, their power, or the planned use of it, does not make that use right.

The right thing to do is to keep those embryos alive and suspended for implant for the the benefit of childless couples, no matter what couples authorized their creation.

And the right thing to do is to suspend further creation of IVF embryos until scientific advances match our progressive neuropsychological evolution and the IVF process has been modified and regulated to create only the number of embryos that will be actually implanted at that time.

These are the "newly conceived human beings" you speak of?..

No matter what their perceived social status, the thread I link to below has proven that an IVF embryo is a human being in that person's earliest stage of life ... and polls show that over half the population agrees.

Experimenting on people because of their social status may be the Mengele thing to do ...

... But there are no disposable people in a just, progressive society ...

... And there is also no ageism as well.

If the owners of these embryos don't wish to pay to store them, and instead of having them thrown away would like for them to be used for scientific research, what gives you or any other wingnut the right to say otherwise?

The same right that gave everyone, everywhere, the right to speak up in defense of the Jews in Germany 70 years ago.

When it comes to speaking up against atocities being perpetrated on a group, the age of members of that group is irrelevant, lest you comit the bias of ageism, a bias which is akin to ethnic bias in function.

And defaming those who are more humane and progressive than you with the verbally abusive term "wingnut" merely because they grasp what you emotionally suppress ... only means you are likely less evolved.

But if you'd like to lose your "flat-earther" title in the matter, here is the place to do so: A Conception's Right To Life.

Enjoy.