Where's the Outrage?

• The Department of Justice has gone back to the US District Court to ask for a stay in the court’s injunction preventing embryonic stem cell research.
• Although the mainstream press has tried to paint Glenn Beck as a changed man, I’m not sure that I saw much change. I know that he is not responsible for the actions of every single individual at his rallies but there was plenty of ugliness at his rally. Oh, by the way, was Glenn Beck’s rally much like a 12 step program?
• I’m not sure what it says about your preparation when you freeze during your opening statement. Governor Jan Brewer did just that. The governor has gone to greater and greater lengths to explain why she has to take such a harsh stance against illegal immigration. Back in July she stated that, “our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert, either buried or just lying out there, that have been beheaded.” No news or law enforcement agency is able to verify this shocking claim. Reporters ask her about this discrepancy (below)

• While we are struggling through the worst recession since the Great Depression, it appears that many CEOs, especially those who’ve laid off the most workers, are doing just fine.
• We know that tax cuts for the rich work… this is just intuitive. We don’t need any data. We know this just like we know breathing is good and not breathing is bad. At least that’s what Representative Mike Pence would have us believe.
• House Democrats are saying no to Social Security cuts.
• Federal income taxes on the middle class are at historically low levels. I wonder if McCain were in office if we would hear all of this about tax cuts.
• I know that the Dallas Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins in the final preseason game of the yea. I’m not sure that the Dallas Cowboys have given us, the fans, much to look forward to. Our offensive line has been simply awful. As far as I know, it is really hard to pass or run without an effective offensive line. I will not pretend to know what’s wrong. I will only say that, in the simplest of terms, the offensive line is about blocking someone on the defensive line for a couple of seconds. We don’t seem to be able to do this. (By the way, do you have your fantasy football team lined up?)

Tags: Economy, House of Representatives, Sports, Stem Cell by ecthompson md
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Although stem cell research passed, it is not enough to overturn a veto.

I have mentioned this before on this blog and on Daily Kos. Stem Cell may or may not provide the promises that we have all heard of. I don’t understand the objection that some people have to stem cell research. A cluster of cells is not a human life. A blastocyst is about 100 cells. If you say that 100 cells is a human life then 2 cells would be a human life also. What about 1 cell? Then an egg and a sperm must be a human life also. If you remove an ovary are you killing a human life? Finally, if an embryo is going to be destroyed anyway wouldn’t it be better to use the embryo for research?

From NYT:

The Democratic-controlled House Thursday passed a bill bolstering embryonic stem cell research that advocates say shows promise for numerous medical cures.

But the 253-174 vote fell short of the two-thirds margin required to overturn President Bush’s promised veto, despite gains made by supporters in the November elections. Bush vetoed identical legislation last year and the White House on Thursday promised he would veto it again.

The White House said the bill — the third bill of the Democrats’ first 100 hours agenda to pass the House — ”would use federal taxpayer dollars to support and encourage the destruction of human life for research.” (more…)

Tags: Domestic Issues, Stem Cell by ecthompson md
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Well, leave it to the Cobert Report to jump on this obscure article and merge it with stem cell research and produce something really funny. 

TCR - Expecting [ 4:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Stem Cell by ecthompson md
No Comments »

I wrote this for the Daily Kos

For reasons that are, self-serving, politicians always ask us to think of the children. I would like you to think of… yourselves for a moment.

Limiting stem cell research is amoral. There is no other way to look at this. There is no slippery slope. There is no justification for people who understand the promises of science and the laws of the Bible.

As a physician, I am very aware of the benefits, the possible benefits, a stem cell research. For a moment think of yourself as a 25 year old who is riding a motorcycle and loses control. You wake up in the hospital, one week later you were on a breathing machine and you’re being fed through a tube in your nose going into your stomach. Your family tells you that you’re paralyzed from the neck down but because of the modern miracle of stem cell research, stem cells have been implanted into your spinal cord. You were expected to make a full recovery. You should be able to walk within six months. You will have a full recovery!

[Read more →]

Tags: Domestic Issues, Stem Cell by ecthompson md
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