Posted on 02/17/2006 7:48:15 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The emotional debate over embryonic stem-cell research has sharply split the Republican Party and could become a prominent election-year issue, with key U.S. Senate races in Missouri and Maryland emerging as early battlegrounds.
The Republican rift pits religious conservatives and abortion foes who oppose the research on moral grounds against supporters who tout its potential benefits in fighting diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
With polls showing large majorities of Americans backing stem-cell research, some Republican candidates find themselves stuck in the middle. Democrats, who largely support the research, are eager to take advantage of their quandary.
"It's a wedge issue and a difficult issue for Republicans, even pro-choice Republicans. It splits libertarian, free-market Republicans from social conservative Republicans, and that can only help Democrats," said Matthew Crenson, a political analyst at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
The stem-cell debate could gain prominence later this year when the Senate is expected to consider a bill, already approved by the House of Representatives, to permit more federal funding of stem-cell research on human embryos.
President George W. Bush, who limited such funds in 2001, has threatened to veto the legislation. It would be his first veto as president.
The stem-cell issue already has put Republican Senate candidates on the defensive in Missouri and Maryland, two key races in November's battle for control of the U.S. Congress.
In Missouri, supporters are gathering signatures to put a referendum on the state ballot in November that would protect certain types of stem-cell research.
The popular referendum has fractured state Republicans and put incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Talent (news, bio, voting record) on the spot. Talent, who faces a tough challenge from Democratic state auditor Claire McCaskill, a supporter of stem-cell research, has not taken a stand.
But he recently dropped support for a controversial ban on human cloning and offered a compromise on stem-cell research, angering conservatives who were among his base supporters.
'POLITICAL NO MAN'S LAND'
"Talent is in a political no man's land where he is in the line of fire from people on both sides of the issue," said Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri, an anti-abortion lobbying group. Lee said opponents of stem-cell research were angry enough to skip voting for Talent in November.
In Maryland, Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who is running for the open seat of retiring Democrat Paul Sarbanes, apologized for remarks before Jewish leaders in Baltimore that seemed to compare stem-cell research to the Holocaust.
"You, of all folks, know what happens when people decide to experiment on human beings," Steele said.
He later expressed conditional support for embryonic stem-cell research but said it should be guided by "a moral compass."
Stem-cell research is opposed by conservative groups who compare it to abortion because it destroys embryos. But supporters, including some Republicans who oppose abortion rights, say the research offers crucial hope for medical breakthroughs.
Senate Republican leader Bill Frist angered some conservatives last year by breaking with Bush and seeking to ease limitations on stem-cell research.
During the 2004 presidential campaign, Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry criticized Bush's decision to restrict such research. Other Bush critics have included former first lady Nancy Reagan, wife of conservative hero and former President Ronald Reagan.
But some Republicans say the issue was not a factor in 2004 and is not a driving force for most voters now.
"It would be hard to argue that an issue like this supersedes issues like the war on terror and the economy," said Brian Nick, spokesman for the Republican campaign committee.
If Democrats are so open minded, why are they never split on issues. It is always Republicans who are split on issues.
Oh, what DRIVEL!
I happen to support stem-cell research. Just not embryonic stem-cell research.
Do the Dems really think this is a winning issue?
Time to remind folks of that fraud of a Korean scientist who faked his embryonic stem cell research, and got his "supplies" through unethical means.
Exactly. I also think that people are under the impression that because Bush doesn't want Federal dollars spent in this snake oil, that means that NOTHING can be done, period. The facts are that private industry can spend millions upon millions of money on this research, but NOBODY is lining up to ante-up. Why? Because it is a LOSER. So far any embryonic research has been fraught with problems--tumors and the like. The only promising developments have come from adult stem cells. No one is going to stick millions of dollars into something so clearly unproven. It is a financial stink bomb.
I wish the public at large had a better handle on this issue. Christopher Reeve wasn't gonna walk no matter how many embryos were destroyed in the process.
As usual, plenty of Republicans are sucked into the misinformation vortex of the libs. The proper political question is this: shall the federal government, using money provided by all taxpayers, fund stem cell research? I think GWB made the distinction quite well and I agree with his position which is: no. That doesn't preclude universities from doing such research on their own buck.
Notice that the writer does not seem to know the difference between "adult stem cell research" and "embryonic stem cell research".
Even worse, the writer definitely seems unaware of the discovery in Korea that Dr. Hwang had commited scientific fraud.
It was his work, and that of his apparantly equally crooked American associates, that was behind the drive to bankrupt the nation by throwing money at the totally unproven embryonic stem cell boondoggle.
Dr. Hwang is on trial.
Republicans and Dems alike should remember it is ADULT stem cells bringing huge benefits to many.
Embryonic stem cell research is a giant, expensive con trick!
I agree. But please admit that Steele's remarks were just plain dumb and offensive.
*Rolling eyes*
Does the writer really believe this is the major issue of the year? Or even on anyone's radar screen? Oh yeah.....the deciding issue that will elect a Democrat Senator in maryland.......
Moron alert.
This SHOULD be a non-issue.
Stem cells can be obtained from umbilical chords without killing babies.
But like the Phillistines of old and of today, the Democrats and their philosophical clones in the Republican Party are more than willing to sacrifice children on the altar of political expediency as readily as on an altar to Baal.
MSM continues to try to make us look split.
They only win if we let them.
If we did split like they and the terrorists would like us to....the end of this country and our way of life would be just around the corner.
Stem-cell research splits US Republicans >>
so does abortion.
http://www.issues2000.org/Archive/2004_GOP_Platform_Abortion.htm
2004 Republican Party Platform: on Abortion
Promote adoption & abstinence, not abortion clinic referrals
We support the President's strong efforts to promote adoption through increased tax incentives and bonuses to states that place older children in permanent family homes, as well as his efforts to promote foster care by increasing the allocation of funds for preventive and family services.
Each year more than three million American teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases, causing emotional harm and serious health consequences, even death. We support efforts to educate teens and parents about the health risks associated with early sexual activity and provide the tools needed to help teens make healthy choices. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against out-of-wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS. Therefore, we support doubling abstinence education funding. We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for contraception and abortion.
Source: 2004 Republican Party Platform, p. 82-83
Human Life Amendment to the Constitution
We must keep our pledge to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence. That is why we say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and we endorse legislation to make it clear that the 14th Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions.
We oppose using public revenues for abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.
We oppose abortion, but our pro-life agenda does not include punitive action against women who have an abortion. We salute those who provide alternatives to abortion and offer adoption services, and we commend Congressional Republicans for expanding assistance to adopting families and for removing racial barriers to adoption.
Source: 2004 Republican Party Platform, p. 86
http://www.issues2000.org/Archive/2004_GOP_Platform_Health_Care.htm
Ethical research yes; embryo cells no; cloning no
Republicans have supported, and will continue to support, important scientific research without undermining the fundamental ethical principles that have guided medical research in this country for decades. We especially welcome and encourage a stronger emphasis on adult stem cell and cord blood stem cell research, which has already provided benefits to hundreds of patients and provides real promise for treatments to help millions of Americans. We recognize that President Bush made a carefully considered decision to allow federal funding for stem cell research for the first time, and did not affect stem cell research in the private sector. We strongly support the President's policy that prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to encourage the future destruction of human embryos. In addition, we applaud the President's call for a comprehensive ban on human cloning and on the creation of human embryos solely for experimentation.
Source: 2004 Republican Party Platform, p. 68
The Republic establishment was once split by the issue of legalized abortion, but thankfully most of these "Bob Packwood" types are now gone.
Researchers want to use "surplus" embryos as cheap guinea pigs. They want the government to pony up billions to keep them busy the rest of the professional lives. If the potential were so great, then commercial interests would be lining up to hand money to them. But the potential really means possibility, and the possibility here are akin to the possibility of life on other worlds.
Liberals are good at clouding the moral waters.
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