Cloning is safer - the perils of sexual DNA combination?

[Spongebob]

I've known many people who are profoundly deformed and crippled, tragically, due to congenital birth defects. Would not cloning be a preferable means by which the species is perpetuated? Individuality/personality would, of course, still exist due to PROFOUND environmental influences. 

Sci fi?

Absolutely not!  Combining DNA is what diversifies the gene pool, making the population more robust.  Genetic screening can be used to reduce potential diseases and in the future I believe genetic engineering will be employed.  Resorting to cloning alone would create copies of ourselves.  I would not be interested in that, though I can't speak for future populations.