Blogging Against Senator Sam Brownback Since March 2005
The Heritage Foundation reports on Senator Sam Brownback and US Beef:
Seoul will soon import boneless U.S. beef from cattle less than 30 months old. Although he made it clear that “more needs to be done,” Senator Sam Brownback (R-KA) applauded South Korea’s beef decision, saying that “their decision to allow imports from cattle under 30 months of age is especially appreciated, given that neighboring Japan has ignored science and set its limit at 20 months.”
Now I’ll be the first to admit what I know about the beef industry could fit between two buns, but the Brownback quote jumped out at me for other reasons. Brownback has the audacity to claim someone else ignores science? Let me jump onto my stem cells soapbox.
If he truly believed in science, he would support stem cell research. If he wasn’t blinded by religious dogma he would push exploration into therapies that could help so many people live better lives. You really have to wonder about a person who would let people die long deaths of Alzheimer’s disease in order to prevent cells that were going to be thrown out anyway from being used for science. What principle! What compassion! What a crock of shit.
Always remember: Senator Sam Brownback Hates Children With Diabetes
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Blogging Against Senator Sam Brownback Since March 2005
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January 25th, 2006 at 6:47 am
“If he truly believed in science, he would support stem cell research. If he wasn’t blinded by religious dogma he would push exploration into therapies that could help so many people live better lives. You really have to wonder about a person who would let people die long deaths of Alzheimer’s disease in order to prevent cells that were going to be thrown out anyway from being used for science. What principle! What compassion! What a crock of shit. Always remember: Senator Sam Brownback Hates Children With Diabetes”
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First, me thinks Sen Brownback does support stem cell research. In fact, didn’t he recently vote for the Stem Cell Therapeutic & Research Act which authorized millions of dollars in new federal funding for the collection and storage of cord blood units from ethnically-diverse cord blood donors and the establishment of a public cord blood bank network. As well, I’m pretty certain he is a proponent of adult stem cell research.
Next, let’s discuss what science actually says about stem cell research. There is little evidence of the effectiveness of embryonic stem cells. Proponents have yet to take even one dish of embryonic stem cells and have these cells change into one specific cell, i.e., a heart cell or brain cell. Based on experiments to date, it’s not safe to even try and apply them to patients. On the other hand, adult stem cells are today already at work in patients. It has been documented, through published scientific papers, that there are over 65 human diseases, where patients are better already, having been effectively treated through adult stem cells. That’s the science for you, not religious dogma, but science.
Even the American public recognizes that adult stem cell research has greater promise over ESCR 44% to 7%! (Virginia Commonwealth University poll, Sep 05.) And you mention that the embryos which would be used are going to be thrown away anyhow. Well, not necessarily true. There are adoption programs and in some cases the biological parents do not want these embryos used for research. And private research continues and several states are spending money already, as is the federal government.
This is likely all about money than anything else. Yes, the money that could be made by harvesting late embryonic and fetal body parts for use in regenerative medicine and organ transplantation. Those looking to make a buck here will not call for this openly of course, instead they will dismiss the actual advances made with adult stem cell research and tout the supposed promise of ESCR. And just think Nate, you are helping enable that. Great job!