Those against it still fought it savagely.
But in the end, Michigan’s politicians and the people felt the benefits were just too great to throw away, and they adopted it.
By the way, I haven’t been talking about embryonic stem cell research, but about fluoridization of the water, which was adopted in most Michigan cities in my childhood, starting with Grand Rapids in 1945, before I was born.
Now, I am well aware that there is still a small minority that opposes putting fluoride in the water, and I invite them to take a bucket and go down to their local creek.
However, if my students and godchildren can avoid the dental problems I’ve had, I am willing to take the small risk that fluoride will weaken our moral fiber and promote communism.
So now, on to embryonic stem cell research. This was the focus of a bitter and expensive campaign last fall, in which opponents heavily outspent those in favor of it. In the end, Michigan voters decided to approve it, and did so by a substantial margin.
President George W. Bush was a bitter opponent of this research, for religious reasons, and twice vetoed bills that allowed federal funding of embryonic stem cell work. That roadblock ended yesterday when President Obama signed an executive order reversing all restrictions on its funding.
Originally, administration sources said he thought it would be better if Congress passed a bill allowing this work, and they may yet do so. The proposal has majority support in both houses.
But Congress these days is a little busy trying, literally, to stave off another major depression. So the President jump-started the process with his order. And this is especially good news for Michigan.
Scientists all over the nation are rejoicing, and Sean Morrison, the director of the University of Michigan’s Center for Stem Cell Biology, was ecstatic. “I expect this will lead to millions of dollars in new federal research funding at the University of Michigan,” he said.
He added that this executive order, and the passage of Proposal Two “will allow world-class scientists in Michigan to devote their full talents to the search for new cures.”
It also means our state now will be able to compete for millions and millions in research grants. And that means jobs.
High-tech, intellectual, new economy jobs.
Nobody knows where all this research may lead, though there were those who sneered at penicillin when it was first proposed.
What is clear is that this is a ray of real hope for Michigan, economic and otherwise. And that feels very good.
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