Stem Cell Options - March 2012

Let’s suspend for a moment our preconceived positions on the issue of embryonic stem-cell research. Assume temporarily that the vast majority of scientists who claim that embryonic stem  cells offer unique therapeutic potential are correct. Of course the treatments and cures, if and when they materialize,  will be worth billions of dollars to the patent holders who get there first. Whether the disease is autism, cerebral palsy, MS, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury, stroke, or any of the myriad of illnesses in which embryonic stem cells may prove helpful,  many patients and their families will gladly pay whatever it takes.  Now let’s suppose that the patient is the child of an individual whose beliefs oppose the use of embryonic stem cells in this way.  That individual will have two options – allow his/her child to continue suffering and perhaps die prematurely, or submit to a type of treatment the he/she philosophically opposes.  Are there more than a handful of zealots who would choose the former alternative? I think not. 

The politico-religious advocacy of those determined to block advancements in this area may slow America’s efforts, but will prove irrelevant in the global competition.  China, known for its brilliant scientists and its ability to fund such research, will be among the first to cross the finish line. Russia will not stand idly by. Europe is already a player. So the quandary over whether to honor their prejudices or save their child will eventually confront many of the anti-progress activists.  Confronted with this moral dilemma, some will elect to access the treatment while hiding their participation.  Thus the moral bottom line is that they will chose hypocrisy over science.

Another point for the Luddites to ponder is that nothing they do will have any effect on  how embryos are harvested.  American scientists with a specialization in embryonic stem-cell research will simply go to other countries where their expertise is welcome, where rewards may prove greater, and where they are not vilified by those unqualified to debate the issue.   Somewhere along the way, a treatment derived from embryonic stem cells may save the life of a future president, or even a community organizer who personally improves thousands of lives.

But we live in a country in which the militancy of people who can barely imagine the complexity of a cell may determine whether America is allowed to move forward in this vital area of research. These people’s expertise lies in less practical areas, such as how best to advocate the commands of an organization that replaces thought with mumbo jumbo.  Can’t we pass a law that says that those who oppose science now will not be allowed to enjoy its benefits in the future?  If so, I am willing to submit to a law that forbids me from enjoying any of the future benefits of religion. Besides, why do they need science when they have access to something far more powerful, the healing power of the creator of the universe with whom they are in daily contact.

Distributing the Wealth - January 2012

How are we doing on income distribution? To look at 2011 luxury car sales, it hard not to get the impression things are moving in the right direction for the 1%. Bentley sales were up worldwide by 37% in 2011, 32% in the U.S with just over 2000 sold. Mercedes reported its best sales year ever, with an increase of 17.5%. BMW was up by 14.9%, its second best year ever in the U.S. December 2011 was the strongest month for several manufacturers, a good sign for 2012.

Except for some low end (but very cute) two-seater models of the BMW, none of these cars are made in the USA, so they fit nicely with the Republican philosophy that job creators – people who buy luxury cars – are doing their part regardless of the country the job is created in.

American Exceptionalism - January 2012

Are there reasons for voting Republican this November (2012)? Many! And you may find them persuasive. For starters, if you feel wealthy people are being treated shabbily by our government, the Republican party has promised to attack that problem.  If you believe America will become more successful in the worldwide competition for jobs by providing less education to its citizens, the Republican Party has already proven its ability to lead in dumbing down our children. If you maintain that healthcare should be limited to people who share your values, then the entire group of Republican candidates still in the presidential race are fully behind you.

But there’s much more. If you have determined that the best way to prove America’s exceptionalism is to start another trillion-dollar war in the Middle East, your party stands ready to get tough with Iran.  If you deem certain kinds of “uppity” people as unworthy of running our government and are determined to “take back our country”, you don’t need to look far for a political party to support your view. If you are confident that taking the U.S. to the brink of default and signing pledges never to raise taxes is a clever way to put our government in its place, look no further.  If you approve of boycotting the State of the Union address or shouting “Liar!” from the floor when the President is speaking, then your choice is clear. If doing whatever you want to whomever you please and then requesting a pass from Jesus is your kind of religion, the Gingrich/Santorum wing of the party sees salvation in the same light.

But some of the most compelling reasons for voting Republican have yet to be mentioned. For example, if you shun compromise, the principle on which our democracy operates, so does your party.  If you think that the Majority Leader of the Senate should ignore legislative priorities and dedicate himself and his party to the defeat of the President, have I got a recommendation for you!  If you wish to vote for a political party that kowtows to a radio talk show host who often appears demented, that opportunity is at hand. If you hope to eliminate regulations, such as those that get in the way of your enjoyment of lead paint and asbestos, the anti-regulation party has a home for you. And if you will fight for the right to encourage your child’s obesity without government interference, then punish those pesky Democrats by voting Republican.

This review of Republican positions should help you select the party you believe will take America in the right direction.  But if not, get in touch. This is merely the short list.

Newspaper Ecology

6-29-08           

In order to save space (column inches) in the editorial section, all newspapers should immediately cease publishing conservatives’ explanations of their positions on political issues. Instead, simply list their concerns without elaboration. How could that be fair? Conservatives’ positions on important issues need no longer be written down because they are unanimous, invariable, and widely known by all newspaper readers. Guns? Nothing better. Abortion? Evil personified. Change of any kind? Mankind’s curse. Separation of church and state? Obviously the founding fathers experienced a senior moment. Therapeutic stem cell research? God is opposed. Capital punishment? The Old Testament approves so what else do you need to know. Wars? If you don’t kill bad guys, the world will never understand how peace loving we are. The economy? The free market solves all problems, except maybe $4 per gallon gasoline and housing crises and environmental devastation. I could go on, but you probably see my point by now.

