{"id":182,"date":"2012-09-26T16:20:50","date_gmt":"2012-09-26T16:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/genotopia.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=182"},"modified":"2013-07-09T17:27:51","modified_gmt":"2013-07-09T17:27:51","slug":"release-mitt-romneys-genome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/genotopia\/182\/release-mitt-romneys-genome\/","title":{"rendered":"Release Mitt Romney’s Genome!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sociologists say we live in an age of \u201cbiological citizenship<\/a>,\u201d in which our genetic ties are as important as our political ones, and in which communities bound by disease, disability, or allergy can be more close-knit than geographical neighborhoods. In this political season, then, we cannot afford to be ignorant about the biological status of our presidential candidates.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, I issue a call for the Romney campaign to release their candidate\u2019s genome sequence. Four years ago, conservatives sought the release of Barack Obama\u2019s birth certificate<\/a>. Widely perceived by the left as a scam to distract attention from the issues, the tactic nevertheless reflected the right\u2019s alertness to biology as an important factor in fitness for office. They were fighting the wrong battle–the claim was not even 47%<\/a> true–but genotopia takes the point about biology and politics. We need to know Mr. Romney\u2019s genetic status if he is to be considered for the highest office in the land, that of Tax-Cutter-in-Chief.<\/p>\n

As a Mormon, Mr. Romney\u2019s genealogical relationships will surely be thoroughly documented in the Family History Library<\/a> in Salt Lake City. They will reveal many relevant facts about his biological status. For example, his inbreeding coefficient must, as stipulated by a little-known paragraph in the Republican platform, must be at least 0.75 (where 1.0 means you married your clone). Circumstantial evidence is not sufficient when the stakes are this high\u2014we need to see the data.<\/p>\n

Modern genome sequencing can also disclose many genetic conditions that could render one unfit for office:<\/p>\n