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I don't think we should underestimate the power of the opposition to ESCR. These folks have been organizing for years now, taking over state legislatures, school boards, forming "think" tanks, etc. I didn't realize this all started with Reagan until it really bloomed under Bush the Younger. It used to be medical research was not a political issue. I seriously doubt that Jonas Salk could have developed a polio vaccine today, since he used fetal tissue in his research. The "culture wars" are real and threaten to issue in a new Dark Ages IMHO. Ray Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] -------------------------------------------------- From: "Kathleen Cochran" <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 7:59 PM To: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Democrats Debate Methods to End Stem Cell Ban > "...such a legislative fight holds the potential to get the year off to a > difficult beginning..." > > Difficult is pretty much what's expected in every arena, one would think. > If > our president and our legislators shy away from "difficult," we are in > very > deep trouble indeed. > > Kathleen > > > 2009/1/3 [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > >> from: New York Times >> January 3, 2009Democrats Debate Methods to End Stem Cell Ban By CARL >> HULSEWASHINGTON — Thwarted by President Bush in their efforts to expand >> federal spending on embryonic stem cell research, Democrats are now >> debating >> whether to overturn federal restrictions through executive order or by >> legislation when they assume full control of the government this month. >> Both President-elect Barack Obama and Democratic Congressional leaders >> have >> made repealing Bush administration restrictions announced in 2001 a top >> priority. But they have yet to determine if Mr. Obama should quickly put >> his >> stamp on the issue by way of presidential directive, or if Congress >> should >> write a permanent policy into statute. >> The debate is not academic. Democrats who oppose abortion say such a >> legislative fight holds the potential to get the year off to a difficult >> beginning, even though the outcome is certain given solid majorities in >> both >> the House and the Senate for expanded embryonic stem cell research. >> "It is a very divisive issue, and it is a tough way to start," said >> Senator >> Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat from Nebraska. "You don't want to stumble >> out of the box." >> In addition, many of the Democratic gains in Congress, particularly in >> the >> House, have come in more conservative areas, with strategists estimating >> that up to 70 Democrats could find themselves in competitive races in >> 2010. >> Those potentially vulnerable lawmakers provide another consideration for >> leaders weighing whether to set an early test vote on what for some is a >> politically sensitive subject back home. >> At the same time, officials note that increasing federal spending on stem >> cell research is widely popular and has been a signature issue for >> Congressional Democrats in the last two elections, helping them defeat >> Republicans opposed to the concept. Many lawmakers would like to see it >> through to its legislative conclusion. >> "I myself would favor legislation, so it is the law," Speaker Nancy >> Pelosi, >> Democrat of California, said this week. >> In the end, Ms. Pelosi and representatives of the incoming Obama >> administration say it is likely that Mr. Obama will move quickly to roll >> back the Bush policy, with Congress following with a comprehensive >> initiative that addresses a more far-reaching federal provision limiting >> the >> scientific work. >> That result would be welcomed by Representative Diana DeGette, Democrat >> of >> Colorado and an author of the stem cell measure twice vetoed by Mr. >> Bush — >> once in 2006 when Republicans still controlled Congress and again in 2007 >> after Democrats took over. >> Ms. DeGette said her view was that Mr. Obama should act to hasten any new >> research rather than see a bill get tied up in the early days of the >> session. Congress can then draft its own, more detailed version providing >> money for new research and dealing with ethical issues surrounding the >> stem >> cell question. >> "I think we can do this in a win-win situation," she said. >> Democrats also say they hope to reduce the divisiveness of the debate by >> framing the stem cell policy as more of a health care issue with the >> potential to provide new treatments, and less of a fight that spills over >> into the abortion arena. >> But anti-abortion leaders in Congress say that they are determined to >> resist changes in the stem cell policy and that their opponents will be >> held >> accountable at home, even if the political climate in Washington has >> shifted. >> "Pro-life members in both caucuses will fight strongly to preserve >> sanctity >> of life ethics," said Representative Joe Pitts, Republican of >> Pennsylvania. >> "If they force it by legislation, those will be the votes the pro-life >> community will score to educate the voters as to where members stand on >> these issues." >> Last year, it seemed that the human embryo dispute was about to become >> moot. Two groups of researchers, followed shortly by a third, >> independently >> reported that they could convert human skin cells into embryonic stem >> cells, >> bypassing embryos altogether. And immediately, the field of embryonic >> stem >> cell research began to explode. Laboratories that had steered clear of >> the >> field because of the sheer difficulty of working within the constraints >> of >> the ban on federal financing realized they could simply make their own >> stem >> cells from skin cells and study them, with no impediments. >> But stem cells from human embryos are still very much needed, researchers >> say. The federal ban has meant that only a small group of researchers has >> worked with those cells, but if the ban were lifted, it is likely that >> more >> laboratories would get involved and science would move forward faster. >> "At this point, adult cell reprogramming is still new enough that it is >> conceivable that there will be a fly in the ointment," said Sean J. >> Morrison, director of the Center for Stem Cell Biology at the University >> of >> Michigan. >> In the meantime, those who have the facilities to work with both types of >> stem cells are doing so. >> Stem cells from human embryos, "are the gold standard," said Dr. George >> Q. >> Daley, a stem cell researcher at Children's Hospital in Boston and the >> Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Before they can be replaced by cells derived >> from skin cells, researchers have to know, at a detailed molecular level, >> how similar the two types of stem cells are, and how different. >> "There are still so many unknowns," Dr. Daley said. "I am going to >> continue >> to have my lab use both at the same time." >> What is certain, Democrats say, is that they will, at minimum, reverse >> Mr. >> Bush's policy and open the way to more federal aid to such research. >> Gina Kolata contributed reporting from New York. >> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/washington/03stem.html?_r=1&th&emc=th >> >> >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn