Back in 2004, Californians voted to borrow $3 billion to pay for embryonic stem-cell and human-cloning research — that the media and Democrats falsely claimed George W. Bush banned — with the promise of CURES! CURES! CURES! The media were all in because the agenda of the day was, “Repudiate all things Bush” –plus the pro-lifers were opposed, so it had to be passed.
It was, and we know now how all those promises of children getting out of wheelchairs and Uncle Al’s Parkinson’s being cured turned out. All these years later, there have been no effective treatments developed from embryonic stem-cell research, and human cloning remains rudimentary. The treasure trove of shared profits has been so many moths. In contrast, adult and other forms of ethical stem-cell therapies have moved into human testing and clinical application — just as Bush predicted.
Over the years, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, created from all those billions of borrowed money, has been charged with conflicts of interest and mismanagement. But never mind. They are back — now asking voters to borrow $5.5 billion to keep them in their beautiful buildings, high salaries, and fund their buddies’ research projects. From the San Francisco Chronicle story:
The measure asks voters to re-fund the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state’s stem cell agency, by allowing it to issue bonds for research, training and facilities construction.
Bob Klein, chairman of Californians for Stem Cell Research, Treatments and Cures, said the measure would allow California to continue to invest in developing treatment and cures for conditions such as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
Good grief. They should at least get a new script!
California is a wreck. Its economy is imploding. Homeless encampments have fouled once great cities. The state is deeply and, it seems to me, irremediably in debt — to the point that Nancy Pelosi is hunting actively for a federal bailout.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. If Californians re-up this white elephant, they will get exactly what they will be asking for — and it won’t be embryonic stem-cell cures.