The power of the veto has long frustrated resentatives facing a strong-willed president. In some cases, this has been to the benefit of the public. When it comes to President Bush's threat to veto new stem cell research legislation, however, it would appear that the exact opposite is the case.
Since he took office in 2001, Bush has made it illegal to provide federal funding for research requiring the use of embryonic stem cells. Bush cites a moral logic, saying that it would be wrong to use taxpayer money to fund research that knowingly destroys what some people consider to be a human life.
This logic might be acceptable if it were consistent. Stem cell research is hardly the only practice that destroys embryonic cells. In fact, the legislation recently passed by the House of Representatives (similar to legislation Bush vetoed two years ago) calls for the use of cells that have already been created for other purposes.
The cells are usually leftovers from fertility treatments. If not used for research purposes, in many cases, the cells would simply be discarded.
So, by Bush's logic, it's OK for a couple to knowingly destroy stem cells in order to produce a baby, but not OK to use those stem cells that would be destroyed to potentially save another baby from suffering or death?
Critics of the bill also argue that it could create a new market for human embryos. If that were truly the only concern, it could be dealt with in the same way that the government deals with tobacco, firearms, alcohol and other controlled substances - they could monitor the use and sale of stem cells to prevent disingenuous acquisition.
Furthermore, while it would be ideal to pass only legislation that is morally inoffensive to all citizens of the United States, the cruel reality of democracy is that a moral consensus can rarely be reached. How many Americans marched in the streets to demonstrate their moral opposition to the Iraq War?
There are many instances in which taking a moral stand is understandable and admirable. However, the stem cell scenario is one case where Bush putting down his foot only scuffs the White House floor.
Due in part to a lack of federal funding, proponents of stem cell research argue that its potential benefits have yet to be discovered. Some believe that further stem cell research could lead to help with a number of debilitating diseases, like Parkinson's or juvenile diabetes.
