Those who want to clone and kill embyros in SD waffle on strategy

For a few months the deceptively named group "South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures" has been ramping up toward their petition drive to put an Initiated Measure on the ballot that opens the now shut door in South Dakota to cloning and experimenting on human embryos.

As was reported last week in the Rapid City Journal article "Embryonic stem cell research isn't a magic cure" - those who want to clone and kill human embryos are rethinking their strategy and are contemplating trying the legislative route instead of an Initiated Measure on the 2010 ballot.

Here's what me thinks… they are loosing support, steam and that they are realizing this will be much harder than expected. I'm hearing from people who voted NO in 2006 and 2008 on the abortion issue, solidly "pro-choice" people, that they are not supporting those who want to divert limited research dollars away from what IS working (adult stem cell research) to what IS NOT working (experiments on human embryos). If this does go to vote in South Dakota, it will NOT be a vote that mirrors the pro-abortion victories in recent years.

And considering the 2005 legislative vote to ban cloning/embryo experimentation passed 103 to 1, trying that route again seems desperate.  From to the Rapid City Journal article;

“The folks involved with South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures are currently working to finalize language and make a final determination of whether they will seek a ballot measure for 2010 or pursue a legislative strategy for the 2010 session,” group spokesman Nathan Peterson said.

I wish these reporters would ask follow up questions like — WHO ARE "the folks involved with South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures?" We know Sanford Health lurks somewhere in the dark recesses of this effort.  We know the Daschle/Planned Parenthood ops (Nathan Peterson, Steve Hildebrand) asked Dave Volk to be the front guy.

But considering there are several sisters groups like Nebraska Coalition for LifeSaving Cures and the Kansas Coalition for LIfesaving Cures and Missouri Coalition for LIfesaving Cures one can hardly believe this isn't far far bigger than would appear - a cloning franchise in the region feeding the Sanford monster. This IS about cloning, using sleight of hand to change the definition of cloning - they have already admitted it's the only way to get the number of embryos needed - they need millions not thousands of human embryos. Thus the effort to put clone and kill laws on the books.

Dr. David Prentice told hundred of people across South Dakota last week, including doctors through the Avera Health system, that;

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer IS cloning. That's the term they will use. They are trying to redefine biology and deceive the voting public. Adult stem cell research is working now in patients. They are trying to make it work in rats. If they (Sanford) wants to cure juvenille diabetes (and we all do), they will still be playing around in a lab while adult stem cells are already curing kids. (check out www.stemcellresearchfacts.org and www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Anyhoo, back to the topic at hand - the waffling over strategy. From the Argus Leader yesterday;

Two opposing sides are staking out their ground in a fight over stem-cell science in South Dakota, with one group now saying it might take its case to the Legislature instead of to voters in an election. South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures will decide by early December whether to ask lawmakers in January to overturn the state's ban on embryonic stem cell research. "We'll make an announcement shortly after Thanksgiving," spokesman Nathan Peterson of Sioux Falls said. "It depends how quickly we could see a change in the law and which option has more chance of success," he said.

Which route do you think is a "winner" for this loser effort -  Initiated Measure or Legislature?