The intraparty debate was so impassioned that two Republican Congressmen on opposing sides engaged in a shoving match. Even though Bush called expanded stem cell research unethical and threatened to veto the legislation--which would be his first veto--antiabortion Republicans Orrin Hatch and Gordon Smith vowed to press ahead with a Senate version. Arlen Specter, another Republican senator championing this research, claimed his side could mobilize enough senators to defeat a filibuster threatened by GOP social conservatives and to reject Bush's veto. (The House majority was not veto-proof.) Meanwhile, the religious right--already furious that Republican senators had not nuked the judicial filibuster--accused antiabortion Republicans who advocate stem cell research of betraying the cause (from Stem Cell Wedge by David Corn)
Notice how this issue clearly splits the Republicans. The FRC is threatening members who vote for this crucial research. However, the public is clearly on the side of research. According to a June 26 ABC news poll
Americans by a 2-1 margin support stem cell research and say it should be funded by the federal government, despite controversy over its use of human embryos. A December 2004 Pew research poll found that 56% of those surveyed felt it was more important to conduct research than protect embryos. In the same poll, only 32% felt it was more important to protect embryos than conduct research. Here's the best part: 57% of Republicans surveyed by the associated press in early May favored stem cell research.
Can you say swing voters?
Here's how the Democrats can win on this issue.
Propose major federal funding to develop the jobs of the 21st century. The British have already allocated 2 billion to stem-cell research and the recent South Korean break-through was backed by government money. In other words, while the Republicans were running things, the US fell behind other countries in developing the jobs of the 21st century. Wow, what great leaders the Republicans are.
Develop some way to attract students at the high-school level to science and math. I have no idea on what this program would look like, but I am sure there are other people who have brilliant ideas in this area.
Offer incentives to business to develop this issue. As Baron's recently reported, the major drug companies are having a difficult time developing the next big blockbuster drug. They have scientists and researchers on their payrolls who could lead the way. Yes, I know this is helping out a business interest. The bottom line is they have the resources - physical and labor capital - to develop this industry.