The President, The State of the Union, and Genetics

At last night's State of the Union, the president said "Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research, human cloning in all its forms, creating or implanting embryos for experiments, creating human-animal hybrids, and buying, selling or patenting human embryos." Jamie happened onto a link today which humorously and insightfully addresses this bit from the speech. It's worth your time. Relatedly segphault writes "Ars Technica has an interesting look at scientific research and technology proposals included in Bush's State of the Union address."

Comments

Zuh?!

[eldavojohn]

Do not dare to question the actions nor the motives of the current government administration, or indeed any government administration.

Oh, I can and I will. I don't care how much I'm flamed. Flame me all you want ... anyone who can't listen to criticisms from the American people doesn't deserve to serve the American people.

For a classic demonstration, see my comments on the the EFF's latest action. This is not just a special case. This is the kind of resistance which I have received for years.

I'm confused, was I just asked to join an underground movement to overthrow the U.S. government?

I'm overdosed on "Bush is an idiot" jokes.

[Futurepower(R)]

I will be very very glad when someone else is elected, so I don't have to hear all those "Bush is an idiot" jokes. It's even worse outside the U.S., where there aren't any Republican fundamentalists, so almost everybody makes "Bush is an idiot" jokes.

Before, Saddam got Iraq oil profits and paid part to kill Iraqis. Now a few Americans get Iraq oil profits, and American citizens pay to kill Iraqis. Improvement?

The President? Of what?

[Leon_Trotsky]

Articles about the UK are always introduced with adjectives: "The Prime Minister of the UK".
The Union of South Africa is never refered to as the USA.

You have an international audience, quit staring in the bleeding mirror all day FCS!
PS: Because I know you forgot what an adjective is:
http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/a djectve.html

No high gas mileage humans

[kalbzayn]

Bush is just afraid if we get used to the human hybrids we'll start demanding the car hybrids and take money away from the oil companies. Now I bet if they were proposing creating humans that run on gasoline, his response would be very different.

Re:once upon a time

[Anonymous Coward]

The Asians that would later be known as "Native Americans" discovered the Americas. Then the Vikings. Then Columbus. The Chinese thing is a hoax. I won't read the rest of your post, because you format your writing like a retard and you started off with a big heaping bowl full of stupid.

Re:Eh? Is that criminal still working?

[PeterAitch]

Just a comment on the moderation, really. As a newbie, I'm surprised /.ers went for "flamebait" when it so obviously isn't!

As a newbie...I can't meta-moderate, either.


EGG ROW - BE US H? (Anagram of 'George W Bush', with 'H' representing Homo)

Re:Oh, Democrats

[pmike_bauer]

Have you been living under a rock?
Nothing this President supports will gender a reasoned response from the Dems.
Their one consistent position is: oppose Bush at all costs.
This is about power, not policy or reason.

Nitpick..

[Inoshiro]

"Oh yeah, and the NIH budget doubled[pdf] from 1999 to 2003. For several of those years, a man named George W. Bush was president."

Since Bush was in 2000-2003, with 2003 - 2000 = 3, several is the wrong word to use:

"several(a): (used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many; "several letters came in the mail"; "several people were injured in the accident" "

Thanks.

Oh, you might also mention how the US budget defecit went from 0 to a number much larger.

The US military budget also increased.

In general, Bush has spent more on everything than previous more frugal presidents.

Indeed, he has also raised spending on the military and pork by a higher percentage than things like social programs. I can't remember the exact number, but over 60% of US government spending is spent directly or indirectly on the US military. The NSF gets something like 1%.

And, let's also think about this, "human cloning in all its forms" includes cloned organs for people needing organ transplants. I hope your heart works 100%; I myself have a leaky heart valve, and would rather have a cloned one with the defect cured rather than a pig's heart valve inserted into me (plus the anti-rejection drugs this entails).

Try not to dress up a wolf in sheep's clothing!!