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Renee CK

writer, editor, tweetable http://twitter.com/chicskirt

I'm a fun girl who's on a quest to figure it all out. I'm cynical but living the dream- I'm not sure how that happened exactly. Follow along in my blog for fun, mayhem, and merriment. There's never a dull day! (Or, go download my book!)...

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Sarah's Stem Stance

another road to nowhere

I made my case for one of my initial dislikes for Sarah Palin as VP of the United States.  There have been a few more things that have happened superficially but I’m addicted to CNN for it’s political coverage and was shocked that Sarah Palin does not support stem cell research.  It made a bit of sense that Ms. Palin wouldn’t support it with her pro-life stance.  However, there are hundreds of thousands of embryos on ice waiting for something. 

Case in point, my friend who had to go the invitro route.  They have an amazing story and were blessed with twins, a boy and a girl, on their first try.  They created 20 viable embryos, put in 7 which leaves 13 embryos on ice that they are never going to use.  They considered donating them to other families, but the though of someone else having children with the same genetic make up as her children doesn’t appeal to her.  However, she’s leaving them on ice hoping that they can be used one day to help better someone else’s life via research. 

In doing my research, it hit me why Sarah wouldn’t be so excited about stem cell research.  “Politics aside, stem-cell research appears to hold little promise of mitigating Down syndrome or helping those with the condition. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra chromosome, and ‘that is something that does not seem to be easily addressed with stem cells," said Brian Skotko, whose research and medical practice at Children's Hospital in Boston focuses on Down syndrome.’”

Ahhh.  It doesn’t apply to her situation so she doesn’t favor it. (Her running mate, btw, does.)   “The greater potential for stem-cell technologies is as a source of replacement cells and tissues for the treatment of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, spinal-cord injury, strokes, burns, heart disease and arthritis, according to the National Institutes of Health stem-cell Web site.”

Now, you don’t see autism in there, right?  But I’m still a supporter.  If we can help anyone with embryos that might otherwise be discarded or kept indefinitely on ice, then I say let’s do it.  The White House report on stem cell research is very informative as well. 

And, then there’s the whole road to nowhere that she supported but didn’t support once it was convienent not to do so. 

I will say that I am not in favor of Biden spinning Sarah’s lack of support for stem cell research as not caring for her child.  I’m sure there’s a reason- I just think maybe she should say what it is.  Oh, that’s right, her job lately is to stand at McCain’s left shoulder nod and applaud.  Anyone else see a subservient female position there?  I hadn’t thought about the fact that the only things I’ve heard her talk about are her as a mom and governor, her family, and the man she wants to be president.  What are her views? What does she believe?  And why do I have to find out these things from ABC and CNN?

To find out who most closely holds your views and beliefs, check out SelectSmart.com’s Presidential Candidate Selector.

Enjoy! (and be an educated voter!)
Renee