The World Waits Breathless as Nebraska Considers Banning Cloning
It is puzzling to me that developing nations and, in the US, states with the smallest concentration of biotechnology industry have put such a high priority on bans for stem cell research and cloning. So when I read that Nebraska's legislature, with all the issues in the world to discuss, will be focusing on cloning in its legislative session, the only thing I could think to say was Akin to South Dakota, Nebraska is despite its excellent university in Lincoln and medical school hardly a place likely to attract scientists who want to work on nuclear transfer. Before you flame us, yes we get that they do research. But the bit of stem cell research underway there is on "Bush approved cells" and is not funded by the NIH. And the other pieces that would have to be in place to do major embryonic research are just not likely to come to Nebraska, ever. So why is a very, very red state debating a ban on stem cell research?
Wait ... did anyone check to see whether Dr. Hwang has left the country? Perhaps the legislators in Nebraska know something about where the South Korean stem cell team is going. Anyway, where the matter of rogue cloning is concerned you can never be too careful.
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And you wonder why people of your political persuasion lose elections. The picture of "fly over country" was swell. Glad you are so much better than the folks of Nebraska.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Jan 1, 2006 at 8:52 PM | link
The way I read it, the editors here seem to be poking fun at the legislators in Nebraska, not the citizens. Why should Nebraskan politicians be busy with this, when there are more important things to decide for the people of Nebraska?
This is why, to me, the preceding comment sounds like a cheap shot: first it objectifies ('people of your political persuasion'), then it insinuates ('glad you are so much better ...'). Talk about scraping the bottom of the argumentative barrel.
- by jimmy on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:08 AM | link
The address on the last comment I just sent had the wrong hame and address (using a friend's laptop). This one is right.
- by Stuart Rennie on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:14 AM | link
What could be more important to a legitimate government than protection of the human right to life?
- by Beverly on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:27 AM | link
Put Nebraska with Missouri and Wisconsin, and with such developing nations as Germany and France and Australia...
- by Thomas on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:35 AM | link
Beverly: I see your point, but in this case it is about research that (as far as I know) will not take place in Nebraska in the near future. Are legitimate governments at the state level supposed to debate the 'hot' or 'sexy' issues of the day, independent of whether those particular issues will impact on the constituency? (It would be different if it was a debate about another 'right to life' issue like legislation on abortion.)
- by Stuart Rennie on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:37 AM | link
FYI, Nebraska has had a long and very bitter running battle for over a decade on the issue of fetal tissue research at the Univ of Nebraska, so it is not surprising that the same people who are fighting on both sides of the fetal tissue research debate might find similar themes and issues with respect to embryonic stem cell research and cloning research.
- by alta charo on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:42 AM | link
I've been just looking around for more information on global policies in regard to embryonic stem cell research. I came up with the following link: http://mbbnet.umn.edu/scmap.html.
When I look at the map, it seems that there is not a perfect fit between legislation and research capacity, i.e. there seem to be places (other than just Nebraska!) where the establishment of policies precede the possibility of doing that kind of research. A kind of 'pre-emptive' policy-making on future biotechnological research. Interesting.
- by Stuart Rennie on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:50 AM | link
fwiw I love Nebraska from the air. it is even prettier from the ground; see: http://www.nctc.net/~hazard/photo/
but the visual cue is pretty clear, I agree. looking out over NE it is tough indeed to identify any reason in the world for Nebraskan politicians to spend their very short legislative session thinking about cloning. they might as well take up discussions of the implications of a failure in North Korean disarmament talks.
This business is strictly politics and it is shameful and stupid, but in the same vein precisely as the Bush administration's war against gay marriage.
So Wesley I have to agree with you that this is why "liberals" lose elections - the Nebraska debacle is precisely the sort of "Rove-esque" battle strategy that wins. It takes a special politician indeed to actually *aim* to decieve people with a false crisis in order to get them to vote against their Get the people to vote against their own economic interests.
- by Glenn on Jan 2, 2006 at 1:54 AM | link
Alta, my understanding could be incorrect but I believe that while the anti-"medical cloning" bill may be packed kind with a fetal protection law for this coming 60 day session, it is not in any direct way related to the efforts by then Governor Johanns there in 1999-2000 on the research at U Nebraska or for that matter to the Nebraska "partial birth" stuff. But you'd know better than me: has that conversation continued from 2000 to this day?
- by Glenn on Jan 2, 2006 at 2:08 AM | link
How did Bush's "war" against gay marriage get into this? A bit Bush obsessed, aren't we?
The point is that with the national debate at an impasse, people around this country are trying to organize at the state level to outlaw all human cloning (just as proponents are trying to get explicit legal licenses).
