House Defies Bush, Approves Stem Cell Bill

[journey]

House Defies Bush, Approves Stem Cell Bill

Published: 5/25/05

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called Wednesday for a swift vote on House-passed legislation to expand federal support of embryonic stem cell research and said President Bush was "wrong politically, morally and scientifically" for opposing the measure.

Echoing claims made by House supporters of the legislation, the Nevada Democrat said embryonic stem cell research holds the promise of helping millions afflicted with diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease and other illnesses.

He urged an "up-or-down vote," meaning one with no amendments allowed.

Reid made his comments on the day after the House approved legislation on vote of 238-154 - far less than the two-thirds support that would be needed to override a veto Bush has threatened.

"There's no chance it will become law," said Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., one of numerous abortion foes to oppose the House measure. "I don't know why the Senate would bother taking it up."

A companion Senate bill is sponsored by Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa and Arlen Specter, R-Pa. It would lift Bush's 2001 restrictions on federal funding for new embryonic stem cell research. Senate opponents have threatened a filibuster, and it is not clear whether supporters could amass the 60 votes that would be needed to overcome it.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has not scheduled the measure for floor debate.

"The American people cannot afford to wait any longer for our top scientists to realize the full potential of stem cell research," said Harkin of Iowa, the bill's chief Democratic sponsor.

The Republican-controlled House's 238-194 vote on Tuesday stung some abortion opponents even though it fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Such an action by Bush would be the first of his presidency.

Bush says he opposes the bill because it would open the way for federally funded research that could create life to destroy it.

Proponents say federal funding for the research on days-old embryos, using a process that destroys them, would accelerate the search for treatments and perhaps cures for diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. They say the embryos would have been discarded anyway.

Opponents dispute that, questioning any evidence that embryonic stem cell research will lead to cures. They say taxpayers should not be forced to finance science they see as an attack on unborn babies and Bush's "culture of life."

Bush on Tuesday called the House bill "a mistake."

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., one of the Senate's staunchest opponents of abortion, said he was "disheartened" by the House's approval but pleased by Bush's veto threat.

"Government should encourage lifesaving research, but should focus on science that both works and is ethical," he said.

The bill's supporters said the Senate should weigh in despite the opposition.

"Let's have an up-or-down vote," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said in an interview.

The medical promise of embryonic stem cell research prompted several House members of both parties who oppose abortion rights to vote yes nonetheless. The moral obligation, they argued, rested on Congress to fund research that could lead to cures for debilitating illnesses.

"Who can say that prolonging a life is not pro-life?" said Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., who said she had a "perfect" pro-life record and whose mother-in-law had died the night before of Alzheimer's disease.

"I must follow my heart on this and cast a vote in favor," she said.

"Being pro-life also means fighting for policies that will eliminate pain and suffering," said Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., who was paralyzed at 16 in a gun accident.

But Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas and other House members who voted against the bill said that even if this type of embryonic stem cell research were proven to cure disease, forcing taxpayers to foot the bill would still be wrong.

"In the life of men and nations some mistakes you can't undo," DeLay said as he closed the House debate. "If we afford the little embryo any shred of respect and dignity we cannot in good faith use taxpayer dollars to destroy them."

He and Bush urged passage of another measure which would fund research and treatment on stem cells derived instead from umbilical cord blood and adults.

That bill passed 430-1, with Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, the lone no vote.

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Do you support this bill?

[SLCPUNK]

Bush says he opposes the bill because it would open the way for federally funded research that could create life to destroy it.

This guy is an absolute hypocrite, what a joke.

Many of these republicans are for stem cell once Reagan joined the diaper patrol years back.

Bush's opposition to it reminds me of PETA....

[journey]

I do support this bill. That's not to say I support abortion, but as long as it remains legal, I think something good should come from it. By using stem cells, scientists say they can find cures for Alzheimer's, paralysis, diabetes, etc..

My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease. Now my aunt has it, and she's only 50 years old. I don't think a lot of people grasp the seriousness of this illness. It robs people of their memory and livelihood. By the time I was born my grandmother already had the illness, so I didn't get to witness the transition from her healthy state.  My aunt, however, was very energetic and outgoing. Now she walks really slow, barely speaks and she can't remember anyone. It's sad to see her like that, because it's not her.

[SLCPUNK]

I do support this bill. That's not to say I support abortion, but as long as it remains legal, I think something good should come from it. By using stem cells, scientists say they can find cures for Alzheimer's, paralysis, diabetes, etc..

My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease. Now my aunt has it, and she's only 50 years old. I don't think a lot of people grasp the seriousness of this illness. It robs people of their memory and livelihood. By the time I was born my grandmother already had the illness, so I didn't get to witness the transition from her healthy state.? My aunt, however, was very energetic and outgoing. Now she walks really slow, barely speaks and she can't remember anyone. It's sad to see her like that, because it's not her.

It is a horrible thing to watch indeed. I have seen it with both sides of my family. It is slow, and very painful to watch. Very sad indeed.

I am not really in support of abortion, however I believe that it should be up to the woman to decide.

I believe there are great things that can come from stem cell research and I am for it.

I also believe that the long term use of chemicals in our diet plays a role in this and should be avoided at all costs.

As usual most people change their minds on things once it becomes part of their life (Nancy Reagan dealing with her ailing husband).

[D]

Anything that could cure disease I am for.

So absolutely I am for it.

Im for cloning also, If I could have a clone of myself and Id be able to get a new heart or a new set of lungs or a couple new sticks when my current sticks fail me, hell yeah!

If I can get some new stones cloned in case I ever get testicular cancer, That is awesome!

i dont want little souless lab made creatures runnin around though.


*Sticks are slang for legs by the way*

[SLCPUNK]

Im for cloning also, If I could have a clone of myself and Id be able to get a new heart or a new set of lungs or a couple new sticks when my current sticks fail me, hell yeah!

I don't like clowns....or midgets....

They freak me out.



 

[highvoltage]

Good.

I'm a Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetic, and Stem Cells could potentially cure me. If I have to go over to America to get treatment, then I will.

[N.I.B]

as a catholic i oppose this, as well as abortion and gay marrige. the worlds goin down the drain. only a matter or time....

[SLCPUNK]

as a catholic i oppose this, as well as abortion and gay marrige. the worlds goin down the drain. only a matter or time....

Here is a question for ya.

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

[jgfnsr]

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

About as much as the Iraq war affects your life directly.

Tit for tat my man.?

[SLCPUNK]

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

About as much as the Iraq war affects your life directly.

Tit for tat my man.?

You should rethink your statement Mr Poor Analogy man.

It does affect my life because it is my tax money going foward to kill people around the world. So I have all the right as a hard working American tax-payer to speak up against the misuse of power with my dollars.

Gay marriage and abortion are personal issues brought into the public spotlight to take us away from the true issues facing this country.

Going to war and thousands upon thousands of people is a global issue that affects us all and our children as well. Since they will be paying for the war long after I'm dead.

Care to explain how Gay marriage or abortion affect you?

How does it make your life worse? Or better?

Answer: it doesn't. Mind your own fuckin' business.

[conny]

@SLCPUNK

The next logical step after gay marriage is gay couples adopting children because they can't have any. But gay couples shall never have children not because I don't want them to, but because NATURE doesn't want them to. As for marriage, this is something to protect and support the family. And a family (by my standarts) is not a couple. For me, a family is a man and a woman able to produce FRESH BLOOD (= kids) and it's people RELATED to each other because they share the SAME BLOOD. Not gonna happen ever for gay couples, so they should not call themselves family and should not benefit from the special status of marriage. Gays have to accept that they are special - not by my standarts or those of the society, but by the standarts of NATURE.

Same goes for cloning. It's people fucking with nature, nothing else. The Nazis tried that 60 years ago already with "natural selection" and killing gays, retards, the sick, the jews and everything that didn't suit their idea of the "perfect human". Didn't work, did it? Today, cloning is based on even lower intentions: people don't even want to "upgrade" the human race anymore, they are just afraid to die because their lifes are so empty! That's all. But death is a part of life. People have to accept this, but they can't. So they start cloning their pets, then next they gonna clone themselves just so they have backup parts for their body and they can live longer. I understand the fears that drive those poeple to do that, but those people do not understand nature. And in fuckin with nature, people only fuck themselves.

