Sounds like somebody's been paying attention to Bush's falling approval ratings:
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Friday threw his support behind House-passed legislation to expand federal financing for human embryonic stem cell research, breaking with President Bush and religious conservatives in a move that could impact his prospects for seeking the White House in 2008.
"It's not just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science," Frist, R-Tennessee, said on the floor of the Senate.
Frist:
a) finally remembered he was a doctor,
b) was driven over the edge by nightly visits from the vengeful ghost of Terri Schiavo, or
c) realized the depth of the growing schism between evangelicals and traditional conservative Republicans.
The answer's probably (c), but (b) appeals to my love of the undead.
Predictably, not everyone was keen on the news:
The Christian Defense Coalition lambasted Frist's change of position.
"Sen. Frist should not expect support and endorsement from the pro-life community if he votes for embryonic research funding," it said.
"Senator Frist cannot have it both ways. He cannot be pro-life and pro-embryonic stem cell funding," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the group. "Nor can he turn around and expect widespread endorsement from the pro-life community if he should decide to run for president in 2008."
[...]
"Senator Frist is a good man, he's simply advocating a bad policy," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas.
[...]
"House conservatives are profoundly disappointed at Senator Frist's decision to abandon this cause," said Rep. Mike Pence, R-Indiana.
If you can judge a person's character by his enemies, then Frist's just improved a bit in my estimation. Of course, that just means he's moved up from "ignorant rat bastard" to "opportunistic scumbag." Still, baby steps and all that.
Hardline Christians are in fact opposed to IVF... remember the reaction when Louise Brown was born?
I wish I could believe Frist's move was made out of anything but sheer political opportunism. I don't, though.
Gee, that's real Christian-like: opposing someone else's only means of making a baby. Now thems 'family values.'
If you extend the line the pro-lifers have drawn one or two segments, you'll see it leads to anti-masturbation legislation.
While I would oppose such legislation, I get a certain perverse thrill thinking about Kay Bailey Hutchinson discussing the matter.
Anti-masturbation legislation....no wonder the pro-lifers look so much like they got sticks up their ass. They're not able to relax.
And now a George Carlin moment apppropriate for observation about pro-lifers: "You ever notice that people who are against abortion are people you wouldn't want to fuck in the first place?"
"Using the whole Frist" - now that's funny!
Unless the embryonic research in question occurs inside someone's womb, I'm not sure how any rational person can label it "abortion." A cryopreserved embryo - or fertizlized egg for that matter - simply cannot, as a matter of policy, be considered a human life yet. (A functional uterus being the missing piece of the puzzle).
And the irony appears to be lost on "pro life" zealots. Because, for many, unused cryopreserved embryos are a necessary byproduct of invetro fertilization; the only means of procreation for many individuals. If destruction of the unused embryos is paramount to "abortion," a massive legal barb will have been thrown in the way of those attempting to create life through (at least for some) the only means available to them.
What, IVF should be illegal? That isn't very pro-life, now is it. So what then, a woman going through IVF should have all unused embryos forcibly implanted? That'd be beyond barbaric.
And that's why cryopreserved embryos are/should be considered property; not people. As such, folks ought to be able to destroy - or donate to science - their, if they want to. Better that the embryo be donated to science than destroyed altogether (IMO, at least), as it could lead to someone suffering soul having access to relief in the future.
Yeah, that's "pro life," alright: (1) making it more difficult for a certain specific segment of the population to have kids; and (2) foreclosing potential sources of treatment for the sick and suffering.
As far as I'm concerned, I hope Frist is the first of many hardliners to change position and recognize that stem cell research is not the equivilent of abortion, nor is it inconsistant with the core pro-life values. Well, at least the rational ones.