8.13.2004
Young Ronny On The Stem Cell Tip
First Lady Laura Bush spoke in Michigan on Monday defending the Shrub's stance on stem cell research.
"...I know that embryonic stem cell research is very preliminary and the implication that cures for Alzheimer's are around the corner is just not right, and it's really not fair to the people who are watching a loved one suffer from this disease."
First of all, I might point out that Mrs. Bush has no doctoral degree of any type, so how she "knows" anything about stem cell research's limits in the short-term is beyond me. The comments were made to defend the Republican's Party's choice to limit research, though most of the American public openly supports stem cell research.
Enter Ronald Reagan, Jr, son of (R) President Ronald Reagan, who recently died of complications after suffering from Alzheimer's. Ronny has done his homework and gave a compelling speech at the Democratic National Convention just two weeks ago. He felt the need to repond to Lady Bush and did just that in the opinion pages of the NY Times:
"With due respect to Laura Bush, neither I nor any credible scientist I know working in the field of embryonic stem cell research has ever suggested that a cure for Alzheimer's disease is "around the corner."
The outlook for diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, to name a few, is, however, far more promising.
I agree with Mrs. Bush that moral concerns should be "dealt with" and welcome the day that her husband's administration undertakes to do so without spin and misinformation."
OUCH. Take off the gloves, Ronny! Them's some scandalous alegations! But seriously, he makes an important argument: this administration is well known for being hypocritical about many issues. The problem here is that the majority of Americans overwhelmingly support this type of research and do believe that it will pay off in the end. Few doctors will disagree with that view, either. Perhaps Mrs. Bush will learn to pick her fights more carefully. Teresa Heinz-Kerry might speak her mind, but she is mindful to speak up on issues she's knowledgeable about(let's not forget her years of service with the UN). Mrs. Bush on the other hand...well, I'm not sure what she's prepared to speak about, but I'm sureit invovles housekeeping and raising party-animal daughters.
"...I know that embryonic stem cell research is very preliminary and the implication that cures for Alzheimer's are around the corner is just not right, and it's really not fair to the people who are watching a loved one suffer from this disease."
First of all, I might point out that Mrs. Bush has no doctoral degree of any type, so how she "knows" anything about stem cell research's limits in the short-term is beyond me. The comments were made to defend the Republican's Party's choice to limit research, though most of the American public openly supports stem cell research.
Enter Ronald Reagan, Jr, son of (R) President Ronald Reagan, who recently died of complications after suffering from Alzheimer's. Ronny has done his homework and gave a compelling speech at the Democratic National Convention just two weeks ago. He felt the need to repond to Lady Bush and did just that in the opinion pages of the NY Times:
"With due respect to Laura Bush, neither I nor any credible scientist I know working in the field of embryonic stem cell research has ever suggested that a cure for Alzheimer's disease is "around the corner."
The outlook for diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, to name a few, is, however, far more promising.
I agree with Mrs. Bush that moral concerns should be "dealt with" and welcome the day that her husband's administration undertakes to do so without spin and misinformation."
OUCH. Take off the gloves, Ronny! Them's some scandalous alegations! But seriously, he makes an important argument: this administration is well known for being hypocritical about many issues. The problem here is that the majority of Americans overwhelmingly support this type of research and do believe that it will pay off in the end. Few doctors will disagree with that view, either. Perhaps Mrs. Bush will learn to pick her fights more carefully. Teresa Heinz-Kerry might speak her mind, but she is mindful to speak up on issues she's knowledgeable about(let's not forget her years of service with the UN). Mrs. Bush on the other hand...well, I'm not sure what she's prepared to speak about, but I'm sureit invovles housekeeping and raising party-animal daughters.
