Bush Vetoes Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research

The media often discusses this as being opposed to science (Bush "vetos stem cell research" without reference in the title to the federal funding), but I view it as solely an issue of federal funding. The current rules do not stop researchers from spending nonfederal money on such research. If the benefits are as large as some people claim, it is not obvious why subsidies are necessary. In general, it is very hard to keep politics out of government research funding, that is true for medical research as it is for other areas. When people put their own money on the line, they are more likely to make the right decision on whether there is a real return from those research investments.