The Republican Presidential Candidate's Stand on Stem Cell - Research Paper Example

This topic was once again brought to center stage because of Newt Gingrich's declaration as published in The Washington Post that he would ban embryonic stem cell research and also question the IVF practices (Tumulty, Karen, Gingrich Wows to Ban Embryonic Stem-Cell Research, Questions In Vitro Practices). His statement then led me to wonder about what the stand of the other 2 leading Republican presidential candidates would be on the issue. The answers I found were quite troubling. It would appear that save for Mitt Romney's limited knowledge of stem cell research, none of the GOP candidates actually understand the reasons behind the need to federally fund any stem cell research and as far as any of these candidates are concerned, scientific and medical advancements directly tied to stem cell research are a work of the devil and will not bring anything to our society.

They believe that stem cell research is actually a method by which a child can legally be murdered by those around him. It saddens me to think that these candidates are so lost in their own world that they cannot see how stem cell research is actually a gift from science, not a tool of death. Through the years, the stem cell research debate has become one of the divisive arguments within the GOP. One which has their presidential candidates taking opposing sides, all with the intention of keeping their private and religious supporters happy and their campaign funds at a steady amount.

However, the time has come for the Republican party to decide whether they are going to have candidates who represent the will of the people and the needs of many, or the religious aspect which is fast losing ground and support in an era when religious beliefs no longer hold as much power over the people as it did in the past decades. Of the three current frontrunners of the Republican party presidential race, two of them hold true and dear to their party standards while only one has chosen to be his own man and represent the actual will of the people on the issue.

The two who stand for the traditional Republicans are Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, while the modernist who sees the whole picture and not just party guidelines is Mitt Romney. With Newt Gingrich, the current 2nd placer in the GOP primaries declaring that he shall continue to prevent the further growth of stem cell research due to his misguided belief that stem cell research destroys an unborn child's life, he has shown the public the kind of traditional candidate that he is. One who does not see into the future and only lives in the past.

A remnant of a political era long gone. This is a statement to be held as true since he declared to the flock of followers at the Baptist Church in Winterpark, Florida that: . embryonic stem-cell research amounts to “the use of science to desensitize society over the killing of babies.” (Tumulty, Karen, Gingrich Vows to Ban Embryonic Stem-Cell Research, Questions In Vitro Practices) By making such a declaration, the public may be led to believe that should Mr. Gingrich be elected to the White House, the scientific and medical community will suffer a significant setback in the research and development of disease prevention and cure.

It is easy to see why he would make such a declaration, he is after all a Catholic convert and is a staunch pro-life supporter as well. Mr. Gingrich's sentiment is one which is familiarly echoed by the 3rd ranked GOP presidential cand