Let There Be Life

Apparently it might only take five to ten years in the laboratory.

Once we create it do we let it live in various ecosystems for millions of years and watch evolution take place? If it happens, have we proven both evolution and a form of intelligent design? If intelligent life evolves do we expect it to worship us and follow our rules with regards to ethical issues?

Change in Emphasis From Jail to Treatment For Drugs

A good sign with regards to drug policy in The Washington Post’s coverage of the nomination of R. Gil Kerlikowske to be drug czar:

The White House said yesterday that it will push for treatment, rather than incarceration, of people arrested for drug-related crimes as it announced the nomination of Seattle Police Chief R. Gil Kerlikowske to oversee the nation’s effort to control illegal drugs.

The choice of drug czar and the emphasis on alternative drug courts, announced by Vice President Biden, signal a sharp departure from Bush administration policies, gravitating away from cutting the supply of illicit drugs from foreign countries and toward curbing drug use in communities across the United States.

Posted in Drug Policy. 4 Comments »

Michael Steele Backs Away From Describing Abortion As An Individual Choice

Michael Steele has had to back off on the comments he made with regards to abortion in an interview posted yesterday. He described abortion as an individual choice and supported leaving the issue to the states. I suspect that he wanted to downplay his, and the GOP’s, opposition to abortion rights out a realization that an anti-abortion party has little future in most of the country.

It doesn’t work to try to take a middle ground. If you believe that a woman’s body belongs to her, then half-hearted comments about abortion are meaningless. Saying it should be decided by the states is no more acceptable than saying that freedom of speech should be decided by the state.

On the other hand, opponents of abortion rights act as if people are essentially property of the state, along with being unable to distinguish between a fetus and a fully developed human. To them there is also no acceptable middle ground, leading to criticism of Steele’s comments from the right.

Steele knows who he has to please to remain chair of the RNC. He has now firmly stated his opposition to abortion rights, including support for a Constitutional ban.

Bill Maher on Who Makes Health Care Decisions

Without a new episode of Lost I got around to watching last Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher tonight. From his New Rules:

Republicans always frame the health care debate by saying, “Health care decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not government bureaucrats,” leaving out the fact that health decisions aren’t made by doctors, patients or bureaucrats. They’re made by insurance companies.

Insurance companies, which are a lot like hospital gowns: chances are your ass isn’t covered.