How true, Amanda.  I don't think we have ever done this poorly.  What should
be OBVIOUS to everyone still isn't to about 30% of our country.
Ray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Amanda Phillips" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 1:24 PM
Subject: Re: Consequences of anti-science president


> In a message dated 20/01/2007 07:05:46 GMT Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask]
> writes:
>
> From  Reuters this afternoon.
>
> Tony Mazzaschi
> AAMC
> Official faults Bush  stem cell funding limits
> Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:24 PM ET
> By Will  Dunham
> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. National Institutes of  Health
> official said on Friday President George W. Bush's limits on  federal
> funding for human embryonic stem cell research have blocked  potential
> medical breakthroughs.
> The comments by Story Landis, director  of the NIH's National Institute
> of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, came  as supporters of a bill to
> lift Bush's restrictions make a push for Senate  passage in the coming
> weeks.
> Bush used the only veto of his presidency  last July to reject an
> identical bill and has promised another  veto.
> Democrats who seized control of Congress in November elections have  made
> its passage a high priority. It cleared the House of Representatives  on
> January 11 by a vote of 253-174, short of the two-thirds majority  needed
> to override a veto.
> Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of  Massachusetts asked Landis during a
> Senate hearing to assess the impact of  Bush's restrictions, imposed in
> August 2001.
> "We are missing out on  possible breakthroughs," Landis responded.
> Advocates of such research call  it the best hope for potential cures for
> ailments such as Alzheimer's  disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and
> spinal cord injuries. But  because such research requires destruction of
> days-old embryos, opponents  call it immoral.
> Landis said there is a "compelling need to pursue both  embryonic and
> non-embryonic stem cell research," and no one can predict  which might
> lead to cures.
> "Therefore, NIH should support research on  stem cells from both
> embryonic and other sources," Landis said.
> 'ALL  AVENUES'
> "Science works best when scientists can pursue all avenues of  research,"
> Landis said. "If the cure for Parkinson's disease or juvenile  diabetes
> lay behind one of four doors, wouldn't you want the option to open  all
> four doors at once instead of one door?"
> Stem cells are a kind of  master cell for the body, capable of growing
> into various tissue and cell  types. Those taken from days-old embryos
> are especially malleable but  "adult" stem cells found in babies and
> adults also have shown  promise.
> Many scientists hope to exploit the unique qualities of these  cells to
> repair tissue damaged by disease or injury.
> Two stem cell  researchers and Lauren Stanford, a diabetic 15-year-old
> Massachusetts girl,  pleaded with the senators to pass the bill. No
> witnesses opposing it were  called.
> Some Republican senators against the measure emphasized their  support
> for "adult" stem cell research not requiring embryo  destruction.
> "Let's make sure we understand the dividing line," said Sen.  Tom Coburn
> of Oklahoma, a doctor who has delivered 4,000 babies. "Some of  us very
> earnestly believe life begins at conception.
> "I can tell you  that you're going to get a veto," Coburn told the  bill's
> supporters.
> Kennedy said he expected the Senate to consider the  bill in February and
> appealed to Bush to "re-examine his  conscience."
> Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, who opposes abortion but  supports
> embryonic stem cell research, held up a pair of handcuffs from  "one of
> my Secret Service buddies" to make the point that Bush's policy  binds
> scientists' hands.
> Bush's 2001 policy limited federal funding to  research on the human
> embryonic stem cell colonies, or lines, that existed  at that time.
> Scientists say many of those roughly 20 lines are  deteriorating,
> contaminated or obsolete.
> The bill would allow federal  funding for research involving additional
> stem cell lines derived from  leftover embryos created at fertility
> clinics destined otherwise to be  destroyed because they will not be used
> to make  babies.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> To  sign-off Parkinsn send a message to:
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
> In the body of the message put:  signoff parkinsn
>
>
>
> Time to change the selection procedure for politicians to include general
> knowledge and intelligence tests ?
>  Or go on selecting on the basic of charisma and influence, the  wonder
> why
> you got an ass ?  (I'm not getting at America  here,  England does it
> too.)
>
> This is done for many jobs of lesser importance
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to:
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn

----------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn