This is such a loser issue for social conservatives and by extension Republicans and the Democrats know it.
The fact of the matter is that the federal government funds all sorts of medical research - some pans out and some doesn't. It is very transparent that social conservatives picked out this one area of research for religious reasons although they claim otherwise.
If theocons oppose stem cell research just because they think it is not promising or "clinically proven" then why is this the only research area that they are making such a big fuss about?
If social conservatives really cared about stem cell research because it isn't promissing then they would have spoken up about lots of other research as well.
Only by their utter ignorance of the actual state of stem cell science. Adult stem cells and human umbilical cord stem cells have demonstrated clinical utility in over 70 therapies the last time that I looked. Embryonic stem cells have only shown a reliable trait in growing teratomas, i.e. tumors. Embryonic stem cells not only have to overcome that problem, they also have to overcome the problem of immunologic rejection if they aren't perfectly matched. I don't recall an issue with so much emotional appeal supported by such an ill-informed electorate.
You think this is a political strategy? It's not. It's a moral and ethical objection to a hideous misuse of human lives.
Furthermore, you failed to address the point I agreed to...whether it is commonplace for the federal government to operate outside its constitutional authority is beside the point. What libertarian supports government funding of medical experimentation?