Embryonic Stem Cell Research: A Constitutional Issue

This week President George W. Bush used the first veto of his presidency to veto a bill that would have provided federal government funding for stem cell research. This bill passed by an unusual bipartisan majority of more than 60 votes.

I support the president completely on his veto. But I'm going to define to you why I'm against embryonic stem cell research for moral and religious reasons. Everyone has heard the endless reasons that coincide heavily with the pro-life/anti-abortion crowd (that these embryos are human life and shouldn't be sacrificed for experiments). Instead I see it as a constitutional issue.

First, look at what the bill was going to do. It was going to use federal tax dollars to assist with the advancement of scientific research in the field of embryonic stem cells. This was done with the idea in mind that it could possible cure many of the world's worst diseases including many neurological diseases like Alzheimer's, paralysis, and many others. Curing these diseases is truly an admirable goal. I have family members who suffer from Alzheimer's and would love nothing less than to cure a disease that takes its toll not just on the person afflicted with it but also on their spouses. This bill would be using taxes that every American citizen pays for this program.

But embryonic stem cell research is considered by a great number of people out there to be a morally and ethically wrong process. It offends them at a level beyond any law. It offends them on religious and and moral grounds. So why should these people be forced to pay for something that they find completely immoral. Completely offensive. Completely wrong.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
- US Constitution, First Amendment, anti-establishment and free exercise clauses

The above is the exact quote of the First Amendment of the US Constitution. By forcing people who have a religious objection to embryonic stem cell research to pay for this process wouldn't we be violating their rights under this amendment? Wouldn't we be prohibiting the free exercise of religion in their lives? I have religious reasons for not supporting this research bill. If my money that I worked for and paid to the IRS each April 15th went to embryonic stem cell research I would be contributing to something that is religiously wrong for me. But it is the federal government forcing me to do it thus prohibiting me from following my religious beliefs.

So for constitutional reasons as basic as freedom of religion, embryonic stem cell research should not be funded by the federal government. Let the free market support it. It has done an amazing job so far and is expected to grow into a 10 billion dollar business within the next decade. And people who have no religious or moral objection will contribute to this industry, as is their right. And I will be able to freely exercise my religious beliefs, as is my right.

Tags: Stem Cell Research, Stem-Cell-Research, Politics, Bush, United States, ProLife, Abortion, Religion, ProChoice