In The Name of Science!

Obama doesn't agree with pro-lifers, but he respects them. He respects them so much, he doesn't have to prove it with silly things like compromise.

Obama's latest proclamation of respect for pro-lifers came as he repealed Bush's eight-year restriction on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. According to Obama, ideology had nothing to do with his decision. He certainly didn't want to offend all those nice religious people.

He only did what he had to do for science.

The pervasive narrative on the left is a simple one: for years, Bush and his savage horde of fundamentalists pillaged the scientific establishment, confining research to an ideological prison. Now, Obama has come to liberate American science, restoring the sacred art to its proper place by making scientific policy based on "sound science."

This little tale is flawed on two points.

First of all, science is a system of rational enquiry, not a system of ethics. In and of itself, the scientific process is amoral. As such, science is a poor guide when it comes to determining our policy towards science.

(During Obama's statement on stem cell research, he promised to stand against human cloning. Was that a decision based on scientific research, or his own moral beliefs? Score one for hypocrisy.)

But in any case, Bush's stem cell policy wasn't an ignorant attempt to send America back to the dark ages. It didn't ban research on embryonic stem cells, or even ban federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. It merely restricted federal funding to research on existing lines of embryos. States and private organizations were allowed to take things further if they wished. Some did.

Far from being a heavy-handed research "ban," the Bush policy was a nuanced acknowledgement of a complex issue. Obama, on the other hand, refuses to throw the opposing side anything beyond a few token words of appreciation.

We've come to expect this from Obama. While Obama frequently preaches the gospel of bi-partisanship, he rarely gives conservative voices a fair hearing. In many cases, he blatantly dismisses them as the "failed policies of the past" or "old ideas." Republicans who pulled the lever for Obama because he sounded reasonable may quickly come to regret their decision.

If Obama wants to bridge America's ideological divide, he should back up his kind words with a bit of substance.