Michigan to Let Loose on Stem Cells?
Although polling in the weeks before Election Day 2008 did not look promising and there was fierce opposition to Michigan's Proposal 2 to loosen the state's restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, I can report that at 1:09 AM on November 5th the stem cell research ballot initiative was leading in the voting 53% YES to 47% NO with 76% of precincts reporting.
At least this is according to Mlive.com's Politics Blog. Sometimes one just can't wait until the daylight hours to make a prediction: Michigan will join the small but growing number of states opening their doors to embryonic stem cells...and the researchers who love to study them.
Some might say this one is "too close to call" like Al Franken dueling against the incumbent Coleman in Minnesota, but I'm throwing my weight behind the voters in Michigan and my hope that they will see that embryonic stem cell research using excess embryos from fertility treatment is morally acceptable for the mitten-shaped state.
Here's to embryonic stem cell research in Michigan, Al Franken...and all those races just a little too close to call at 1 AM on the morning after Election Day. If Al could become a senator, then stem cells could be harvested from embryos in Michigan. Change is coming to America.
Summer Johnson, PhD
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