Frist Screws The Right - Could It Be For $$$$$ ?

Isn't it amazing how all of a sudden Bill Frist has decided to screw the Religious Right and change his mind on stem cell research? Some say he has lost the support of that group if he decides to make a run for the Presidency in '08. I don't think that is the reason he flip-flopped at all. According to the AP Frist says his break from the right and the President was because "It's not just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science," [SNIP] "While human embryonic stem cell research is still at a very early stage, the limitation put into place in 2001 will, over time, slow our ability to bring potential new treatments for certain diseases," the Tennessee lawmaker said in his speech. "Therefore, I believe the president's policy should be modified. We should expand federal funding ... and current guidelines governing stem cell research, carefully and thoughtfully, staying within ethical bounds," he said. Of course this outraged the right-wing as we see from The Christian Defense Coalition, who said "Senator Frist should not expect support and endorsement from the pro-life community if he votes for embryonic research funding," it said. "Senator Frist cannot have it both ways. He cannot be pro-life and pro-embryonic stem cell funding," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the group. "Nor can he turn around and expect widespread endorsement from the pro-life community if he should decide to run for president in 2008." Well I don't think Frist much cares at this point. He is not running again for the Senate, and I think he has seen the writing on the wall and knows he won't get the nomination for President, or elected if he does. Let's not forget, this guy owns a chain of hospitals and we also know he loves money more than principle. The money to be made with any medical discoveries from this research will skyrocket. He know's this kind of research is already being done in Israel and will lead to massive profits for the drug manufacturers. And Frist has never met a drug manufacturer or their lobbyist he didn't love. This self-serving hypocrite wants in on the ground floor. The Frist family fortune comes from HCA Inc. (Hospital Corporation of America), the largest for-profit hospital chain in the country, which was founded by Frist’s father and brother. It wasn't enough that they could rake in money hand over fist with this chain, but they wanted even more as was seen by a near-decadelong federal investigation into how HCA for years had defrauded Medicaid. This investigation was of course shut down by King George when it was decided that they wanted Frist in as Senate Majority Leader by forcing out Trent Lott. All engineered by guess who? Karl Rove. More can be read on this at LA Weekly. Frist may be a crook and a hypocrite, but he is definitely not stupid. He is going where the money is now that his stint in the Senate is almost over. Let the Federal Government finance the research, and his medical group can make even more money at the taxpayer's expense. If Frist thought he had a snowball's chance in hell of winning the Presidency he would have stayed on the side of Bush on this one. But since he can't be the big man in the WH, he may as well make mucho bucks instead right?