A few brief stem cell items:

"Some people believe that they are saving embryos by opposing embryonic stem cell research. Stopping embryonic stem cell research does not save these embryos. Thousands of frozen eggs are discarded every year by fertility clinics. These eggs are not wanted by their parents and many have been frozen too long to be usable. However, these frozen fertilized eggs can provide stem cells for research and therapy." -- Wise Young, Ph.D., M.D., Professor II & Chair, Dept. of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, W. M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience

Q: Where do scientists get the embryos they use?
A: If the mother becomes pregnant and has a baby, she may not want to use the remaining frozen embryos. Then she and her husband can give doctors permission to throw them away, or give them to scientists to use for stem cell research. -- Dr. Aman Shah, WebMD Medical News

"The reality today is that each year thousands of embryos are routinely destroyed. Why shouldn't embryos slated for destruction be used for the benefit of mankind?" -- pro-life U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)

The majority who believe that stem cell research should be allowed has increased from 61% to 21% in favor in 2001 to 73% to 11% in favor now. This majority support for stem cell research includes almost all Democrats with opinions (80% to 5%) and Independents (83% to 7%) and a large, if smaller, majority of Republicans (60% to 18%). -- The Harris Poll®, August 18, 2004

Do you need more proof to show just how out of touch Bush & Co. are on this issue -- and many others for that matter? It's one thing to be principled and make the tough decisions, but it's quite another to just be out of step with the general public and rule in a way that's unaccountable. Bush/Cheney and the crew are certainly of the latter.