Obama Lifts Funding Ban on Stem Cell Research

The last remnants of the Old Republic are being swept away every day. With the stroke of the Presidential pen, a new day dawns for scientists who are working on treating diseases such as Parkinson's, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries, and on and on. And, thanks to the people who approved Prop 2 last fall, Michigan will be ready to help with this crucial research that will not only bring relief to those suffering from those diseases, but it also will put our state in the running to be at the forefront of creating new jobs and investment in the medical field.

The University of Michigan is launching the state's first major embryonic stem cell research program this afternoon. It will be a few months before funding will flow; the National Institute of Health is still drawing up ethical guidelines on the research. Sean Morrison, director of the University of Michigan's Center for Stem Cell Biology, had this to say:

"When signed, President Obama's executive order will signal a new day in which science policy will be based on science and in which the federal government can invest in the best ideas with the greatest potential to improve public health," Morrison said. "America will once again seek to be the world's engine for biomedical discovery, leading the way toward new treatments for disease."

For the small minority that are still against this research, out there making themselves known today - keep in mind, John McCain would have lifted the ban as well.

Thank you, voters of Michigan, for lifting our restrictive laws at just the right time.