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Killing Paychecks and People for Politics
January 24, 2012 ethical foundations

First the Obama Administration kills the Keystone pipeline. No need to comment on it here – if environmentalists think that preventing this pipeline from being built has any impact on carbon emissions or pollution, or somehow “saves” the midwestern water reservoirs they are badly mistaken. Now, I just learned that the Obama Justice Department is insanely challenging a recent appeals court ruling that would have allowed bone marrow donors (now really just blood donors) to be compensated. The “no money” quote:

The donor registry said its experience is that “a donor system that relies on the human desire to help others is far superior to one that focuses on self-gain.”

Of course, some of us disagree on what the term “superior” means.

"5" Comments
  1. Yes. If superiority = efficacy, they are flat out wrong.

  2. And with the Keystone non-deal, one of Obama’s buddies made out. What a coincidence, huh? 😉

    “Buffett’s Burlington Northern Among Winners From Keystone Denial – Bloomberg” ( http://bloom.bg/y1ho2v )

  3. Direct quote from the homepage of the National Marrow Donor Program: “10,000 Patients Need A Marrow Transplant. Half Receive One”

    Also of note on the webpage: A “Careers” tab. Where one would presumably make a career out of others donating their bone marrow. Here’s the “Employees Benefits” link: http://marrow.org/Careers/NMDP_Employee_Benefits_(PDF).aspx

  4. I know only one bone marrow recipient, who got her transplant from her brother. It to date has been successful. I am told that one of the most difficult problems is immune rejection. The other is killing the cancerous cells first in the recipient through chemotherapy, which has become ever more effective than it used to be.

    As Sherlock points out, it is hard to imagine one making a career out of being a bone marrow donor. The preferred procedure is done simultaneously in the same operating room, and requires extensive testing and effort.

    The argument against selling part of your body is the same as against prostitution: that it usually is done under desperate circumstances, and that is immoral for one to take advantage of desperation. To the collectivist, every willing transaction for money is prostitution. The superior way to do things is for other wise men to supervise. It’s all about “fairness.”

  5. Can you please elaborate as to why anti-keystone environmentalists are “badly mistaken”?

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