So I see Bush has used his first ever veto to stop stem cell research being conducted using discarded fertilised eggs from the fertility clinics. And this is meant to be a big moral stand. IMHO if he really wants to make that stand he would be taking steps to stop fertility clinics creating far more embryos than they sue so the can select the best or insert a bunch knowing some won't implant.

IMHO letting these fertilised eggs (a dozen cells or so) be created and then just bruning them is hardly fitting either moral perspective. One of the arguments seems to be that if this procedure was allowed then tax payers who opposed such research would in effect be funding it.

That doesn't make sense to me either. The large minority in the US who oppose use of 'surplus' fertalised human eggs is about the same as the proportion who oppose the use of animals in research at all. Yet there seems to be no problem pouring their tax money into what they object to as 'vivisection'.

Any thoughts?

I'm not too worried about it because the Euros are doing it anyway - not like the research will ever be stopped, just not done in the US.

Having worked in the British research community I know how financial retrenchment is crippling it, and across Europe there are some healthy institutions doing very well but they are relatively few and scattered. IMHO research carried out in the US is not at all better but it is an order of magnitude *bigger* in terms of funding, personal and equipment. Research is a funny business depending on concerted long term effort and the hope of sudden realisations, breakthorughs and original ideas. Cutting the US out of the game cripples research in this area much like cutting one or two legs off a race horse. It may still move forwards but the goal post won't be reached until much later, if at all.

and never understimate the Chinese in getting things done... they'llput themoney into it and make millions in the end!

I wholeheartedly believe that it should be done in the US. The more people we have working to cure ANYTHING, the better!! I believe in the power of science.

There is stem cell research being done in the US, but there are restrictions on what stems cells can be used. That's not necessarily a bad thing, say for instance in the case of partial birth abortions which by the way is a totally discusting practice to begin with.