It
never ceases to amaze me what President Bush will do to
get what he wants.
The latest example was his parading of children
created from frozen embryos donated by one couple to
another. He used these families to combat the recent
passage by the House of a bill permitting limited stem
cell research, using human embryos that would have been
discarded by the parents. The bill is in jeopardy,
because Bush is threatening a veto, and right now there
aren't enough votes to overturn his veto.
Bush claims human embryos should only be used to make
people, and if the embryo's parents don't want their
little zygotes anymore, it's fine to dump them into the
incinerator.
The fight for embryonic stem cell research was shoved
into the spotlight by the late actor Christopher Reeve
and has been kept alive by Nancy Reagan, wife of late
President Reagan. Both Reeve and President Reagan could
have been helped greatly if more aggressive embryonic
stem cell research was allowed.
Bush says he believes using stem cells taken from
adults and umbilical-cord blood is good enough to help
find cures for the diseases that plague our world. But
research doesn't bear out this conclusion.
Stem cells from human embryos are superior to all
other alternatives, having vastly greater potential to
wipe out diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and
regenerate spinal cord tissue and eliminate a host of
other medical problems diseases and illnesses that are
draining our health insurance coffers.
It would stand to reason health insurance companies
would back stem cell research to lower reimbursement
costs for the treatment of these diseases, which they
claim are forcing them to raise premiums.
It would stand to reason Congress would back this
legislation, because huge payouts by Medicare and
Medicaid would plummet.
It would stand to reason life insurance companies
would climb on the bandwagon, because embryonic stem
cell research would reduce mortality, saving them
payouts for early deaths.
What about the drug companies? Where would this
research leave them? With fewer drugs to create, no more
overcharging patients and no more giving huge bonuses to
upper management. How in the world would they survive if
the possibility of genetically curing disease becomes a
reality?
Wait a minute: Could it be the health, life and
malpractice insurance companies like the current state
of affairs? Could it be they see a limit to their
enormous profits, if this lifesaving research achieves
its potential? Could it be they prefer suffering,
because it lines their pockets?
The health care industry relies on the suffering of
humanity to make a living. If embryonic stem cell
research is allowed to fulfill its potential, it could
put thousands of people out of work. This would provide
an entire new work force to improve our environment and
to end homelessness and would release funding to pay
teachers, firefighters and police officers the salaries
they deserve.
I can't think of better reasons to green-light
embryonic stem cell research
You can e-mail Barbara J. McKee at chairgrrl@chairgrrl.com.
Her column runs on Tuesdays.
