Frist will break with Bush, support embryonic stem cell research

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From msnbc.com

WASHINGTON - Breaking with President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has decided to support legislation to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, raising the possibility Congress will enact such a bill, according to a Senate aide knowledgeable about Frist’s plans.

Frist, who last month said he did not at this time support expanded federal financing of such research, was to explain his decision to now support such financing in a speech on the Senate floor Friday morning.

Frist plans to say that he will support the broader federal financing despite having reservations about disagreeing with Bush’s policy that stringently limits taxpayer financing for stem cell research, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a reluctance to undercut Frist’s formal announcement.
 
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Nicole:
From msnbc.com

WASHINGTON - Breaking with President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has decided to support legislation to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, raising the possibility Congress will enact such a bill, according to a Senate aide knowledgeable about Frist’s plans.

Frist, who last month said he did not at this time support expanded federal financing of such research, was to explain his decision to now support such financing in a speech on the Senate floor Friday morning.

Frist plans to say that he will support the broader federal financing despite having reservations about disagreeing with Bush’s policy that stringently limits taxpayer financing for stem cell research, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a reluctance to undercut Frist’s formal announcement.
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I’m disappointed…and a bit surprised…I did hear this on the news this morning 😦
 
Maybe Frist mistakenly thinks he can run for President in '08 without pro-life support? I’ve not been impressed with his leadership in the Senate and would only vote for him to be President to prevent a liberal Democrat from winning.
 
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thestickman:
Maybe Frist mistakenly thinks he can run for President in '08 without pro-life support?
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The pro-life movement is surprisingly split on the embryonic stem cell issue. I think this has given Frist the safety to snub some of his would-be backers as the price of getting the media spotlight for a few days. Meanwhile, this could be the first real issue where Bush’s lame duckery can be seen.
 
Bush isn’t a lame duck. Reps need him and Rove for 2006.

This reflects the fact that nearly every Democrat and a large number of Republicans are for this research. 10% defections is normal and can be handled (often by offseting Dem votes). I would estimate 30% or more of the GOP is for this.

Frist, therefore, is only a symptom. To win the fight must be on two levels–ineffecient government research and the morality of the research. That way both Econocons and Theocons are united. Trouble is Neocons are all for it. And some of the Econocons.

It is a difficult issue to win.
 
Here is what he has on his website (posted today). It might help clearify things.

Let me read to you my 5th principle as I presented it on this floor four years ago:

No. 5. Provide funding for embryonic stem cell research only from blastocysts that would otherwise be discarded. We need to allow Federal funding for research using only those embryonic stem cells derived from blastocysts that are left over after in vitro fertilization and would otherwise be discarded (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7847).

I made it clear at the time, and do so again today, that such funding should only be provided within a system of comprehensive ethical oversight. Federally funded embryonic research should be allowed only with transparent and fully informed consent of the parents. And that consent should be granted under a careful and thorough federal regulatory system, which considers both science and ethics. Such a comprehensive ethical system, I believe, is absolutely essential. Only with strict safeguards, public accountability, and complete transparency will we ensure that this new, evolving research unfolds within accepted ethical bounds.

My comprehensive set of 10 principles, as outlined in 2001 (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7846-S7851) are as follows:
  1. Ban Embryo Creation for Research;
  2. Continue Funding Ban on Derivation;
  3. Ban Human Cloning;
  4. Increase Adult Stem Cell Research Funding;
  5. Provide Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research Only From Blastocysts That Would Otherwise Be Discarded;
  6. Require a Rigorous Informed Consent Process;
  7. Limit Number of Stem Cell Lines;
  8. Establish A Strong Public Research Oversight System;
  9. Require Ongoing, Independent Scientific and Ethical Review;
  10. Strengthen and Harmonize Fetal Tissue Research Restrictions.
That is what I said four years ago, and that is what I believe today. After all, principles are meant to stand the test of time – even when applied to a field changing as rapidly as stem cell research.

frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Detail&Speech_id=257
 
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Digitonomy:
The pro-life movement is surprisingly split on the embryonic stem cell issue.
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Not quite surprisingly. The Catholics are the ones who are both anti-abortion and anti-embryonic stem cell research. The Evangelicals are far more anti-abortion than against the latter. I’m not surprised at Frist. He won’t be without Christian support about this.
 
