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I don't believe that religion or politics should play a role in the development of scientific knowledge. Just a few years ago (and after four hundred years) the Pope finally conceded that Galileo was wrongly prosecuted and imprisoned for supporting the blampheous ideas of Copernicus. Leonardo Da Vinci had to secretly study anatomy. The list is long. The history of science is filled with political and social obstacles that were put in the pathway of the development of knowledge. I don't believe embryos should be created and harvested for any cells. But it seems that every week new discoveries in biomedical science are being made that get around that issue so that stem cells can be created and turned on without sacrificing a fetus. Science is evolving at an exponetial rate and politics should not inhibit the process. David Lewin, Ph.D. >From: Rayilyn Brown <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: RePresidential powers/Fink >Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 22:05:32 EST > >Dr. Fink, >thank you for pointing out that it is certainly the job of Congress to make >the laws. The President can sign or veto legislation and it can be passed >with >greater numbers over his veto. > >My students had to be pried away from their belief that the President makes >the laws. However, the President does set policy and propose laws, for >which >he uses his political abilities and allies to get passed . > >As Greg has correctly pointed out there are such things as "Executive >Orders" - by Executive Order I understand that Clinton rescinded this ban >on stem >cell research, then Bush revived it. Clinton had to contend with a >Republican >Congress, Bush has all 3 branches of the government, so he should be able >to >get what he wants. Obviously, he does not want stem cell research, I heard >him say "We must not create life to destroy it", etc., etc. I think Bush's >positions are well known. Now we are hearing the positions of the >Democratic >candidates for President. If we have a strong President and a weak >Congress, or >vice versa, people still are interested in the President's position on >issues >like abortion, where Bush is trying to pack the courts with right wing >judges. > >The powers of the 3 branches of government were intended to balance each >other, but they don't always do that. > >I have a question for Bush and you, Dr. Fink, just whose life am I taking >if >I use SCNT an unfertilized egg and my own DNA to cure my Parkinson's >Disease? > >I very definitely do not believe that non-existent entities, the "preborn" >blastocysts, cells, are people. I can understand people not wanting to >harvest >fetuses for their body parts, but these proposed laws make that illegal. I >have great and deep anger against George W. Bush and his friends for >standing in >the way of medical research. > >You may think this is selfish of me, that like Chris Reeve, it's just my >tough luck and I should just wait til something comes along that is >acceptable to >you and others who do not have PD, but I think it is a crime against >humanity >to block research, when scientists think it may hold promise of cures. >Just >think how much cheaper cures would be than the current medical and >prescription >drug mess. > >Ray > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >mailto:[log in to unmask] >In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn _________________________________________________________________ Learn how to choose, serve, and enjoy wine at Wine @ MSN. http://wine.msn.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn