Veto of stem cell bill right choice

Pres. George W. Bush took the right action in vetoing the bill to provide federal financial support to stem cell research in which living embryos are killed. Such an embryo is a human life and should not be destroyed, even for the sake of science.

Authorities say that stem cell research is much more successful using adult stem cells in which a human life does not have to be killed. Why insist that embryos which must be killed be used?

It sounds like the days of nazism when human life was subject to the whims of the dictator who decided what is right and wrong for everybody. We live in a democracy and, of course, we cannot expect to have our way on all bills that are passed. But when a large segment of the population opposes an activity as being immoral, we should not expend our federal money to support it.

President Bush undoubtedly will get some flack from opponents for his action. But he is to be applauded for his courage in letting his pen follow his convictions.

Coastal restoration gets on firmer ground

There’s good news for Louisiana from Washington this week as the U. S. Senate passes the Water Resources Development Act which provides some $1.9 billion for immediate implementation of five projects that will help restore the Louisiana coast. It appears that the act calls for fast action and fast action is what we need to stop the coast from washing away at the rate of up to 50 square miles a year.

Also on the agendas of the House and Senate are proposals to give Louisiana and other coastal states more of the royalties from offshore minerals. This would be especially beneficial to our state where most of the offshore oil is produced. And it could give us the help we need to repair the coast which was damaged partly by that production.