Republicans Rally Against Obama On Stem Cells

(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Before signing an Executive Order this morning that lifted the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, President Obama said that a majority of Americans "have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research; that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight the perils can be avoided."

However, not included in that "consensus," are conservatives and Republican lawmakers and organizations that have started an opposition rally cry.

Critics of the research argue embryonic cells are destroyed while scientists search for cures for Parkinson's disease, spinal injuries and other afflictions.

House Republican Leader John Boehner said the president's repeal of the ban, "runs counter to President Obama's promise to be a president for all Americans. For a third time in his young presidency, the president has rolled back important protections for innocent life, further dividing our nation at a time when we need greater unity to tackle the challenges before us."

Boehner said he fully supports stem cell research, yet he feels research funding should not come tax payers pockets.

"Politicians in Washington would be well-served to recognize this fact before they ask taxpayers to subsidize the destruction of innocent human life simply to advance a particular agenda," the minority leader's statement continued.

The top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, called the president's reversal of former president George W. Bush's 2001 ban a "troubling shift."

"With this announcement, the government is, for the first time, incentivizing the creation and destruction of human embryos at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer," McConnell said.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor released a statement which said, "unfortunately, today the Administration wasted an opportunity to unite our country around these ethically and scientifically sound innovations by allowing the use of taxpayer money for embryo-destructive stem cell research, which millions of Americans find morally reprehensible. This divisive action will divert scarce federal resources away from innovative and proven adult stem cell research."

Sen. David Vitter , R-La., also cried foul, issuing a statement which said embryonic stem cell research, "is an issue that many Americans have deep concerns about. The restrictions put in place by the Bush administration reflected those concerns and recognized the value and sanctity of all human life. I'm saddened that President Obama has chosen to set aside the views of so many Americans and reversed these restrictions that were put in place to protect these valuable human embryos."

Conservative organizations have also joined the opposition campaign. The Catholic League sent an email to supporters Monday titled, "Obama to okay killing embryos."

The email argued that, "Obama has stepped on a slope so slippery that many of his supporters may eventually regret he did so."

The National Right to Life Committee titled their response statement, "Obama Order Opens Door to Widespread Killing of Embryonic Humans in Government-Funded Research." "It is a sad day when the federal government will fund research that exploits living members of the human species as raw material for research," spokesman Douglas Johnson said.

"Obama's order also places our society on a very steep, very slippery slope. Many researchers will not be satisfied to use only so-called surplus embryos."

Update From CBS News' Jill Jackson: Co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., told reporters, "Mr. Obama is way behind the times," at a press conference Monday afternoon.

"Making Americans pay for embryo-destroying stem cell research is not change we can believe in....it is politics," he added.

[luckyyou831]

I dont think it should happen because if you
think about it it is a form of abortion.
i think it should be done a different way
if possible that is.

[RevJacobus]

Im sorry, but you are wrong, it was bush and eight years of republican ideology that bankrupted us in a foreign war and left a giant mess of an economy for obama to clean up. It isn't Obama's fault people are becoming homeless and losing jobs, if anything the blame lies with Bush. also we have eight years of documented idiotic republican BS ejaculated forth by bush and his backwater hillbilly administration, can we at least give Obama eight years as well to prove himself?

[kansas1946]

The only reason they want to use the embryonic stem cells as opposed to adult stem cells is money. It has to do with copy rights of the new "medicine" created from the embryonic stem cells. They can't copy right the adult stem cells.
Posted by TommyCraig at 7:54 AM : Mar 10, 2009
****************************************

I don't know where you get your info, but it is wrong. You need to do a bit more research.

[steeepe]

The GOP unites to support an end to potentially live-saving medical advances. Wow, what a party! Can't wait to join that bunch of intellectual losers! What they need is another Terry Schiavo case to claim ownership of gross and unrelenting stupidity...

[caliguy55]

Screw the ignorant Republicans, who have done so much to destroy our country. It's time we destroy the G.O.P. once and for all. 2010 is the year of opportunity to bring about the destruction of this party of the ignorant. All it will take is the election of 2 more Democratic Senators in a year, when 5 Republican Senators are retiring. We must join together and bring the G.O.P. down so that they will never have another opportunity to destroy our country.

[abbe91]

"The only reason they want to use the embryonic stem cells as opposed to adult stem cells is money. It has to do with copy rights of the new "medicine" created from the embryonic stem cells. They can't copy right the adult stem cells.
Posted by TommyCraig at 7:54 AM : Mar 10, 2009"

But by banning the use of federal funds for the research, Bush was making sure the research would be private, its results would be private as well and accessible only to the wealthy.

[TommyCraig]

The only reason they want to use the embryonic stem cells as opposed to adult stem cells is money. It has to do with copy rights of the new "medicine" created from the embryonic stem cells. They can't copy right the adult stem cells.

[mattcat25]

John Boahner takes his marching orders from the real leader of the Republican-Conservative Party Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh made himself go deaf from abuse of the drug oxycontin but, was able to have part of his hearing restored by medical science. Now, what would Rush Limbaugh have to say if some religious ethical group or political party had hampered the procedure of his coklea implant?

[afmcalax]

Boehner continues to show how much of an idiot he truly is. The American people spoke loud and clear ,by electing President Obama and sending Congressional Republicans packing, that we wanted Bush's ban on stem cell research eliminated. Obama IS doing the will of the majority of Americans. When will the Republicans with their neo-con and Taliban Christian base realize their dark days of religious inspired stupidity in America have ended. Republican hate, fear, bigotry, and religious intolerance have been defeated. Boehner you are talking to your rapidly declining base ... not the majority of Americans. We have elected a man who recognizes that scientific truth must out-weigh religiously inspired bias.

In 2012 the Republican Party needs to become the super-minority with so little power or influence that America can once again regain our rightful place as a respected and worthy worldly presence.

[johnbrown888]

Make all the Repigs sign an oath to refuse any medical treatment that derives from the use of stem cells.

Is they any group of lying hypocrit swine worse than Repigs?