Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Is it his denial of global warming? Lack of action there has the potential to kill millions upon millions of world citizens over the coming decades -- whether it's flooding of Bangledeshi lowlands, mudslides in Pakistan, disease in Indonesia, the decline in Eskimo food supplies, or monster mega-hurricanes in Louisiana.

Is it his 'First Strike' (Unilateral Preemptive) policy? You know, the gem that encouraged the world to stock nukes as a deterrent, align with enemies of America, and call for their own unilateral preemptive actions in various global hotspots -- all for the sake of hopefully protecting themselves from an unprovoked military superpower?

Though it certainly could be those (and many more, no doubt), the one I'm writing about today is Bush's other horrific decision...

...the one to deny federal funds for stem cell research.

I target this particular lethal decision amongst the many Bush has delivered because of it's personal and immediate implications to virtually every single American, rich or poor, black or white, man or woman.

Understandably, most people are concerned about themselves and their immediate family to the daily exclusion of infinite other critical issues. That's to be expected. Our priority should be with family and our family's well-being. Anything else 'out there', regardless of how urgent or important, will always sit in the second tier (or lower) of importance. And to me, that explains (whether right or wrong) the common disposition and general apathy expressed on most issues of non-personalized, but otherwise critical issues.

And that brings us back to Stem Cell Therapy and research.

According to the Stem Cell Research Foundation, HALF of all Americans would derive direct benefit from Stem Cell therapy once its expected potential was realized.

That means that George W. Bush looked into the eyes of ONE MILLION children with juvenile diabetes and kindly explained to them that they're out of luck because "these boys and girls are not spare parts" as he pointed to some kids who were born as the result of an 'embryonic donation'.

He then glared at 500,000 people with Parkinson's disease, the 30,000 victims of Lou Gehrig's disease, the four million people suffering from Alzheimer's, and the 10 million people with osteoporosis and said, "Not my problem!"

Next came the 43 million arthritis sufferers, the 250,000 people paralyzed by spinal cord injuries, the 58 million people with heart disease, and the 8.2 million people with cancer, and gloated, "Shoulda taken better care of yourselves!"

Finally, he turned to the hundreds of millions of families and friends of these victims, (the other half of the country that would 'only' indirectly benefit from the stem cell therapy), and remarked as he accidentally stuck his finger into a Petri dish held as a prop and clearly labeled 'blastocyst' , "I am PRO-LIFE! Thus I must protect these trash-destined cell-balls at ANY COST. It's the only moral choice!"

Of those who suffer from these diseases, untold millions will perish as a result -- many suffering for prolonged periods of time before their ultimate death.

Bush's decision to refuse federal funding for viable new embryonic Stem-cell lines has heartlessly pushed back the realization of stem-cell therapy potential for years. Likely those years lost will cost millions upon millions of lives. And each of those lives are affecting virtually every American in a very personal and painful way.

This is intimate pain, not the possible, distant flooding of low-lying lands, or the 40% decrease in the thickness of Artic Ice, or the increased occurrence of aberrant weather patterns. This is NOW. This is PERSONAL.

This is a tragedy that hits home for nearly everyone in America. It's already personalized.

That is why I am shocked at the lack of outrage. Though wars, and particularly wars based on lies, are deeply reprehensible and sorrowful, the resultant casualty count and mundane personal consequences experienced by the average American are miniscule by comparison.

Perhaps most people simply don't understand or believe the promise of Embryonic stem-cell research. Perhaps they simply think it's too late for them.

Either way, it's curious to ponder a situation where President Bush or his loved ones suffer with such a catastrophic condition -- all while he considers approval for federally funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Would he then come to a different conclusion?

Four years ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease, also known as ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We know what it means to be intimately, though indirectly, affected by the horrors of such a disease.

And we wonder what might have been had federal funding of Embryonic lines been made available years ago.

This Saturday, My family and I will be participating in the Walk to d'Feet ALS. I invite each and every one of you to join me and my family and friends to support the ALS Foundation and their fight for Stem Cell Research!! Simply click on the button below, then choose "Virtual Walker" (ignore the "Fundraising Target" Box), and insert the contribution amount where it says "Additional Gift", click on the button that says "next step" and you will be walked through the donation process! This will list you as a member of "Kadin's Kamp" my family's team for the "Walk to d'Feet" ALS.

$1, $5, $10...It's all good!! And don't forget to add the $0.01.

Thank you all so much. You all ROCK!!!