According to today’s articles announcing New Jersey’s 450 million dollar bond measure, and yesterday’s $10 million dollar grant awards, we’re supposed to be in awe of stem cell research which is barred from federal funding getting its fair share in NJ.

Not so fast. 

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The utter silliness of Bush’s position on embryonic stem cell research is excellently depicted in this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QiO6cl8WOk

Meanwhile New Jersey will be handing out state grants for stem cell research on June 19th. Let’s hope this time they won’t spend 95% of their state stem cell research funds on adult stem cell research, which already gets ample funding by the federal government through the NIH.  Big HINT to those reviewing the grant applications: Voters have insisted the state of New Jersey fund embryonic stem cell research because the NIH is banned from funding embryonic stem cell research using the newer stem cell lines. This also happens to be the kind of stem cell research which holds the most promise according the the vast majority of scientists. Go embryonic stem cell research!!

Please make sure you follow California’s, Connecticut’s, and Maryland’s lead on placing an almost 100% priority on state funding of embryonic stem cell research!! New Jersey voters expect nothing less than that.

The sad fact is that Mr. 28% still has about 80% support with Republican congressmen.  Why won’t they see that wasting money on the 11 or so old stem cell lines hurts our country?

Already 260 newer stem cell lines exist that ought to be used in the cutting edge science towards cures. In just five years the UK will be using embryonic stem cells to cure blindness, and the US will be left far behind.

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This Wednesday, the House of Representatives may take up the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, House Resolution 3, passed in the Senate as S5.

Big deal, who cares—the President is going to veto it again anyway?

True, Mr. Bush can be counted on to do the wrong thing again. If stubbornness was a virtue, this would be the most virtuous of men. And, according to his calculations, the way (I think) he sees it, we don’t have enough votes to override his veto.

But there may be a surprise in the works.

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