Science is officially back today

Obama to overturn Bush policy on stem cells

President Barack Obama is ending former President George W. Bush's limits on using federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, with advisers calling the move a clear signal that science — not political ideology — will guide the administration.

Obama was to sign an executive order on stem cells and memo on science Monday in an East Room ceremony, a long-promised move that would fulfill a campaign promise. Advisers said it was part of a broader declaration on science that would guide the administration's policies on matters ranging from renewable energy to climate change.

"I would simply say this memorandum is not concerned solely — or even specifically — with stem cell research," said Harold Varmus, chairman of the White House's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology. He said it would address how the government uses science and who is advising officials across federal agencies.
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"We've got eight years of science to make up for," said Dr. Curt Civin, whose research allowed scientists to isolate stem cells and who now serves as the founding director of the University of Maryland Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. "Now the silly restrictions are lifted."

Strike up the band. Qhile we are still a nation that is largely in the grips of people who believe a bearded man on a throne of clouds created us 4,000 years ago, we are no longer governed by them. Now we are free to create our animal human hybrids let scientists do science. By the by, if you see Michael J. Fox, high five Mr. McFly.

Of course, not everyone is happy. Sam Brownback is mad, like always, and wishes to let us know that we'll all be burning for eternity with all the scientists. He also plans to introduce a bill to retroactively stone Copernicus as a heretic. Eric Cantor, weasel that he is, has decided to be ahead of the curve for once. No, he's not for science now, he's just decided that coaching his opposition in purely Jesus based terms is unproductive.

Cantor feels that a 15 minute signing ceremony for an executive order written by Obama's science people so that people in the science industry can do science related work.......will distract people from their work on fixing the economy. Yes, it will unfortunately seriously effect those scientists whose valiant work on fixing this economy (through alchemy research and a new process to turn worthless paper assets into valuable ones) will now be diverted to stem cell research. Everyone else is unaffected. Cantor will still have time to offer all the helpful solutions his party is known for.

Science is on the march.....for at least four years.