Stem Cell funding, USA and EU

The recent veto of federal funding of certain types of stem cell research has brought about predictions from the American left and Europeans of an impending exodus of American scientists to European labs. The theory is that Europeans have a better environment and more money to allow for this research. The EU approval of funding yesterday may only make things worse for the US while Europe will blow by us in this field.

However, not all Europeans have this kneejerk reaction. The British government refutes much of this nonsense on its own site that deals with stem cell research:

While the UK's academic and regulatory environment is seen favourable within the
US stem cell community, for the most part funding considerations might prevent
the attraction of top US researchers to the UK. Researches in the US are
generally very well funded and comparable packages in the UK are difficult to
obtain.

Another problem with this theory is that not all European countries are behind this. Germany has strong objections to embryonic research, here are some of Germany's concerns:

German Research Minister Annette Schavan warned approval would effectively give financial incentives to kill embryos - because the research involves removing stem cells from human embryos left over from fertility treatment, destroying the embryo in the process

What is missing from some of the reporting is that the new European Union proposal provides funding that includes restrictions that are harsher than those currently in place in the EU.

Scientists had mixed feelings about the ministers' compromise. There was relief
that some human embryonic stem cell research would still be eligible for EU
funding but disappointment that this could be more restricted under the existing
spending round, which expires at the end of the year.

and more:

Germany, which had led opposition among a group of countries with large Catholic
populations, won clarification that European funds could not be used to procure
stem cells

To draw away top American scientists, Europeans would need to offer up some big cash to make it worthwhile for US scientists in this area to abandon their current research. So how much did the EU set aside for this project that is set to cripple American scientific progress? $38 million from 2007 through 2013:

During the past seven years, nine research projects into human embryonic stem
cells have been financed with EU funds. The EU did not disclose the costs.
EU Science Commissioner Janez Potocnik said that throughout 2013, less than
$38 million would be spent on research projects.

Those who think America is full of idiots afraid of science might say "that is more than the US is putting up", yet that is incorrect. The state of Illinois recently put forth $5 million this year for research and that is chump change compared to the State of California, where voters approved $3 billion for research over 10 years.

Left wingers will use any opportunity to rag on the United States, yet they completely ignore America's standing in the scientific community. Far from becoming a third world outfit like some uninformed liberal posters claim, it is Europe that is facing a migration of its scientists to this alleged third world dump we Americans call home.

All over the U.S., such research facilities are teeming with bright, young
Europeans, lured by America's generous funding, better facilities and
meritocratic culture.

Liberals love to talk up the European model and how the French way of doing things is so much more advanced and sophisticated than what goes on in the land of Budweiser and Jerry Springer. How do they explain this:

France's 2004 budget hikes funding for research by about 0.9%, less than half of
what's needed to cover inflation and not enough to change the fact that "I pay
more for my cleaning lady than a researcher gets," says Pascal Degiovanni, a
theoretical-physics researcher at the Centre Nationale de la Recherche
Scientifique in France.

Seems like it is the Europeans who have the real problem when it comes to science, which explains this

No wonder the U.S. has 78% more high-tech patents per capita than Europe, which
is especially weak in the IT and biotech sectors

The article goes on to explain how inventiveness is encouraged and rewarded to a far greater extent in America than in Europe and how bureaucracy stifles the sharpest minds in Europe. Yet this doesn't fit into the angry left's view of the world. Since Bush is the President, then all things American must suck. Since the Europeans don't like Bush, they must have all the answers.