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Richardols:
Not quite surprisingly. The Catholics are the ones who are both anti-abortion and anti-embryonic stem cell research. The Evangelicals are far more anti-abortion than against the latter. I’m not surprised at Frist. He won’t be without Christian support about this.
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I agree. I was going to post something very similar.

The Protestant sects were the ones who opened the Pandora’s box of creating human beings in laboratories by supporting in vitro fertilization. They did not seem to care that some of the extra offspring were being discarded. So in their logic that these human beings are not really important, it follows that they are the ones looking the other way or endorsing experimentation on live human beings.
 
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Hildebrand:
So in their logic that these human beings are not really important, it follows that they are the ones looking the other way or endorsing experimentation on live human beings.
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I believe that those Evangelicals are being totally pragmatic about this. Few older women are going to have abortions so they can oppose it totally. But the experimentation may “benefit” older people and they have less reason to be enthusiastic opponents of it.
 
In this chapter, if you don´t think that a embryo is a person, is difficult thinking that you don´t have to research with a embryo, like forever, more relativism.
 
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Richardols:
Not quite surprisingly. The Catholics are the ones who are both anti-abortion and anti-embryonic stem cell research. The Evangelicals are far more anti-abortion than against the latter. I’m not surprised at Frist. He won’t be without Christian support about this.
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He (Sen Frist) will be without mine. 😦
 
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aimee:
He (Sen Frist) will be without mine. 😦
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Yes, he may lose some of the Catholics, but the Evangelicals will likely continue to support him.
 
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gilliam:
My comprehensive set of 10 principles, as outlined in 2001 (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7846-S7851) are as follows:
  1. Ban Embryo Creation for Research;
  2. Continue Funding Ban on Derivation;
  3. Ban Human Cloning;
  4. Increase Adult Stem Cell Research Funding;
  5. Provide Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research Only From Blastocysts That Would Otherwise Be Discarded;
  6. Require a Rigorous Informed Consent Process;
  7. Limit Number of Stem Cell Lines;
  8. Establish A Strong Public Research Oversight System;
  9. Require Ongoing, Independent Scientific and Ethical Review;
  10. Strengthen and Harmonize Fetal Tissue Research Restrictions.
    frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Detail&Speech_id=257
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Could Frist be trying to call the the pro-Embryonic Stem Cell Research people to the table and make them put their votes where their mouths are? Could he be trying to get Pro-ESCRs to explicitely agree to limit what they want to use for research in an attempt to effectively halt the slippery slope toward the creation of life for destruction in the name of research? Am I a Pollyanna? We’ll see if Frist sticks to his 10 principles.
 
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Digitonomy:
The pro-life movement is surprisingly split on the embryonic stem cell issue. I think this has given Frist the safety to snub some of his would-be backers as the price of getting the media spotlight for a few days. Meanwhile, this could be the first real issue where Bush’s lame duckery can be seen.
Click to expand...
You bring up a good point many pro-life evangelicals are not with pro-life catholics on this issue I have heard some evangelicals justify this with the same reasoning secualrist do -they will throw away the embryos anyway and it could a world of good for those with disease etc.
Remember most evangelicals see nothing wrong with birth control, artificial insemnation etc etc their pro-life outlook is far more limited than a catholic who takes his pro-life position form the church. Evangelicals have been using artificial insemination for years throwing away embyros that they didn’t use or freezing them. It’s not like they were using catholic morality doing this the last 20 years. Evangelical groups don’t typically have a hardline stance on such things. And of course they never teach about the abortificients artifical birth control are and the fact they expel embros. If they allow such things then stem-cell research is just another postion evangelicals will cower on.