A recent letter – running to 15.5 column inches - from a conservative argued that America’s enemies do not deserve Constitutional protection. This argument might hold a little water if we had used our pea-sized brains to pinpoint who those enemies are. Of the 13,000 prisoners randomly thrown into Abu Ghraib at its peak, 10% are believed to have harmed America’s interests in some way. That means 90% were incarcerated out of ignorance or laziness, or simply because our troops were too rushed to check them out. Of that 90% who meant us no harm, a number are now committed jihadists as a result of their unlawful and abusive detention.

If the 775 Guantanamo detainees are the offspring of a late-night union between Beelzebub and the bogeyman as our government would have us believe, why have 420 (54%) been released without charge? Given this proven proclivity to lock up the guiltless, why is our government apoplectic about the Supreme Court’s verdict requiring adherence to the Constitutional requirement for habeas corpus? Is there a possibility that the evidence doesn’t support our President’s oft-repeated assertion that these are the worst of the worst? But even if they are, only our reverence for the rule of law protects us from the savagery with which governments of previous centuries (and some still) treated their citizens and enemies as well. Perhaps we should, out of self-interest, honor and trust the Constitution that made this debate possible.

Conservatives are certainly entitled to their own opinions, but since we already know in detail what those opinions are, why use valuable space to print the same thing again and again? Lest I be accused of unbalanced views, this opinion applies equally to left-wing liberal writings exhibiting little or no thought. Opinions deserve a hearing only if there is an obvious application of at least one ounce of brain power to their formation.

Privileged Information

America has a dirty little secret, and it forms one of the pillars of our democracy: Many in our voting population – perhaps a majority - are so distracted or so ill-informed that they can often be persuaded to support candidates opposed to the voters’ own interests. Politicians wishing to exploit this large group need only aggregate lists of voters who rely on mysticism to guide their lives, stay in touch with the 60% of Americans who can’t find Iraq on a world map, maintain that dissent and disloyalty are synonymous, promote tax breaks for the rich as a means of helping the poor, and ferret out those who lay claim to political conviction but whose attention span seldom lasts through a complete news cycle.  By appealing to the misconceptions of this multitude in ways that evoke nostalgia, machismo, and unquestioning obedience to authority, exploitative politicians can persuade them to ignore evidence when it shows their representatives acting in politically abusive ways.

Pity the poor Democrats.  They not only don’t know about these political victims, they mistakenly believe that any voter can be persuaded, by reason, logic, facts, and evidence, to support his own self-interests. More reality-based political parties see in these folk a rich vein of political ore that can be mined time and time again to achieve electoral gains.

While marveling at the self-destructive nature of our policies in recent years, both foreign and domestic, the rest of the world seems to have discovered our dirty little secret before we became aware of it ourselves.

No Longer in Denial

Hosni Mubarak has acceded to the wishes of 80 million of his countrymen, or "children", as he calls them, and taken up residence in Sharm El Sheikh, where the $40 to $70 billion he looted during the past three decades should keep him comfortable  for the foreseeable future. At the lower number, he paid himself, annually, 2500 times as much as the President of the United States. He was accumulating wealth almost at the same rate as Bernie Madow, and with only slightly more ethical slippage. If his job performance was that stellar, you'd think his fellow Egyptians would have had fewer complaints.

Egypt has stood up and nominated herself for great nation status. By the nature of her revolution she seems to have earned it.  Let's hope that by this time next year the deal will be consummated. Like America, success will be measured in jobs created. It's rumored that unlike America, Egypt will not provide tax incentives to businessmen for creating employment in low-wage countries.

Defending Our Defenders

At last. A complex issue that even those who paint the world in black and white can understand. USA Today (Feb. 10, 2011) reported that 16% of homeless people are veterans. Since veterans make up only 10% of the adult population, this ratio far exceeds expectations. More than 136,00 veterans spent at least one night in a homeless shelter last year, a number which fails to tally those living exclusively on the streets.

Those whose extol the virtues of war and pound their chests over their professed support for the military are caught, it seems to me, on the horns of a philosophical dilemma. The stereotypes we hold of the needy don’t jibe with our notion of the character of our troops.  Yet the numbers tell a story of people who need a hand and whom, in an earlier life, all of us would have applauded. What’s going on here?

There are, it would appear, real problems that can’t be solved by issuing more guns, excluding aliens, or giving further tax breaks to the rich. People who served this country, and who once made it on their own, are in need of a hand to help them get their lives back on track.  Will private industry extend that hand? Not likely with 14 million unemployed workers and no clear self-interest at stake. Will churches or charities provide anything more than a meal or a cot? Most can’t afford to.  Will state governments fill the breach?  Not with the current stampede to trim down every aspect of their budgets that involve any form of benevolence.

That leaves only (gasp!) the Federal Government to provide job retraining, healthcare, counseling, and whatever else is needed to help these veterans regain some modest level of prosperity.  Yes, you got yours because you are so smart and self-motivated. Some of us just caught a lucky break. But wouldn’t we all be better off if we lived in a country where there is a pathway to renewal for all those who choose to walk it? 

There are a million gut wrenching stories out there.  Many are complex and deserve a hearing and perhaps even a helping hand.  Those who instinctively turn their backs on the needy suffer from a kind of moral bankruptcy that far exceeds the poverty of those sleeping under bridges.  Worse, they are uncaring or ignorant of the innumerable instances where intervention has elevated a life or an entire family.  When distributed rationally, the $10 trillion national income pie is big enough for all of us to enjoy a generous slice, especially those who fell on hard times after, or perhaps as a result of, defending America.