Thursday, July 20, 2006

Day after Bush bans federal funding for embryonic stem cell research Arnold funds $150 million in California

Diversity of conservative thought in action...

July 20 (Bloomberg) -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the state to loan $150 million to the state's financing agency for stem-cell research, one day after President George W. Bush vetoed legislation expanding federal funding for such studies.

The move by Schwarzenegger, a Republican running for re- election, was a boost to a voter-backed program whose funding has been hobbled by lawsuits. California has been unable to sell $3 billion of bonds approved by voters for disease-fighting research with embryonic cells because of the legal battles.


Of course since the entire state is run by and is generally overrun with democrats, republicans in office are forced to the middle of the road sometimes, but Arnold has always been socially liberal and relatively passionate about this issue. And I can see his point here. While I'm not a big fan of the government subsidizing much of anything, stem cell research offers huge avenues off discovery that should be explored.

Let's not give 'em too much money though Arnold. You've still got to bring the state spending under control a little more before you get to bust out the checkbook...