Posted by
Lil Miss Blondie on Saturday, September 27, 2008 6:27:22 PM
Stem cell research is one of the most controversial and growing debate topics affecting this years presidential election. Stem cell research’s significance to the voting populace is having a rippling effect on party affiliation. The voter’s concern on this topic has incited many staunch republicans to go against their party’s principle views on the subject . The republican party has usually had limited, if any support towards funding and allowing stem cell research to take place in the United States. President George W. Bush gave a speech on July 16, 2006 explaining why he was against providing any further support towards stem cell research. President Bush explained in the following quote, why he vetoed a bill that would provide money in aid of stem cell research, “This bill would support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others. It crosses a moral boundary that our decent society needs to respect…” President Bush provided no quantitative scientific evidence in his speech supporting his statement that further stem cell funding would support the termination of fetuses for scientific gain.
However, many prominent republicans feel that stem cell research is a crucial and vital tool towards finding cures for many debilitating and terminal illnesses. Some feel so passionate about this crucial scientific issue, that they go as far as switching to the democratic point of view on this divisive issue. This influenced prominent republican party spokesperson, Ronald Reagan Junior to deliver a speech at the Democratic National Convention. Reagan made the following statement in his speech, “By the way, no fetal tissue is involved in this process. No fetuses are created, none destroyed. This all happens in the laboratory at the cellular level.” Ronald Reagan Junior’s speech was much more persuasive than President Bush’s. This being due to the fact that Reagan explained to his audience, in layman’s terms, how the process of stem cell research takes place.