So far, I believe 8 states have outlawed all human cloning, including off the top of my head, Michigan, Iowa, both Dakotas, Arkansas, and Indiana. The effort is very close in several other states, besides Nebraska. Now with Hwang's "breakthrough" proven a fraud, it might become the tipping point allowing several other states to join the anti cloning list.
So, Nebraska is important as another member of a slowly growing group of states that seek to outlaw human cloning as they concomitantly encourage adult/umbilical cord blood stem cell research.
This is a legitimate matter for the legislators of Nebraska to debate. I doubt, frankly, whether they care about your opinion about what the rubes in fly over country should care about. If their constituents are unhappy, they can let that be known through the usual means.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Jan 2, 2006 at 2:51 AM | link
Glenn -- fetal tissue research still very much alive in Nebraska state politics. In just last 12 months, see:
16. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), July 21, 2005 Thursday, City Edition, B; Pg. 5, 929 words, Chambers vs. NU regent and the voters of District 7, W. SCOTT DAVIS, For the Lincoln Journal Star
my client, University of Nebraska Regent David Hergert, ...
I note the law of Nebraska does not support his argument. ...
percent, and 45,846 Western Nebraska informed voters fully ...
voluntarily settled his differences with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission and announced his opposition to fetal tissue research at the Medical ...
disenfranchise the voters of western Nebraska by any means ...
impeachment by the Legislature: * The Nebraska Supreme Court has stated that ...
Chris Beutler. * Under the Nebraska Constitution, Regent Hergert is ...
IV, Sec. 5). The Nebraska Supreme Court has held the ...
under the Constitution. * Finally, the Nebraska Supreme Court has held that ...
Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska v. Exon, 256 ...
office of regent. Violations of Nebraska's campaign finance laws have ...
voters in western Nebraska and intends to do so. Sen. ...
Chambers and fails to persuade the Nebraska Supreme Court, the taxpayers of this ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (99%)
17. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), July 20, 2005 Wednesday, City Edition, B; Pg. 3, 227 words, Tony Ojeda to seek state Legislature seat, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents three ...
issue candidate because of his opposition to fetal tissue research. "I'm a ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (94%)
18. Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), June 1, 2005, Wednesday, IOWA;METRO;MIDLANDS;NEBRASKA;SUNRISE EDITION, Pg. 06B;, 239 words, Good intentions, 2
pay off. The University of Nebraska Medical Center started its ...
protests against its use of fetal tissue for research.
continues to be available only from fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions. The ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
... NEBRASKA, USA (88%);
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
19. Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), May 27, 2005, Friday, MIDLANDS EDITION, Pg. 01B;, 541 words, Rapid-autopsy program boosts NU brain research, Julie Anderson
autopsy program the University of Nebraska Medical Center begun ...
ago to reduce the use of fetal tissue from elective abortions is yielding ...
practices." Research using fetal tissue has been controversial in Nebraska since it was reported ...
types originally obtained from fetal tissue -- astrocytes and microglia -- through the ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
... NEBRASKA, USA (91%);
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
20. Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), May 27, 2005, Friday, METRO EDITION, Pg. 01E;, 446 words, UNMC autopsy program praised Researchers have been able to recover brain cells from adults with neurological diseases., Julie Anderson
autopsy program that the University of Nebraska Medical Center began ...
ago to reduce the use of fetal tissue from elective abortions is yielding ...
practices." Research using fetal tissue has been controversial in Nebraska since it was reported ...
types originally obtained from fetal tissue -- astrocytes and microglia -- through the ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
... NEBRASKA, USA (91%);
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%);
22. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), May 24, 2005 Tuesday, City Edition, B; Pg. 2, 835 words, Complaint seeks criminal charges against Hergert, MATTHEW HANSEN, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
impeachment. Now, University of Nebraska Regent Dave Hergert ...
opponent, longtime western Nebraska Regent Don Blank. The ...
reasons, including his opposition to fetal tissue research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. W. ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (83%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (95%)
23. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), May 15, 2005 Sunday Correction Appended, City Edition, A; Pg. 1, 1600 words, Campaigns transform regents' races, MATTHEW HANSEN, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
men elected to the University of Nebraska's Board of Regents took ...
possible impeachment after the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission ...
out to get the western Nebraska regent because of his opposition to fetal-tissue and embryonic stem-cell ...
Center had been using aborted fetal tissue in scientific research ...
candidates had strong support from Nebraska Right to Life. * Highlight the ...
university. "I think (fetal tissue) is one of the issues, and I ...
incumbent Blank. The western Nebraska campaign didn't involve ...
HOW IT WORKS Nebraska's campaign finance law is ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%); COMMON CAUSE ( ...
