Some Senators Clone Around

Regardless of how one feels about cloning and stem cell research, certainly expecting our congressmen to be reasonably honest isn't too much to ask... is it? According to Wesley J. Smith, Senators Hatch, Feinstein, Specter, Kennedy, and Harkin have introduced a new bill called "Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2007." On its face it appears to do exactly what the conservative Christian mainstream very much wants, but it in fact does precisely the opposite. Mr. Smith put it this way,

Is it any wonder that the American people have such little respect for the legislative process? The bill purports to outlaw human cloning. Instead, it would explicitly legalize human somatic cell nuclear transfer--which is the actual act of cloning, a.k.a., asexual reproduction. So how do the senators justify calling their cloning legalization bill a cloning "ban?" Why, through the tried and true method, of course: They simply redefine the term cloning into a scientifically inaccurate political term.

Here is how "human cloning" is defined in S. 812:

The term `human cloning' means implanting or attempting to implant the product of nuclear transplantation into a uterus or the functional equivalent of a uterus.

But implantation is no more an act of cloning th[a]n is the implanting of an embryo created via IVF an act of fertilization. This bill is beyond disingenuous: It is dishonest.

Though Mr. Smith's discussion on his blog is worth the read, his article at The Daily Standard puts all the information together for a very good read. It might be worth finding out what is being considered, and to make your political will known.

Cheers!