Many people could be helped

That's right Liz! Hope you're feeling better!!!

This is GREAT!

Republicans are stopping it because they are out of control religious freaks. They don't believe in science so no one can have the hope of embryonic stem cell research. I wish they would enjoy their beliefs privately and keep out of meddling in government. I don't mind if they don't believe the same as I do. I don't try to foist my beliefs off on others and it irritates me when they push theirs. I don't care that they don't believe in evolution. One look at Liberman and I'm sure of it.

As Al Gore quoted,"Without vision the people perish." Stem cell research is a visionary opportunity to save lives that must not be squandered. We need to get more science in govt and leave religion in the churches. The ideological zealots who care more for their own personal beliefs than the sum of the whole are doing a great disservice to this country. Thank you for your comments here.

I wish someone would have told me this sooner

Remember when America was a leader in Science? We can be again if we dump the party that uses stopping science funding to buy the votes of the religious right. While we are at it we might want to stop the government funding of churches. Bush helped a church build a 23 million dollar church school in Dallas. At their grand opening Freak in Chief said it was The Flag Ship of his Faith Based Program. I was and am livid.

I could not agree with you more. Using embryo stem-cells is not murdering a baby or destroying life - such cells would continue to live and to multiply. On the other hand, throwing away unused, extra frozen blastocysts whose parents will not be using because their in-vitro fertilizations have worked can be considered as destroying life, or, in the twisted language used by "pro-lifers", murdering babies.

Stem cell research is about as Pro Life as you can get. Using excess frozen blastocysts is a wonderful use for them instead of just being disposed of.

Stem cell research has so many possibilities--it's tragic that we aren't allowing scientific advances to be made.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for your insightful and sincere viewpoint. I totally agree. How sad that God-given resources like stem-cells are being wasted (destroyed) when they could be saving lives.

I have, as so many people in this world, lived with family members that could have and could benifit from stem cell research. My gut wrenches when my uncle calls my mom up and pleads with her to help him (who is a farmer that is basically off the media grid) in finding some relief for his parkensons disease. Or my grandmother battling alzheimers for almost a decade and how it tore our family apart emotionally. It galls me when a right wing republican says that its gods choice, not ours...well then I say to all those right wingers...stop taking all medications, go completely holistic and see how long you last! Vision and Science have taken us from leeching to cloning and people need to remember that every time they take a pill for their heart, or an insulin shot.

You go, Elizabeth! You hit the nail on the head!

Thanks Elizabeth! As a Type 1 diabetic I support Stem Cell research. In your video, you have pointed out the truth of the matter regarding these cells (not babies!). To waste all these cells is a crime. Hopefully a new administration will change the backward religious fundamentalist view toward science and medicine, and make us the leaders in research we once were.

liz, as you know many republicans are idiots. they only know how to scare people because that is the only card they have to play. they have no means to add intellegence to the debate. In my book, the Yale education has gone down in value since George has been in office. Maybe he should stick a 15 cent sticker on his diploma. I guess daddy bought his degree as if he could get through Yale on his own then I must have invented the internet. Republicans get away with using lines like you are killing babies because their followers are too dumb to find out the answers for themselves.

I hope when we get the democrats in control of all branches of government we will make progress on several fronts, including stem cell research and all that it can offer humankind.

Sensible talk...who are you!?!

Yay Mrs. Edwards! Right on target!
You are wonderful, and thank you so much for getting in on this converation! Sending wishes of love, peace and health your way.

God bless you Mrs. Edwards!

You are spot on!

Very nicely put…… I couldn’t agree more…..

Well Elizabeth... the last time I checked, we have a Democratic House... I do not believe it is the republicans blockading the stem cell research. I support you all the way, however, we have a hugely coservative president in office, and whenever that veto comes around, he enjoys using it. He's scared congress into not being elected again if they state their opinions. What ever happened to playing hardball in politics, and sticking up for what you believe in? If we need to get change in any way for this country, it's through congress, we have to make ourselves heard, something has to WAKE UP America.

I think most would perfer stem cell treatment insteat of trying to cure by surgery, cutting parts off.

If someone wants to believe that stemcells are human beings, and call one Fred or Sally, so be it. But if that hasn't gone into the realm of religious faith, I don't know what has. If you take religion's, particularly Catholicism's, "human life begins at conception" out of the equation, to think that the microscopic cells are folks is truly ludicrous. To the believers, have at it, but don't impose your religious faith on me.
Joe Moore

This is a link that was posted on Current that has made me angrier than I have ever been in my life. Its about a girl who is blind and is now sekeing treatment in China. A treatment for the most common cause of blindness in Children has been derived from umbilical stem cells. Something our country has essentialy outlawed and for the life of me I can't see why!
http://www.wpxi.com/health/14462266/detail.html

I was in a mock state legislature run by teenagers aged 13-17 four years ago in 2003 in one of the most conservative states in America, Indiana and even with that conservative majority we passed a bill funding and authorizing the use of umbilical stem cell research.

We don't have a real bill four years later not on a state level and not on a natonal level. Its illeagal for her to recieve the procedure that allready exists to give her sight, which didn't even take any theoretical "life" If you want to know what makes me mad more than any thing ever in my life? Knowing for the six years since I was diagnosed with a currently untreatable illness that this science was ready! But it isn't even a part of the political landscape it seems. This poor girl is going to a communist country to recieve care that she should have had for years in America. That Mrs. Edwards makes me MAD, very mad.

A bill for umbilical stem cell research could pass because it has all the merits of embryonic stem cell research without violating the social more's that conservatives fight to protect. This is a chance to unite for saving American lives and I haven't heard a whisper about it. Doesn't that make you mad as well?

We both need less anger and more focus right now, more attempts to bridge the gaps that are blocking this science from reaching those it needs. I am seething from every pore right now but that won't accomplish anything! Channeling that anger into action about umbilical stem cell research however just might do something and that is something we should both be doing.

Mrs Edwards you are one brave woman. I am amazed at your candor and courage and your ability to speak clearly and with an openess that is refreshing and much needed in this cloud of fear that hangs over Washington. Good decisions are rarely based fear, thanks for sharing a perspective. I'm hoping your voice of reason speaks loud and long......

You go girl. nicely put.

We dont do stem cell research because it is 'potential' life. I guess we should all stop eating eggs then cause thats potential life as well. We could find cures for diseases. Diseases that affect family, friends and loved ones. So many good things could come of this and the worst, would be that it fails. We wont know unless we try.

just thought you might want to know what the stem cell definition is:

stem cell
–noun Cell Biology.
a cell that upon division replaces its own numbers and also gives rise to cells that differentiate further into one or more specialized types, as various B cells and T cells.




cloning starts here?

Hey everybody,

Keep your eyes peeled for a pod from Ambulantic on the embryonic stem cell debate in the next week or so. We've been chugging away at it for a few weeks now and even as I write this comment, we're getting prepped to go shoot an interview.

Ben Her
Ambulantic

religion is the reason...

Education on any topic, pro and con is essential to making an informed decision.

Fanaticism and ignorance are beasts,
and they need constant feeding.

Thank you Elizabeth Edwards!

Media and Journalism have got to take more responsibility in educating the masses. Remember, the political parties dont have a way to communicate with the people if not for media.

I completly agree with you. There is nothing wrong with stem cell reserch. It might and probably will save many lives, Yet the republicans ahve this crokked image in there minds that it is killing babies. WHICH I ABSOLUTLY INCORECT!