Abortion? The more strangers you fuck, the higher the risk for "accidents" is. But if you are in a relationship with someone you love, have perpectives, faith and the guts to take responsibility in your life, then I think abortion is not the first option. I'm not saying "no sex before marriage", the point is: today at least 50% of the women who abort do it because it is more "convenient" than raising kids - and maybe it was an accident and the guy who is the father was a one night stand or the women rather want to focus on their career and everything. Does that justify abortion? Not for me. After a rape and if there's a higher than 50% risk that the child would be mentally retarded - yes. But in any other case - no. If you're old enough to fuck, then you're old enough to take the fucking responsibility.

But it's a social problem - kids grow up with having sex hammered in their head all the time. It's all around them, and it's a sport, a lifestyle and it's so fucking empty. A lot of the kids prefer to jerk of in front of a screen rather than going out and making social contact because they are disoriented and so fucking scared. And when they finally "score" and "get laid", not only do they have no idea WHAT they are doing - they don't even know WHY they do it!

So except for 12 year old kids who abort and 16 year old trailer park moms who already have three kids and their life behind them - what have we got? Instead of making love and giving their DNA to their kids so something of them can live and carry on, people fuck their own gender, fuck for fun and sport and then start cloning themselves, hoping to cure diseases in large parts caused by their own fucked up degenerated lifestyles.

Does that affect my life? Yes. Because I'm praying for those people. Every single one of them.

[hyperionmax2003]

Finally, somebody with some sense.

[N.I.B]

as a catholic i oppose this, as well as abortion and gay marrige. the worlds goin down the drain. only a matter or time....

Here is a question for ya.

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

Abortion: Taking life before it has a chance to develope. According to the church, live happens as soon as the egss fertalized. i know i know not everyones cathloic, but still, killing is wrong.

Gay marrige: Plz. Now gay marrige is an issue. Marrigie is a sacrament, given by the church. Church sees marrige as man and wife and a deliberate exclusion of procreation is no acceptable. Gays cant procreate, u figure it out.

[SLCPUNK]

as a catholic i oppose this, as well as abortion and gay marrige. the worlds goin down the drain. only a matter or time....

Here is a question for ya.

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

Abortion: Taking life before it has a chance to develope. According to the church, live happens as soon as the egss fertalized. i know i know not everyones cathloic, but still, killing is wrong.

Gay marrige: Plz. Now gay marrige is an issue. Marrigie is a sacrament, given by the church. Church sees marrige as man and wife and a deliberate exclusion of procreation is no acceptable. Gays cant procreate, u figure it out.

OK, first you avoided my question.

You are forgetting that everybody has a different opinion on different issues. Although I am sure that you believe you hold the ultimate truth, you must face the fact plenty others will disagree with you.

So before you put your moral and religous views in the thread again, answer my question(s).

How does a woman choosing not to have a child affect YOUR life?

How does two men, or two women getting married affect YOUR life?

Answer the question, moral, and religous doctrine aside.

Thanks.

*****


Conny, it only affects your life because you choose to put them in your life.

Your post, just like the other one, was nothing but giving me your views on why it is WRONG. Not how it affects you. The fact is: it doesn't. Neither issue affect your lives.

 Maybe if you prayed for people just to be happy, with what makes them happy, it would not cause you unrest.

In other words, if we realize that people are different from us, not impose our beliefs on them (mind our own business) everything would be just fine.

[Timothy]

My view on abortion is for the most part ,if the gilr didn?t want a kid she shouldn?t had unprotected sex.

Does it effect my life no .

Just piss?s me off when some who knows that they don?t want kids has unprotect sex and then
has an abortion.


As far as Gay I think that people should be with who ever they wan to be with .

And if they want to get married then more power to them.

[jgfnsr]

Gay marriage and abortion are personal issues brought into the public spotlight to take us away from the true issues facing this country.

Going to war and thousands upon thousands of people is a global issue that affects us all and our children as well. Since they will be paying for the war long after I'm dead.

Care to explain how Gay marriage or abortion affect you?

How does it make your life worse? Or better?

Answer: it doesn't. Mind your own fuckin' business.

It is my fuckin' business.? It's everybody's fuckin' business.

However, rather than trying to endlessly hammer out the details with you in a futile debate that goes nowhere, I'll just point one thing out.

Over the few years that I've read your posts on whatever issue, you're not afraid to turn to the U.S. Constitution for answers; especially if it supports your arguments.

Well - at least as far as the Constitution is concerned - you're out of luck pal.

