Just when you think that the Republican *cough* leadership couldn't distance themselves more from the American public, Eric Cantor (R-VA) comes through for his party. Today, Barack Obama will officially end the White House ban on embryonic stem cell research. In response, Mr. Cantor says that this is a distraction for the nation in our time of economic peril (caused by his party's love of greed and deregulation, but that's besides the point). Perhaps the Congressman would like to say that to these people, or perhaps this group, just so that they know how compassionate conservatism is supposed to work.
In his own callous, uncaring and purely political words:
"Why are we going and distracting ourselves from the economy? This is job No. 1. Let's focus on what needs to be done," Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, told CNN's "State of the Union."[...]
Cantor, R-Virginia, has been among the leaders of GOP opposition to Obama's economic policies.
In a conference call with reporters, (White House domestic policy adviser Melody) Barnes said funding research is also part of the administration's plan to boost the plunging U.S. economy.
"Advances with regard to science and technology help advance our overall national goals around economic growth and job creation," she said, adding, "I think anytime you make an effort to try and separate these pieces of the puzzle, you're missing the entire picture."
And of course, that is what it is all about. Eric Cantor, along with the great majority of his dwindling party just doesn't get the big picture. He can't understand that Americans want to find cures for diseases and that by doing so, you create (drumroll please) jobs! To Cantor, the "economy" is code word for less taxes on the rich and more penalties for the poor. Then when you talk about spending freezes at a time like this, it shows a real loathing for the health of our nation and partisan politics gone wild. So for the people out there that are waiting for stem-cell research to help find treatments for your particular disease, Eric Cantor doesn't just not care about you, that uncaring attitude is reserved for all of us.
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