Manifesto Time
What’s the way forward for Republicans who want to stay true to their principles and win back the vital center? AJ has a big piece on the state of conservatism and its future here…much of it I agree with (lower taxes, resoluteness on the War on Terror, no litmus tests), and some of it I don’t (example: I think the Republican stance on stem cell research is out of step with where America is on the issue), but it’s good food for thought as we wind down another week…
Thanks Mark for the link. On Embryonic Stem Cells (not stem cells in general) would you say America would not support Embryonic Stem Cell Research if it was scientifically proven an Embryo was a human being – distinct and separate from the mother? And that scientific proof was valid in a court of law?
Because if you do, then you would have to understand America has been deceived on what an embryo is. I say this as someone who is scientifically trained. I am not a social conservative on this matter. I do not need faith to tell me what science already can prove. The creation of the human individual happens right at conception. From that moment on everything that happens is a stage in a life – not a different form of life.
I don’t know the science behind it, and I don’t pretend to…but I do think most Americans support it, that’s all.
Now, most Americans also support keeping abortion legal (and rare), even if they despise the procedure personally – and of course there are millions of pro-life Americans who find that stance totally unacceptable.
That’s all well and good…taking a stand on principle is admirable. I’m just saying that personally, I feel the stem cell issue has cut against Republicans, and it won’t help us win back the center.
Then there’s the whole issue of federal dollars for stem cell research, which has nuances of its own. So just my two cents that I think the Republican stance on this issue has been a political loser, regardless of whether it is morally right…
I understood the science seems complicated. What I was asking was whether you thought Americans would change their minds if it was shown the human was created at conception scientifcally and leagally? I think they would change their minds. And it is scientfically and legally the case. As much as the earth orbits the sun. Once told the truth, the dynamic will change.
Well, that’s an argument that has been going on for decades now with abortion, and of course, recently, in the stem cell arena. There are hard core partisans on both sides who will never be swayed by anything anyone says. And as a matter of priorities, I think it’s far down the list (for me – I, of course, respect others for whom the issue may mean a lot).
I just think where the government is involved, the economy and foreign policy are the proper arenas for us to concentrate our efforts at swaying the center back…
LOL! I understand there is a debate – but if it came out that science and law are unambiguous on the point of when a human life begins, I think this would completely change the dynamics. It is interesting that something that is as basic as 1+1 = 2 in the science world is considered debatable. If you are ever interested I can lay out the reasoning (which is not has bad as proving some basic math theorems). Anyway – I respect your opinion and wanted to see what you thought.
Take care, AJStrata
AJ,
I find it curious that stem cell research has shown definitive promise pertaining to Adult & Umbilical Stem Cells, but nada from Embryonic Stem Cell.
Easier to confuse the masses by lumping it all together and obscuring the distinct differences. Plus the brohaha over Fed funding.
Hey, if ESC was so promising, why has no one rushed to capitalize on R&D? Because they know there’s no there there. Short of a breakthru, they’d rather have Uncle Sam, read US taxpayers, foot the bill on a wild goose chase.
Plus for abortion proponents, if they can find a “cure”, it’d put the abortion debate to rest, at least in their minds & propaganda. They’d stentorily intone (oxymoron?
), “While abortion is a tragedy in of itself, yet we can celebrate that even in death it was not a total waste. Life and hope springs eternal” Or some psycho-babble to that effect
Contrast this to the genome race, private enterprise beat the Fed funded effort by a country mile and a half at a time when naysayers doubted it would take years to complete, if ever.
It’s telling that a similar effort hasn’t taken place already since there are no laws against it. Yet the anti-ESC crowd gets beaten over the head as if trying to “ban” a miracle, when the truth is really over funding research.