President Obama signed the executive order to restore science back into the forefront.
According to HuffPo:
Obama signed the executive order on the divisive stem cell issue and a memo addressing what he called scientific integrity before an East Room audience packed with scientists. He laced his remarks with several jabs at the way science was handled by former President George W. Bush.
"Promoting science isn't just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry," Obama said. "It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."
He said his memorandum is meant to restore "scientific integrity to government decision-making." He called it the beginning of a process of ensuring his administration bases its decision on sound science; appoints scientific advisers based on their credentials, not their politics; and is honest about the science behind its decisions.
Fulfilling a campaign promise, Obama signed the order that on stem cell research that supporters believe could uncover cures for serious ailments from diabetes to paralysis. Proponents from former first lady Nancy Reagan to the late actor Christopher Reeve had pushed for ending the restrictions on research.
Fantastic, you can almost hear the religious crazies screaming how God will be in tears over this. In fact:
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, criticized Obama, saying in a statement that the president had "rolled back important protections for innocent life, further dividing our nation at a time when we need greater unity to tackle the challenges before us."
Boehner...hush.
5 comments:
It feels so strange to have an intelligent man in office.
Boehner seems like an appropriate last name....
Christopher Reeve is dead!?
I'm happy that the restricting on funding has been lifted, because it does allow scientist to pursue other venues blocked by dubious religious ideology--after all the embryos would be thrown away anyway essentially killing them without no medical benefit.
Anyway, I think this entire issue has been extremely politicized on both sides, to the point that any discussion about the (secular) ethical reservations that exist cannot take place. Thankfully the Obama administration left room in his executive order for that discussion to take place later.
Finally, after almost a decade of limiting taxpayer money for research president Barrack Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research today. Let's think of how many Americans are suffering from ailments and what this research can do for them. I'm sure everyone reading this knows someone important to them that is affected by one of these maladies such as Parkinson's, repairing spinal cord injuries as well as treating diabetes, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and many more defects.
AMEN. As one who was adopted with a slew and I mean slew of issues it has been a long time comin' :)
By the way. . .. PBS should really consider re-airing 3 2 1 CONTACT! Oh that brings me back!
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