Subject to Change

Had I blogged about the developments stem cell research yesterday I would have been on the cutting edge. Instead, I watched Hostel II. So, now I’m getting at this a little late.

If this discovery truly does duplicate or nearly duplicate embryonic stem cells it’s going to separate the wheat from the chaff on the whole stem cell debate. Both sides of the aisle are going to have to finally show their true colors.

The truly honest liberals will embrace this discovery as the ultimate in compromise. The extreme left side of the debate will be forced to admit that pushing embryonic stem cell research really was all about legitimizing abortion, or they will find themselves arguing in the face of science. That would be the ultimate irony: liberals arguing against conventional wisdom and scientific consensus. As I’ve been reading the blogs on this subject, the seeds of doubt are already being planted. Let’s hope they’re wrong, embarrassingly wrong.

For me, watching the conservative reaction will be more interesting. I’ve been extremely disappointed with the response from the right to the stem cell debate. In the last election cycle conservatives allowed the left to define the issue, and they failed to differentiate stem cell research from embryonic stem cell research. With this new development, we’ll find out who was doing it on purpose. There are some on the right side of the aisle who are opposed to all stem cell research, period. They fear that it’ll lead to human cloning, or dogs and cats living together.

It will be a relief to finally see the cook fringe exposed on both sides of this issue. Let’s stop playing politics and cure some damn diseases.