Religion and the Bush Presidency by Mark J. Rozell & Gleaves Whitney

Author:Mark J. Rozell & Gleaves Whitney [Rozell, Mark J. & Whitney, Gleaves]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-01-05T06:00:00+00:00

Embryonic Stem-Cell Research

No issue better points to the changing pantheon of Christian Right issues than the question of whether or not embryonic stem cells can be used for medical research. This controversy goes to the heart of the debate regarding the beginning point of life. At issue is whether the use of embryonic stem cells might lead to an overall devaluing of life by making abortion profitable. At the beginning of his administration, Bush was faced with the issue of whether or not to allow federal funding of stem-cell research. Further complicating matters was the division within the evangelical community itself. Prominent social conservatives such as former senator Connie Mack (R-FL) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) publicly spoke in favor of stem-cell research. Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn (R-WA) collected the signatures of 30 of her Republican House colleagues encouraging Bush to fund research (Thomas and Clift 2001). Further, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson was a strong supporter of stem-cell research despite having a solid pro-life record as the former governor of Wisconsin. Vice President Richard Cheney expressed his concern that should a total ban go into place, the United States might fall behind the Europeans in searching for the cures for a number of diseases (Thomas and Clift 2001). The public was overwhelmingly in favor of stem-cell research.

At the same time, many in the pro-life community tended to view stem cells as more than just potential life and instead as actual life deserving to be protected. Public intellectuals such as Francis Fukuyama urged caution, citing the possibility that stem-cell research might, in fact, be but one more step down the road to our “post-human future” (Fukuyama 2003).

Such a complex issue would require careful consideration of the ethical as well as the political ramifications. President Bush seemed genuinely caught between the need to provide hope for the many citizens with debilitating diseases that might be rendered cured by medical advances and the need to honor his pledge to protect human life at whatever stage it existed. Throughout the summer of 2001, Bush met with a number of key advisors, religious as well as scientific, in order to reach a decision. A month before his nationally televised speech, he met with Dr. Leon Kass and Dr. Daniel Callahan, both medical ethicists, and asked the two directly whether or not stem cells, at that stage of development, could be considered human life. Bush was told that given the fact that all human life began at such a stage, the answer was probably yes. It was at that point that he floated a compromise. Was it possible to both honor the sacredness of human life while also advancing science if only existing stem-cell lines were used? Bush received a reluctant nod from both men (Fineman, Rosenberg, and Brant 2001). On August 9, 2001, in a nationally televised speech, the president articulated the moral dilemma he faced:

My position on these issues is shaped by deeply held beliefs. I’m a strong supporter of science and

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