a rock and a hard place
The President today vetoed a bill that would allow research on stem cells harvested from embryo's that were slated to be discarded. Watch the news and headlines for all manner of histrionics and posturing from both sides of the debate.
It is significant that the Senate passed the bill by a solid majority, (though short of the 2/3's need to override the Presidents action). It was a political 'gimme' . It allows some members of the Senate, (who, coincidentally face tough reelection challenges), to vote a 'moderate' stance with no fear of backlash, as the bill was going to be vetoed anyway. It will be quite educational to see what senators that voted for the measure vote not to override the veto. Those parties can be safely classified as whores, and deserve nothing save contempt and defeat at the polls.
It will also be educational to monitor the comments that are sure to come from all engaged parties in this fight. Listen to what is said, and what is not, and how and where it is said. This is an excellent chance to measure the character of those who speak out by how they address the issue, directly, or by pandering to vague emotions and sound bites.
In the title, I mentioned a rock and a hard place. I am in one right now, as I tend to agree that this bill, overall, was not beneficial to our society or humankind in general. I have my own reasons for believing this, but I am aware that my understanding of the issue is, like most lay peoples, superficial. The issue is quite complex, and the rationale behind anyone's opinion is, most likely, of a gut nature, and cannot be adequately expressed in one or two paragraphs.
Over sixty years ago, in Europe, the Nazi government of Germany conducted all manner of medical and physiological experiments and research on human subjects that were going to die anyway. These incidents are widely agreed upon to be ghastly, a stain on the history of humanity, (not just the Nazi's, though there is a special place in hell for them). In the interest of objectivity, looking past the HUGE moral issues, the experiments were not simply casual cruelty and sadism, they were methodically designed, and the results recorded, in the interests extending the base of scientific knowledge, as it was at the time. When the war ended, the data collected was sealed, hopefully forever, on the premise that any good that could come from this data could never, ever justify the misery and horror that went into collecting it. It remains sealed today, and rightfully so.
In Washington, D.C., we are faced with a question of using human embryonic tissue, that is slated for disposal anyway, (that friends is another issue), to benefit the rest of humanity as a whole. Without regard for the scientific element, a decision was made that to cheapen the value of one individual, (regardless of its apparent fate or biologically unevolved status), is to cheapen the value of us all. I cannot disagree with that, but I cannot wholly endorse the Presidents logic either. I am not convinced on the one hand that this particular method of pursuing this study is the only one available, (I am convinced that this particular avenue is what might be characterized as "low hanging fruit", that is, a cheap, quick way of possibly turning some big bucks), nor am I convinced that this avenue is totally immoral or unjustified. This is an issue that deserves a vigorous public airing and debate. The ramifications to each of us, as individuals, and as individual political entities, is enormous. This deserves more than a curt veto and the usual "I am President and that is that..." attitude. The White House, the Congress, the scientific and religious communities are failing in the same way.....presenting an all or nothing alternative rather than convincing the public and winning the hearts, minds and votes of those who are impacted, (and those that may speak in their behalf).
As far as the veto goes, I suppose that even a dumbass hits the mark sometimes, by design or just dumb luck. I confess to the notion that it would be nice if he would put that same principle, (to denigrate the status of one is to denigrate us all) into operation while he is screwing the country and the citizenry on every other front.
W is still a dumbass, and a very poor President.
update 1:
it should be recognized that this bill merely stops the infusion of federal tax dollars into this initiative. will we see the heavy hitters in the pharmaceutical industry step up and fund what may be the profit engines of the future?
It is significant that the Senate passed the bill by a solid majority, (though short of the 2/3's need to override the Presidents action). It was a political 'gimme' . It allows some members of the Senate, (who, coincidentally face tough reelection challenges), to vote a 'moderate' stance with no fear of backlash, as the bill was going to be vetoed anyway. It will be quite educational to see what senators that voted for the measure vote not to override the veto. Those parties can be safely classified as whores, and deserve nothing save contempt and defeat at the polls.
It will also be educational to monitor the comments that are sure to come from all engaged parties in this fight. Listen to what is said, and what is not, and how and where it is said. This is an excellent chance to measure the character of those who speak out by how they address the issue, directly, or by pandering to vague emotions and sound bites.
In the title, I mentioned a rock and a hard place. I am in one right now, as I tend to agree that this bill, overall, was not beneficial to our society or humankind in general. I have my own reasons for believing this, but I am aware that my understanding of the issue is, like most lay peoples, superficial. The issue is quite complex, and the rationale behind anyone's opinion is, most likely, of a gut nature, and cannot be adequately expressed in one or two paragraphs.
Over sixty years ago, in Europe, the Nazi government of Germany conducted all manner of medical and physiological experiments and research on human subjects that were going to die anyway. These incidents are widely agreed upon to be ghastly, a stain on the history of humanity, (not just the Nazi's, though there is a special place in hell for them). In the interest of objectivity, looking past the HUGE moral issues, the experiments were not simply casual cruelty and sadism, they were methodically designed, and the results recorded, in the interests extending the base of scientific knowledge, as it was at the time. When the war ended, the data collected was sealed, hopefully forever, on the premise that any good that could come from this data could never, ever justify the misery and horror that went into collecting it. It remains sealed today, and rightfully so.
In Washington, D.C., we are faced with a question of using human embryonic tissue, that is slated for disposal anyway, (that friends is another issue), to benefit the rest of humanity as a whole. Without regard for the scientific element, a decision was made that to cheapen the value of one individual, (regardless of its apparent fate or biologically unevolved status), is to cheapen the value of us all. I cannot disagree with that, but I cannot wholly endorse the Presidents logic either. I am not convinced on the one hand that this particular method of pursuing this study is the only one available, (I am convinced that this particular avenue is what might be characterized as "low hanging fruit", that is, a cheap, quick way of possibly turning some big bucks), nor am I convinced that this avenue is totally immoral or unjustified. This is an issue that deserves a vigorous public airing and debate. The ramifications to each of us, as individuals, and as individual political entities, is enormous. This deserves more than a curt veto and the usual "I am President and that is that..." attitude. The White House, the Congress, the scientific and religious communities are failing in the same way.....presenting an all or nothing alternative rather than convincing the public and winning the hearts, minds and votes of those who are impacted, (and those that may speak in their behalf).
As far as the veto goes, I suppose that even a dumbass hits the mark sometimes, by design or just dumb luck. I confess to the notion that it would be nice if he would put that same principle, (to denigrate the status of one is to denigrate us all) into operation while he is screwing the country and the citizenry on every other front.
W is still a dumbass, and a very poor President.
update 1:
it should be recognized that this bill merely stops the infusion of federal tax dollars into this initiative. will we see the heavy hitters in the pharmaceutical industry step up and fund what may be the profit engines of the future?
posted by eccentric recluse at 12:00 PM
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