For six years now president Bush has allowed every bill that has passed his desk to scoot on by with nary a hint of veto (unless you count his dubious use of the “signing statement”). It is clearly a momentous occasion then when the president gets out the veto pen after such a long dry spell. So what did Bush decide to use his check to balance? Was it out of control spending by the congress, maybe to cut some pork out of no-bid military contracts, perhaps he didn’t like the bridge to nowhere?

No president bush decided to veto federal money for stem cell research. He decided to cut funds that could lead to cures for cancer, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injuries, and many other deadly maladies. He did so over the wishes of a majority of his OWN party.

He claimed that all life was sacred and that he was unable to support this law. We could debate when life starts, and if an embryo is a life, or a human, or the potential for a life, and the potential for a human all day long. As it stands these embryos are tossed. That’s right they are just thrown away. Good bye, see you later. Bush is taking a position in which he would rather see these embryos end up in the garbage, than do any good for sick people.

The morning after pill, science on global warming, and now stem cell research. This is not the first time our president has shown a distain for science, his administration has been implicated in a series of ham fisted attempts to place political motivations over science facts. Tales are slowly leaking out about scientists being hushed up, or defunded because the facts they uncover are not to the liking of the Bush administration.

America is in danger of loosing her edge in science (if we have not already). If we wont fund vital scientific endeavors others will, and we will be forced into the unfamiliar situation of going to another country to get new high tech cures for illness.