... NEBRASKA, USA (95%)
24. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), May 4, 2005 Wednesday, City Edition, A; Pg. 1, 1147 words, Senators call for regent's resignation, MATTHEW HANSEN AND NATE JENKINS, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
impeachment. New University of Nebraska Regent Dave Hergert, ...
promises to keep the western Nebraska regent - and questions about whether the ...
see him removed from the board. The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission ...
Brashear noted, is opposed to fetal-tissue research - a hot ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (84%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (95%)
26. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), February 4, 2005 Friday, City Edition, B; Pg. 1, 734 words, Center to begin embryonic stem cell research, MATTHEW HANSEN, Lincoln Journal Star
research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center as soon as ...
school's use of aborted fetal tissue.
least one University of Nebraska regent and some religious ...
research. Back in Nebraska, the group will start to ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (91%); UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ( ...
... NEBRASKA, USA (91%); CALIFORNIA, ...
27. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), November 21, 2004 Sunday, City Edition, A; Pg. 1, 1396 words, New foes confront fetal tissue research, MATTHEW HANSEN, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
... In January, new Nebraska regent Hergert will ...
keep coming to the University of Nebraska's Medical Center once or ...
But what's commonly known as fetal-tissue research may be increasingly ...
Hergert joins the University of Nebraska Board of Regents in ...
on the scientific use of fetal tissue.
All three anti-fetal tissue researchregents now elected to the ...
Schmit-Albin, director of Nebraska Right to Life. The board's ...
thought the firestorm over fetal tissue had subsided after newspaper ...
battle for the future of fetal tissue research at the med ...
rather than approve, the use of fetal tissue. The board's unanimous vote ...
abortion, would be long and difficult. Nebraska Right to Life's actions ...
willing to succumb on fetal tissue research without a fight. "Nebraska Right to Life vowed to ...
challenger got the endorsement of Nebraska Right to Life, which placed ...
critical of Skrupa's support of fetal tissue research to Omahans likely to ...
get the support of the western Nebraska Right to Life movement. That ...
Blank's position on fetal tissue research. Ferlic points ...
involved issues unrelated to fetal tissue research, and believes the med ...
way for pro-fetal tissue research regents to combat ...
types originally obtained from fetal tissue - now can be obtained ...
lessened, reliance on fetal tissue - maybe three samples ...
people of this state to put (fetal tissue research) up as a ...
most ardent opponent of fetal tissue research on the board. " ...
... FETAL TISSUE RESEARCH
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (91%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (98%)
29. Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska), November 4, 2004 Thursday, City Edition, B; Pg. 3, 580 words, Hergert adds another anti-abortion voice, MATTHEW HANSEN, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE
after an endorsement from Nebraska Right to Life. New University of Nebraska Regent Dave Hergert's ...
still supports University of Nebraska Medical Center research ...
question the board's support of fetal-tissue research using aborted ...
getting an endorsement from Nebraska Right to Life, the state's ...
Blank's dedication to his western Nebraska constituents, ads Blank ...
said he opposed the use of fetal tissue obtained from abortions. The newly ...
research using aborted fetal tissue. And Regent Jim McClurg ...
about how he would vote if fetal-tissue research using aborted ...
aren't derived from aborted fetal tissue. Blank, Regent Chuck ...
challenger supported by Nebraska Right to Life. Regent ...
voiced opposition to abortion and fetal tissue research. Blank couldn't ...
journalstar.com. University of Nebraska Board of Regents 99% of ...
... UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (91%)
... NEBRASKA, USA (99%)
31. Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), November 4, 2004, Thursday, IOWA;METRO;MIDLANDS;NEBRASKA;SUNRISE EDITION, Pg. 09A;, 628 words, Fortenberry arrives at the right's time The Republicans' conservative agenda is likely to appeal to Nebraska's new congressman., Lori Nitschke, WASHINGTON
Jeff Fortenberry, soon to be Nebraska's newest congressman, will ...
research that uses aborted fetal tissue or destroyed human embryos. ...
professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said it is ...
tax cuts. But Nebraska Republican Reps. Tom ...
Republican victor in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District, ...
... NEBRASKA, USA (95%);
32. Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), November 4, 2004, Thursday, IOWA;MIDLANDS EDITION, Pg. 06A;, 408 words, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA REGENTS Hergert's election win adds another abortion foe to board, Bill Hord, LINCOLN
voice on the University of N
- by alta charo on Jan 2, 2006 at 4:34 AM | link
LEXIS is a beautiful thing. Well I guess that settles the question of whether this was as claimed a debate about the perils of cloning (with "therapeutic" cloning lumped in) or another wedge against abortion in that state... Either way thank goodness Nebraskan politicians are going to fight to protect Nebraskans against the cloners ... it seems they might have found sanctuary hiding among the fetal tissue researchers.
- by glenn on Jan 2, 2006 at 4:51 AM | link