Frist is an evangelical with wishy wasy morals who seeks to justify death for a promise made by doctors with a financial incentive to lie to the world. I fear that Bush will be the last US President to stand up to this tide moral relativism if Frist, McCain or Guilliani gain the presidential nod for the Republican party you can be assured that embroyoic research will be done on wide basis and a blessing in the billions of taxdollars promissing its citizens a sure cure for all of societys ills.
And of course Hillary isn’t going to stop it but support the anti-life movement desptie her overatures to the religious.
 
Cardinal William H. Keeler, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee for Pro-life Activities, criticized Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s announcement today that he will support federally funded stem cell research that requires destroying human embryos.

Cardinal Keeler’s statement follows. * * * * *

"Today Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced he will support using federal funds to encourage the destruction of living human embryos for their stem cells. Despite the Senator’s disclaimers to the contrary, this position is not ‘pro-life.’

"Especially disturbing is the Senator’s insistence that human embryos unwanted by their own parents are owed ‘the same dignity and respect’ as children and adults, but may nevertheless be killed for research material.

"Such destruction of innocent human life, even out of a desire to help others, rests on a utilitarian view that undermines human dignity and human respect, as Senator Sam Brownback ably pointed out today in his response.

"Senator Frist’s effort to make an analogy with organ transplants also fails, because it would be gravely immoral as well as illegal to harvest any patient’s vital organs when he or she is still alive.

"Despite his warning against offering ‘false hope’ to patients, Senator Frist also repeated claims that are untrue or misleading about the unique ‘promise’ of embryonic stem cells. No one has identified any disease that can be treated only with these cells; no one even knows whether they will ever provide a safe and reliable treatment for the conditions already being successfully treated using adult stem cells.

“These factual issues will no doubt be explored by others. My own central concern is that neither sound ethics nor good government can rest on the principle that ‘the end justifies the means.’ I commend President Bush for his laudable pledge to veto such legislation.”

newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/7/29/202325.shtml
 
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Richardols:
Not quite surprisingly. The Catholics are the ones who are both anti-abortion and anti-embryonic stem cell research. The Evangelicals are far more anti-abortion than against the latter. I’m not surprised at Frist. He won’t be without Christian support about this.
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I live in a town which includes a relatively strong Baptist church. Many of them are very vocal about their beliefs and they have been very vocal against embryonic stem cell research. This is NOT a Catholic issue.
 
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Richardols:
I believe that those Evangelicals are being totally pragmatic about this. Few older women are going to have abortions so they can oppose it totally. But the experimentation may “benefit” older people and they have less reason to be enthusiastic opponents of it.
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That might be true seeing that they can get a benifit from it, but what starts out as a lack of respect for the dignity of those at the start of life, will turn around next and affect those at the end of life.
 
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st_felicity:
Could Frist be trying to call the the pro-Embryonic Stem Cell Research people to the table and make them put their votes where their mouths are? Could he be trying to get Pro-ESCRs to explicitely agree to limit what they want to use for research in an attempt to effectively halt the slippery slope toward the creation of life for destruction in the name of research? Am I a Pollyanna? We’ll see if Frist sticks to his 10 principles.
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So far, there is no evidence that Frist 10 principles will be implemented in any negotiation.

In his speech endorsing Castle-DeGette, Frist did also call for banning the creation of embryos solely for research and for banning human cloning. This makes him more responsible than most embryo research advocates. But he did not make his support for funding research using the “spares” contingent on setting such limits. So the effect of Frist’s remarks was to strengthen the hand of those no-limits senators who wish to advance the very kinds of research that Frist still says he believes should be out of bounds (at least for now).
**
Weekly Standard
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/896uigck.asp
 
Frist is a fink, but at least he’s consistent.

However much he moderates his position on ESCR (how many lines, where do they come from, etc.) he’ll still be wrong until he opposes it outright.

What if a wonderful cure comes from ESCR? Will Frist and other “pro-life” supporters of the research advocate opening even more lines, and not just of those embryos that would be discarded?

Aside from the much more promising adult stem cell research, ESCR is simply impractical. Where the hell are the donors going to come from so that we can churn out proper cures, if we find one? There aren’t enough women! (Also, it’s not exactly a safe procedure for women.)

There needs be a all-out ban on ESCR. Simple as that.

God bless.

+Joel
 
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