Both abortion and gay marriage are issues that should be left up to the states.? Not the courts.

And if the government were to follow the law of the land and let the people decide on abortion and gay marriage, most states would overwhelmingly vote against both.

And you know it.

[GnRNightrain]

as a catholic i oppose this, as well as abortion and gay marrige. the worlds goin down the drain. only a matter or time....

Here is a question for ya.

How does abortion affect your life directly?

How does gay marriage affect your life directly?

Abortion: Taking life before it has a chance to develope. According to the church, live happens as soon as the egss fertalized. i know i know not everyones cathloic, but still, killing is wrong.

Gay marrige: Plz. Now gay marrige is an issue. Marrigie is a sacrament, given by the church. Church sees marrige as man and wife and a deliberate exclusion of procreation is no acceptable. Gays cant procreate, u figure it out.

OK, first you avoided my question.

You are forgetting that everybody has a different opinion on different issues. Although I am sure that you believe you hold the ultimate truth, you must face the fact plenty others will disagree with you.

So before you put your moral and religous views in the thread again, answer my question(s).

How does a woman choosing not to have a child affect YOUR life?

How does two men, or two women getting married affect YOUR life?

Answer the question, moral, and religous doctrine aside.

Thanks.

*****


Conny, it only affects your life because you choose to put them in your life.

Your post, just like the other one, was nothing but giving me your views on why it is WRONG. Not how it affects you. The fact is: it doesn't. Neither issue affect your lives.

 Maybe if you prayed for people just to be happy, with what makes them happy, it would not cause you unrest.

In other words, if we realize that people are different from us, not impose our beliefs on them (mind our own business) everything would be just fine.

How do gang murders in the inner city affect your life on a daily basis? ?How does people dying of AIDS in Africa affect your life on a daily basis? ?How does global warming affect your life on a daily basis?

Somehow we care about these things. ?Just because something doesnt affect your life doesnt mean you shouldnt care about it or try and do something to stop it. ?In fact, I would think we have somewhat of an obligation if we think it is morally wrong.

[SLCPUNK]

Gay marriage and abortion are personal issues brought into the public spotlight to take us away from the true issues facing this country.

Going to war and thousands upon thousands of people is a global issue that affects us all and our children as well. Since they will be paying for the war long after I'm dead.

Care to explain how Gay marriage or abortion affect you?

How does it make your life worse? Or better?

Answer: it doesn't. Mind your own fuckin' business.

It is my fuckin' business.? It's everybody's fuckin' business.

However, rather than trying to endlessly hammer out the details with you in a futile debate that goes nowhere, I'll just point one thing out.

Over the few years that I've read your posts on whatever issue, you're not afraid to turn to the U.S. Constitution for answers; especially if it supports your arguments.

Well - at least as far as the Constitution is concerned - you're out of luck pal.

Both abortion and gay marriage are issues that should be left up to the states.? Not the courts.

And if the government were to follow the law of the land and let the people decide on abortion and gay marriage, most states would overwhelmingly vote against both.

And you know it.

haha, you crack me up.

Still did not answer my question.

I didn't say it wasn't any of "your business". I said if you minded your own, two gays getting married or a lady having an abortion would not get you all hot and bothered.

How does it affect your life?

[SLCPUNK]

How do gang murders in the inner city affect your life on a daily basis? ?How does people dying of AIDS in Africa affect your life on a daily basis? ?How does global warming affect your life on a daily basis?

Somehow we care about these things. ?Just because something doesnt affect your life doesnt mean you shouldnt care about it or try and do something to stop it. ?In fact, I would think we have somewhat of an obligation if we think it is morally wrong.

Gang murders, people dying of AIDS, global warming etc are not issues I am speaking out against and making judgements on.

Gay marriage, and abortion are issues that you guys are against. So I ask, how does it affect your life? Plain and simple...it does not.

You are under the assumption that all people consider gay marriage and abortion to fall under the same column as murder, AIDS etc? Are you serious?

You try to put it back in my lap with a piss poor analogy.

Yet, none of you guys have answered the simple question.

How does it affect your life? How does it make your life worse or better?

It doesn't. Straight up. Two gay men getting married affects my life no differently then does you.

A young woman you can not afford a child and (sadly) chooses abortion, does not affect me any more than it would affect you.

Mind your own business.