I'm opposed to embryonic stem cell research simply because I recognize that a human embryo is, well, human.

Today comes news that scientists at Harvard have been able to create embryonic stem cells from adult skin cells. (Does that still make them "embryonic"?) Of course, despite making this discovery, they still want federal monies to destroy human embryos.

Even as they were describing the findings being published this week in the journal Science, the researchers cautioned yesterday that the new approach is still in the early stages. They exhorted lawmakers to press ahead with the more conventional, but controversial, technique of removing stem cells from days-old human embryos.

"This technology is not ready for prime time," said lead author Kevin Eggan. "This is not a replacement for the techniques we already have."

Why not? Why not push ahead on this full force, knowing that methods like this present no moral questions? You will get far more money with far less grief.

Of course, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why scientists like Eggan would downplay his own discovery and push for money for other methods -- politics. Embryonic stem cell research is seen as a good political issue for many on the left. Unfortunately, they'd rather have the issue than do the research and save lives.