Letters, 10/9: Stem cell research promising
Upon reading the letter from Paul Prososki (Oct. 4), we feel compelled to respond. Embryonic stem cell research is important to us because of our son’s diabetes.
Paul Prososki says NU Board of Regents candidate Earl Scudder’s billboard stating his support for “life-saving research” must mean he supports embryonic stem cell research. Mr. Prososki is right. But his letter goes on to state misinformation regarding this important research. We would like to clarify what this research means to millions of Americans who suffer from many debilitating diseases. He claims that adult stem cells hold the answer for the future of curing diseases.
We know that promising results have been achieved in using human embryonic stem cells (derived from embryos contributed to research after being left over from in-vitro fertilization) for Alzheimer’s, ALS, diabetes, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injuries in rodents. David Crouse, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and executive associate dean for graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says “the simple fact is that there is NO evidence that adult stem cells (or umbilical cord stem cells) have ever been used successfully to treat Parkinson’s and diabetes or any similar difficult human disease/injury situations (ALS, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury, etc.).”
Because both candidates for president have promised to remove President Bush’s 2001 restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, 400 stem cell lines developed since 2001 could become eligible for federal funding in 2009. Our concern in this regent’s election is that if retiring pro-embryonic stem cell research Regent Charles Wilson’s successor doesn’t share his views (which Earl Scudder does), the board’s current 4-4 division would be tilted 5-3 against embryonic stem cell research, potentially creating a severe disadvantage for Nebraska’s scientists and UNMC.
Steve and Jan Leeper, Lincoln
Praise for stability act
The global financial markets have been teetering on the edge of collapse for weeks. While it will take many months for the world’s system of credit to correct itself, we are fortunate that Congress passed H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. This timely legislation gives the Department of Treasury authority to purchase the troubled assets that are clogging the system.
The rescue plan is critically important in order to begin restoring market stability and to increase credit availability for employers and families. Nebraska families rely on healthy credit markets to pay for their homes, cars and education, and small businesses rely on them to pay their associates. Without immediate government action, access to this funding was in severe jeopardy.
Sens. Chuck Hagel and Ben Nelson and Congressman Lee Terry deserve our praise for voting for H.R. 1424. Supporting the rescue plan was the best decision to make for Nebraskans.
Jeff Noordhoek, president, Nelnet
Harding missing meetings
I am appalled at the board meeting attendance record of Mary Harding, who is running for re-election to the Nebraska Public Power District Board of Directors.
The NPPD Board normally meets two days each month plus an occasional special meeting. My review of the NPPD Board meeting minutes from its Web site reveals that of 21 total meetings from December 2007 through August 2008, Mary Harding was absent nine times and late to a couple of other meetings. She would also have missed an equivalent number of important committee meetings.
Attendance and participation in board meetings, in my opinion, is vitally important for a director. Missing meetings is a disservice to constituents because it is not possible without attending board and committee meetings to stay abreast of all the complex issues facing a diverse electric utility like NPPD and to properly be a part of the decision-making process.
In my 30 years as the CEO of Norris Public Power, I never missed any board meetings, and the 12 board members were all present in excess of 95 percent of the time.
Glen Schmieding, Lincoln
Pro-lifer against Haar
I read “Haar offers auto, home tax cut” Sept. 22 with interest. I was president of Lincoln Right to Life while Ken Haar was on the City Council.
During that time, he voted to send more than $74,000 of city budget funds to Planned Parenthood of Lincoln. Pro-lifers showed up at the city budget hearings many years in a row to oppose giving tax dollars to an entity that eventually opened its own abortion facility in Lincoln.
The Planned Parenthood abortion facility has taken the lives of more than 7,000 unborn children since 1995. To cap it off, Haar is married to Chris Funk, director of Planned Parenthood. We don’t need Haar in the Legislature; I fear he would propose more state funds to Planned Parenthood.
Sandy Danek, Lincoln
Paul Prososki says NU Board of Regents candidate Earl Scudder’s billboard stating his support for “life-saving research” must mean he supports embryonic stem cell research. Mr. Prososki is right. But his letter goes on to state misinformation regarding this important research. We would like to clarify what this research means to millions of Americans who suffer from many debilitating diseases. He claims that adult stem cells hold the answer for the future of curing diseases.
We know that promising results have been achieved in using human embryonic stem cells (derived from embryos contributed to research after being left over from in-vitro fertilization) for Alzheimer’s, ALS, diabetes, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injuries in rodents. David Crouse, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and executive associate dean for graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says “the simple fact is that there is NO evidence that adult stem cells (or umbilical cord stem cells) have ever been used successfully to treat Parkinson’s and diabetes or any similar difficult human disease/injury situations (ALS, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury, etc.).”
Because both candidates for president have promised to remove President Bush’s 2001 restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, 400 stem cell lines developed since 2001 could become eligible for federal funding in 2009. Our concern in this regent’s election is that if retiring pro-embryonic stem cell research Regent Charles Wilson’s successor doesn’t share his views (which Earl Scudder does), the board’s current 4-4 division would be tilted 5-3 against embryonic stem cell research, potentially creating a severe disadvantage for Nebraska’s scientists and UNMC.
Steve and Jan Leeper, Lincoln
Praise for stability act
The global financial markets have been teetering on the edge of collapse for weeks. While it will take many months for the world’s system of credit to correct itself, we are fortunate that Congress passed H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. This timely legislation gives the Department of Treasury authority to purchase the troubled assets that are clogging the system.
The rescue plan is critically important in order to begin restoring market stability and to increase credit availability for employers and families. Nebraska families rely on healthy credit markets to pay for their homes, cars and education, and small businesses rely on them to pay their associates. Without immediate government action, access to this funding was in severe jeopardy.
Sens. Chuck Hagel and Ben Nelson and Congressman Lee Terry deserve our praise for voting for H.R. 1424. Supporting the rescue plan was the best decision to make for Nebraskans.
Jeff Noordhoek, president, Nelnet
Harding missing meetings
I am appalled at the board meeting attendance record of Mary Harding, who is running for re-election to the Nebraska Public Power District Board of Directors.
The NPPD Board normally meets two days each month plus an occasional special meeting. My review of the NPPD Board meeting minutes from its Web site reveals that of 21 total meetings from December 2007 through August 2008, Mary Harding was absent nine times and late to a couple of other meetings. She would also have missed an equivalent number of important committee meetings.
Attendance and participation in board meetings, in my opinion, is vitally important for a director. Missing meetings is a disservice to constituents because it is not possible without attending board and committee meetings to stay abreast of all the complex issues facing a diverse electric utility like NPPD and to properly be a part of the decision-making process.
In my 30 years as the CEO of Norris Public Power, I never missed any board meetings, and the 12 board members were all present in excess of 95 percent of the time.
Glen Schmieding, Lincoln
Pro-lifer against Haar
I read “Haar offers auto, home tax cut” Sept. 22 with interest. I was president of Lincoln Right to Life while Ken Haar was on the City Council.
During that time, he voted to send more than $74,000 of city budget funds to Planned Parenthood of Lincoln. Pro-lifers showed up at the city budget hearings many years in a row to oppose giving tax dollars to an entity that eventually opened its own abortion facility in Lincoln.
The Planned Parenthood abortion facility has taken the lives of more than 7,000 unborn children since 1995. To cap it off, Haar is married to Chris Funk, director of Planned Parenthood. We don’t need Haar in the Legislature; I fear he would propose more state funds to Planned Parenthood.
Sandy Danek, Lincoln
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