Nancy Reagan urges Bush to reconsider

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Nancy Reagan urges Bush to reconsider
32
Mon, 05-10-2004 - 7:20am

She wants him to reverse his stand against stem cell research and is pictured with Michael J. Fox.  Is this what it is going to take to convince Bush that his ideological stance against this research is wrong?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3700015.stm








Nancy Reagan plea on stem cells








Ronald Reagan is suffering the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease
Former US First Lady Nancy Reagan has urged the Bush administration to support embryonic stem cell research.

Mrs Reagan said too much time had been wasted already discussing the issue.

She is said to believe the research could lead to a cure for Alzheimer's disease, which has afflicted her husband, Ronald Reagan.

The Bush administration has blocked public funding of this type of research because of his party's ethical reservations about embryo research.

At a fundraising dinner for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Hollywood, Mrs Reagan said her husband was now in "a distant place where I can no longer reach him".

"I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this... We have lost so much time already. I just really can't bear to lose any more."

She said she believed stem cell research "may provide our scientists with many answers that for so long have been beyond our grasp".

It is thought to be the first time that Mrs Reagan has made a public speech on the issue, although her views have long been known.

Political debate

Mrs Reagan is the latest high-profile figure to criticise the Bush administration for its decision to limit funding for stem cell research.






Michael J. Fox and Nancy Reagan
Actor Michael J. Fox praised Mrs Reagan for "taking the issue out of politics"
Former Superman actor Christopher Reeve, left severely disabled following a riding accident, and actor Michael J. Fox, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease, have both criticised the Bush administration for blocking research which they believe could improve their conditions.

Currently federal funds are not available for this type of work.

Mr Bush has told scientists he will not release US taxpayers' money for the production or investigation of new lines because it involves the destruction of human embryos.

Correspondents say that with the Bush administration and anti-abortion groups strongly opposed to stem cell research, Mrs Reagan's comments add a powerful conservative Republican voice to the debate.


 


Elaine

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2003
Wed, 08-18-2004 - 1:34pm
Which I think is great from a family perspective. You and your husband made the right choice for your family. However, as a national policy, I doubt we would want the federal government to dictate -- and then use our money to fund -- ethically questionable research policies. You cite the private decision of your family as a good one for you -- but would it be good for everyone? H'bout if the feds called you on the phone after the second baby and said, "Hold it there, missy. That's quite enough kids outta you. Between the child tax credits, the subsidized loans and grants for college, and the disposable diapers in the landfills, you've exceeded your quota." ;) Just the same, I think a federal policy that tells people like Vader (or me) that using our tax money to conduct research that flies in the face of major Judeo-Christian doctrine is wrong.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2004
Wed, 08-18-2004 - 2:45pm
Things that 'fly in the face of the christian doctrine' also include

- death penalty

- any deliberate killing (includes anything done in war) "Thou shalt not kill"

- pre-emptive attacks (Jesus even 'turn the other cheek' after someone has ALREADY attacked you!

- lying

- how about other 'commandments', like..

- resting on the sabbath

Shall I go on? Geez, I want my money back on all my taxes, because they don't support the 10 commandments! ;)

oops.. I forgot... Not everyone is christian!.... There is a separation between church and state.. Hence what government supports (including research on stem cells) can't have anything to do with religion....

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