stem cell research

[cacophony]

also, because i know you're dying to know my opinion on this (), i have mixed emotions about the decision. i understand obama's motive and i agree that the US has to renew its leadership in the world in the field of science. the bush years threatened to send us back to the days of explaining natural phenomena as feats of the gods. science needs to have its good name restored and it's important that government separate itself from religious ideology.

however. even a secular society has to be based on a common sense of morality. an ideology, if you will. if no consensus can be reached, is it the government's place to decide the issue? if 49% of the population is against the idea of embryonic stem cell research(according to a recent pew poll), is it justifiable to put tax-derived government money towards support of it?

take the abortion issue. i assume most of us here agree that abortions should be legal, private and safe. but the country is split almost evenly on the issue. would it be right for the government to fund abortion clinics?

i guess this is where i feel like government should take a step back. where such a tiny sliver of majority exists that it is almost statistically insignificant, i feel the government should simply abstain from financial commitment. sure, make it legal, make it safe, create opportunity. but don't reach into the pockets of the people who are strongly against it to advance the cause.

but that's just me.