Politico’s “Stem Cell Ignites Ire on the Right” should have been titled: D’oh! Obama’s a Democrat. Seriously, you’d think that “common ground” meant giving in on women’s civil rights and all that’s important to the Democratic Party. Caving to fundamentalist, anti science beliefs isn’t common ground.
“We have had a number of teaching moments,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. “If people are really listening and watching, they will see what President Obama said is not what he is doing. He said he wanted to reach out to evangelicals or Christian conservatives who care about human life, but they will have a hard time squaring support for Barack Obama in light of these policies.”
Is Mr. Perkins kidding?
Candidate Obama never sent any signals that he would do anything other than support science, which includes allowing embryos from fertility clinics, which are to be discarded anyway when not utilized, to help scientists advance medical technology.
Obama called the debate “a false choice between sound science and moral values,” adding: “In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering.”
Evidently Perkins and his Republican friends missed it.
And at a time when Obama’s bid to seek greater bipartisanship on Capitol Hill already has run into serious obstacles, Monday’s decision seemed to put even greater distance between himself and top congressional Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the government was, “for the first time, incentivizing the creation and destruction of human embryos at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer.” House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said the decision “runs counter to President Obama’s promise to be a president for all Americans.”
Mr. McConnell is not only being disingenuous, he’s lying. There is no “first time incentivizing the creation and destruction of human embryos.” This is misinformation in the worst sense, even worse that what Rep. Boehner is floating.
President Obama has made a decision that the majority of Americans want, which would include the former first lady Nancy Reagan. Unfortunately, Republicans are hanging on to their hard right constituencies, putting them before the American people, because they’re the only ones supporting them right now.
It’s not about people or compassion, let alone science and suffering for Republicans, it’s politics. It’s also yet another reason why Republicans look so out of touch.
