Bush Vetos Stem Cell Bill. Again.

With no surprise but with a great deal of fanfare, President Bush has, for the second time, vetoed a bi-partisan stem cell research bill. Congress was unable to override his veto -- the first of his Presidency -- last July.

The Senate passed the current legislation (63-34) in April, and the House passed it (247-176) on 7 June 7, 2007.

In April, almost two-thirds of us believed that Bush should not veto this bill. And ABC reports that 6-in-10 of us support, conceptually, the bill the President vetoed:

Sixty percent, moreover, favor loosening the current restrictions on federal funding for this research, as the legislation Bush has rejected would have done. And that again has been consistent: An identical 60 percent supported federal funding for stem cell research in an ABC/Post poll conducted when the issue first arose six years ago.

What is the source of the President's deep-seated opposition?

Last summer, the issue -- using embryonic stem cells in federally-funded research -- was cast as politics versus science. Scientists told the Houston Chronicle that politicians have created a false choice between research using adult cells and research using embryonic cells because both fields of study are young and need research.

Bush talks about the sanctity of human life -- and implies that embryos will be destroyed simply to provide cells for research. However, the heart of the debate is the fate of 5-day-old blastocysts that are left over after fertilization treatments. The family will decide to either destroy them or freeze them. Should the family be allowed to voluntarily donate these embryos to federally-funded scientists -- not unlike donating one's body to science upon death -- or should they be prohibited from doing so?

What do you think?

See US Liberals Guide Deborah White: Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research and the Veto Process.