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From: Stem Cell Action Network <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: StemFacts: SCAN Newsletter
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 13:29:47 -0500 (EST)
December 01, 2006
Volume 06, Issue 12-01
Portrait of Hope Spotlight
Carla Roberto
Click here to learn
more about Carla
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News Links:
Scientists Regenerate Wing In Chick Embryo
Stem Cell Loans Advance
Australia Debates Ban
Iran in the Forefront
Parkinson's Treatment: A First Step
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Websites of Interest:
Whitehead Institute
Project Stem Cells to Neurons
Dear SCAN Members,
Even though its strangely warm here in Cincinnati, I see the date and know
that the end of the year is approaching. We are making plans for the coming
year, for example, discussing the possibility of hosting a stem cell blog to
showcase the activities of all the advocacy groups in one place. In addition,
we are considering hosting a stem cell advocacy conference next summer to focus
and coordinate our efforts and to organize our constituents. We would like your
comments and idea about this newsletter. I am always happy to share my
thoughts, but including thoughtful messages from our audience will enrich us
all. This week we begin with a guest editorial from Jeff Eisen whose brother
Tom was recently featured as a POH spotlight. Please send suggestions as to
what kinds of information youd like to see included in StemFacts, and if
possible well do so.
So far, I have not received any response to my request last week for
information about Dr. Carlos Lima. If you have been to Portugal to see him,
please write me, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Thank you,
Idelle Datlof, Editor
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Brace for the Failure of the new HR-810
by Jeff Eisen
Editor and Publisher
the Stem Cell Page
http://stemcellpage.com
This article found here:
http://www.stemcellpage.com/index_files/Editorial120106.htm
Just like you, I dream. I envision a world empowered to fight diseases and
injuries. I can see a future in which diabetes, Parkinsons, Multiple
Sclerosis, ALS, spinal cord injuries and a host of other conditions are
defeated.
But I am also a realist. We all live in today. And today we have to face an
unpleasant set of circumstances.
Fueled by a number of pro-cures candidates who reigned victorious in this
last election cycle, the balance of power shifted in both houses of Congress.
Eager to emphasize the point, Speaker of the House-designate Nancy Pelosi has
included the reintroduction of HR810 (the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act)
in the First 100 Hours agenda. In my estimation, this dooms the bill to
failure.
To be clear, the bill will pass easily in the House and Senate. There was
more than sufficient bipartisan support last time around and this time the
numbers will take a northward bump. But in the 109th Congress, 810 could not
muster the two-thirds supermajority required to override the Presidents first
and lone veto. It wont in the 110th congress either.
Its not that the task is impossible. The new Senate is only one vote shy of
becoming veto-proof. Its quite possible that Tom Harkin, Orrin Hatch, Ted
Kennedy and the other senate leaders can identify one arm targeted for a twist
and convert one more senator to the ranks. Of this Im hopeful.
The problem is in the House. Even with the election sweeps, the House will
still fall some 20 or 30 votes short of that supermajority. That makes for a
great many arms to twist - or perhaps deals to shake on. While backroom deals
might be made sufficient to achieve a two-thirds vote, its unlikely this can
be accomplished as part of a top-tier, First 100 Hours agenda. There just
isnt enough time. Had Pelosi allowed HR810 to remain a second tier bill, she
might have allowed time to negotiate with a few more reps that might have been
willing to deal.
Some have speculated that in light of the congressional election house
cleaning, the occupant of the White House might just change his tune and leave
the veto stamp in the desk drawer. I dont see that happening either. Bush
has painted himself into an ideological corner on this one. Even if he wanted
to sign HR810 as a peace offering, hell need to remain firm to his base,
particularly since in six years of office, his veto stamp has met with one
and only one piece of legislation.
Add to that the fact hes a man who doesnt easily back down and never admits
hes wrong. If his Iraq policies taught us anything, the lesson is that this
is a man who lags even behind his own base. Only when the rats have already
left the ship does he know its sinking. He either doesnt see or wont see
the warning signs in advance - let alone acknowledge them as they occur.
No, I dont believe HR810 will not become law in the First 100 Hours. In
fact, any chances it might have had were probably lost once it was propelled to
the front of the legislative line.
So whats next for HR810?
Perhaps we will see it reintroduced again but with some minor changes - and
after those backroom deals have time to develop. If not, well surely be
talking about it as an important issue of the 2008 campaigns. By then, the
pro-cures movement will hopefully become more unified and more powerful. And
as you look at the crop of 2008 presidential hopefuls, there is only one with
from the anti-embryonic stem cell camp. Thats Sam Brownback (R-KS), sponsor
of the Anti-cloning bill that would kill SCNT. All other potential
candidates are Pro-Cures.
Brownback being a huge long shot, the tide will turn as Congress convenes in
2009 and we inaugurate a President whos not bound by the ideology of the
extreme right. HR810 will then surely pass and be signed into law. And who
knows? It may even have the additional benefit of being rewritten to approve
SCNT for federal research funding.
So what does this mean for a hundred million American patients and their
families? Once again we wait and once again another round or two of patients
will be unconscionably and despicably doomed by the delay.
No doubt, as a movement we will ask: What should we be doing in the meantime?
In the meantime, we should take a lesson from our opponents. Its no secret
that the Pro-Life movement is the core of our opposition. Its been 33 years
since Roe v Wade, so theyve had 33 years to build their formidable and
effective political machine.
The Pro-Cures movement needs to become the ying to their yang, an equal and
opposite political force, or better still, a greater and opposite force. And
by studying the pro-life movements tactics, we dont need 33 years of
development to duplicate it. We can do it in less time. Indeed, we must do it
in less time.
Stay tuned. Ill have more on this in the near future.
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