What makes for a stable country? Earlies this year my daughter and I visited Italy. While in Venice I learned that the city was supported by wooden supports made from trees. I cannot even imagine the number of supports necessary to create a stable foundation for Venice.
It led me to reflect on other ways that societies are supported: Stable families, a sound economy, respect for human life, respect for the rule of law, stable institutions such as churches and schools. It is obvious that these have been under attack for decades, but the Obama administration has begun to attack these with a new ferocity.
If one were to wait until the end of the year and decide upon "The most shameful decision, act or policy of the Obama presidency in 2009", it would be impossible to do so, because there have been so many shameful decisions. It appears there will be no end in sight.
Obama's decision to revoke President Bush's policy of funding only stem cell research that does not involve the killing of human embryos is surely Obama's most shameful decision of June 2009. The numbers of human embryos that will be created and destroyed in the years to come could be astronomical, and Obama's executive order which follows has liar written all over it. Obama: "Advances over the past decade in this promising scientific field have been encouraging" False, there have been no successful human treatments with embryonic stem cell research. Obama wants NIH to "review NIH guidelines...including provisions establishing appropriate safeguards". Safeguards? Embryonic stem cell research kills new human life-there are no protections for human embryos. Sue Cirba
Obama's executive Order
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Research involving human embryonic stem cells and human non-embryonic stem cells has the potential to lead to better understanding and treatment of many disabling diseases and conditions. Advances over the past decade in this promising scientific field have been encouraging, leading to broad agreement in the scientific community that the research should be supported by Federal funds.
For the past 8 years, the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to fund and conduct human embryonic stem cell research has been limited by Presidential actions. The purpose of this order is to remove these limitations on scientific inquiry, to expand NIH support for the exploration of human stem cell research, and in so doing to enhance the contribution of America's scientists to important new discoveries and new therapies for the benefit of humankind.
Sec. 2. Research. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), through the Director of NIH, may support and conduct responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell research, to the extent permitted by law.
Sec. 3. Guidance. Within 120 days from the date of this order, the Secretary, through the Director of NIH, shall review existing NIH guidance and other widely recognized guidelines on human stem cell research, including provisions establishing appropriate safeguards, and issue new NIH guidance on such research that is consistent with this order. The Secretary, through NIH, shall review and update such guidance periodically, as appropriate.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Sec. 5. Revocations. (a) The Presidential statement of August 9, 2001, limiting Federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells, shall have no further effect as a statement of governmental policy.
(b) Executive Order 13435 of June 20, 2007, which supplements the August 9, 2001, statement on human embryonic stem cell research, is revoked.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 9, 2009.
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