Veto = Death Sentence

President Bush issued his very first veto today and now thousands will die.

No, that's not an exaggeration, the "Right to Lifer's" have essentially signed the death warrant for people with genetic diseases. Oh sure some will say it's "God's Way" but don't we have a purpose to find a way to save more people? This is oxymoronic - Bush's vetoes the Stem Cell legislation (a bill supported by Nancy Regan) while posing with babies in the east room of the White House, the same children that may someday develop a genetic disease and die due to the government not agreeing to support stem cell research.

"Murder" was the key word used by White House Spokesman Tony Snow to explain the veto today; "Murder" is exactly what the administration has committed to appease their Conservative base. If thousands of embryos in IVF clinics are discarded every year (they have expired, developed for Infertility treatments, etc) but the disposal has not been banned or outlawed. Why?

Researchers are limited to 21 current lines of stem cells that are provided by the NIH, but many of these lines, according to researchers, are contaminated with mouse cells and are not productive to find cures for Parkinson's, Spinal Injury, and diabetes. Why?

72% of Americans support Stem-Cell Research, yet you issue a veto, Why? (But then the answer to this one is you don't listen to polls).

The answer to these questions will arise in the Midterms and will no doubt become a key part of the 2008 election. But how can this become a major issue for the Republican Party when members of the Republican Party voted for the bill and against the Veto? If Democrats are smart we can used the words that have been said by the White House to help us, remind Americans that whatever actions save the largest number of Americans possible we need to take it.

Veto = "No Hope for the Future and the car is stuck in reverse." Other countries will leapfrog us in genetics and medicines while the United States will be sitting on the curb with the paper-bag that holds our moral compass. While Federal funding may not be there for this research, California has a chance to take the lead, if we as a "Blue" state take the lead with the California Stem Cell Initiative and our research institutions, future presidential administrations (Be it D or R, heck, possibly "Other" at this point) will make up for the mistake that the Bush Administration made today.