Civics can put civility back into politics.
Civics, Politics, and Their Impact on Parkinson's Disease
We can exercise our right to vote and put civility back into politics. The politicians work for us. They need to be reminded of that. The advent of career politicians and the erosion of their response to us can end. We have the power to make it happen.
This is a daunting yet worthwhile task. It will not be easy to get people off the sidelines. Education is vital to get people involved in civics. Educating by example could be a great motivator.
Choose an issue and how it affects people in your community. Then show people around you how the politicians handle the issue. Tell them how they can influence the politicians. It can inspire people to get involved in civics. It can help turn out the vote.
I know a man who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. He has always voted in local, state, and national elections. He now has two additional reasons to exercise his right to vote.
First, he is on long-term disability due to Parkinson’s disease. The federal government sends him a monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) check. United States Representatives and Senators vote on increases for SSDI.
Second, lawmakers also vote on increased federal funding for the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DOD) medical research. That funding offers people with Parkinson's hope.
Our federal government has been performing and financing basic medical research for a long time. They are trying to find better treatments and ultimately cures for diseases like Parkinson’s.
It is true that private companies do medical research. However, most companies do not use their research dollars until the federal government finds promise in basic research. Then, private companies step in and use their money to further the research.
The push to increase federal funds for embryonic stem cell research is controversial. Some people believe life begins at conception. Some people want excess in routinely produced through in vitro fertilization to be used in medical research. These excess embryos are routinely discarded as medical waste if the parents that own them decide not to use them.
Dr. Atala's Stem Cell Tug-of-War
Some scientists have documented that stem cells from amniotic fluid show promise to help people with chronic or fatal diseases. Some lawmakers have used this finding to downplay the need for embryonic stem cell research. Dr. Anthony Atala, the lead researcher who discovered the potential of amniotic stem cells explained in a letter to select members of the United States House of Representatives that he must research both amniotic and embryonic stem cells in order to advance the scientific promise he discovered with amniotic fluid stem cells.
The debate rages on over embryonic stem cell research along with misinformation. Some people embrace amniotic research and completely ignore Atala's clarification letter. When the debate ends and dust clears, his letter will remain standing. Whether Parkinson’s and other diseases have been cured, the next generation will question how we handled the civics issues that Dr. Atala's letter raised. His letter is not going away.
