Smith on Stem Cells

Somewhat surprisingly, Oregon's anti-choice Republican Senator Gordon Smith has come out in favor of stem cell research and says he will vote Yes on HR810, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. (Senate debate begins tomorrow.)

Unfortunately, only 22 of the 78 stem cell lines approved by President Bush remain, and many of those lines have been contaminated and rendered useless. But more than 400,000 frozen embryos exist in the United States and, through further research, may lead to cures for some of life's most malicious maladies -- Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and more.

What could be more pro-life than that? Surely an "ethic of life" includes caring for the living.

Smith's reasoning? Parkinson's diseases runs in his wife's family. As an Oregon resident in favor of stem cell research I suppose I should be thankful for whatever it is that makes Smith in favor, but his reasoning somehow irks me. It shouldn't have to be that a Senator's wife is in medical danger before he comes down in favor of research that might someday save her (and many other's) life. (You can count Nancy Reagan in these ranks too.) The job of a representative is to understand his constituents needs and desires regardless of whether he has a personal stake in the matter. Even if his wife were not in danger of developing Parkinson's disease, thousands of his constituents would be and their desire to live is no less important than is his wife's. While I'm glad Smith is in favor of stem cell research, I'd somehow be more approving if it was based on the abstract reasoning that stem cells have the potential to help thousands of his constituents instead of the more selfish thinking it may someday save his wife.