Rush Limbaugh/Michael J. Fox

[sgt.null]

i was never sure why after he proved to be nothing but a junkie people still listened to Rush. then after he was caught with illegal viagra, heading for a sex vacation; i thought that would lose him support. but it seems his lsiteners just don't care that their pundits be honest, or free from felony.

MEGA-DITTOS!

[A Gunslinger]

"As a result of private research, more than 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines already exist" I have concluded that we should allow federal funds to be used for research on these existing stem cell lines " where the life and death decision has already been made", This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research" without crossing a fundamental moral line by providing taxpayer funding that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential for life."

Bush has signed off experimenting on existing 60 stem cell lines a few years ago. Are you a stem cell researcher yourself? How many of those lines exist today? And is he stretching the truth when he says those human embryos that could be used for stem cell research "have at least the potential for life"?

www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/0 ... 809-1.html

No, I'm not a stem cell researcher myself, but I have worked with stem cells and I have a personal interest in the field. In any case, there is a fundamental difference between using cells taken from embryos and using existing stem cell lines. First of all, existing stem cell lines are, in most cases, simply not useful for purposes of stem cell research. They may be too old, or they may be already partly differentiated, and trust me - keeping stem cells from differentiating is not an easy task, especially for an extended period of time. Secondly, these existing stem cell lines have been grown in flasks and dishes for years now - and it has been scientifically demonstrated that cell cultures grown in vitro eventually develop genetic abnormalities; thus, not only do these stem cells become useless for research (since your data could be an artifact due to these genetic abnormalities), they also could not be used for clinical purposes anyway, since there would be no telling what could happen - although cancer would be a likely outcome. I remember when I heard about Bush's decision, and I also remember everyone among my colleagues acknowledging that by saying he allowed research on those stem cell lines, he was basically just giving "political smooth talk" which would easily trick anyone not familiar with the field. In fact, as I recall, there have been scientists rising up in arms against the claims, pointing out the oversimplification he was making with his statement.

As for stretching the truth, yes, he is; those embryos may still have the potential for human life, but they will be trashed anyway, so according to his logic, he is being inconsistent; if he believes those embryos should not be used for stem cell research because they retain the potential for human life, how can he allow scientists to trash them, thereby killing them anyway? As far as I can see, he has two options if he wants to be consistent:

1) Admit that the fate of these leftover embryos is always death, and admit that since they are doomed anyway and will never develop into human beings, taking stem cells from them should be acceptable, since they will die anyway;

2) Admit that trashing these whole embryos is as morally questionable to him as it is taking their stem cells, and therefore find a way to save all of them (I assume this would involve implanting them into willing women, since research on a synthetic uterus is still far from its goal).

Choosing option C (no to stem cell research, yes to trashing) is not only morally questionable by itself, it's also inconsistent and - if you think about it - it seems to be simply a statement against science ("no, you can't do this research and save other human lives, it's better to just throw the embryos away"). But I would still want to see him face a child who has been diagnosed with a degenerative disease and explain that he has chosen not to fund research which might help him, for the sake of leftover embryos who will be thrown into the trash can and die there.

Another optiuon he would have would be to ask congress to outlaw fertility clinics. Good luck.

[A Gunslinger]

Here's some more fun for Rush...I hope he keeps right on shooting off his rather ill-informed mouth:

www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/30/mj-fo ... o-contest/

[sgt.null]

i'm sure that this is the fault of the defeatocrats. because we know that rush has talent on loan from God.

[A Gunslinger]

On loan from the God of Jackassery, that is.

[sgt.null]

thank you, we will be here all week.

if it were me, i would introduce Rush as a convicted drug abuser anytime introducing a story about him.

[A Gunslinger]

Did you know that George Stephenopoulus invited Rush onto the show to discuss the issue with or without MJF and he declined? What a coward!

[sgt.null]

Rush doesn't do tv that I know of. he has his own (controled) forum.