# Has Romney stated a position on Stem Cell Research?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [August 28, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889 "2012-08-28T02:19:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/1 "2012-08-28T02:19:32Z")
I’m wondering if he plans to shut down all the stem cell research again? This revolving door gets old. Democrats allow it and then it’s shut down by a Republican. iirc Bush allowed it on existing tissue? But new tissue couldn’t be harvested? Something like that.
What has Romney said on stem cells? He might surprise us because stem cells may eventually help with multiple sclerosis. At least, slow its progression.
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### Author:  [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/2 "2012-08-28T02:22:52Z")
Here is his position from his website:
> [@](#):
>
> Great advancements in science are welcome antidotes to human frailty. The desire to save and strengthen the lives of those we love is noble and good, yet the promise of science does not justify discarding our moral duty to protect human life in its most vulnerable form. Scientific research and the preservation of human dignity are complementary, and America’s laws must reflect this conviction.
>
> Stem cell research is a great scientific frontier, and it must be pursued with respect and care. When confronted with the issue of stem cell research as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney chose to support life by vetoing a bill that would have allowed the cloning of human embryos. Quite simply, America cannot condone or participate in the creation of human life when the sole purpose of its creation is its sure destruction.
>
> Adult stem cell research and alternative methods to derive pluripotent stem cells, such as altered nuclear transfer and direct reprogramming, are scientific paths that carry much promise and avoid raising ethical concerns. As president, Mitt will focus his energy on laws and policies that promote this kind of research to unlock the medical breakthroughs that our loved ones so desperately need.
Basically the Bush position, if I’m correctly parsing the politician-speak. You can use existing lines but not create any new ones.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/3 "2012-08-28T02:28:37Z")
Thanks.
I recall some news reports that several important stem cell projects relocated to Britain after Bush got elected. Hopefully nothing too important got started under Obama or they may have to relocate those projects too.
Also, a lot of good research can be done with existing lines.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/4 "2012-08-28T02:45:24Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> I’m wondering if he plans to shut down all the stem cell research again?
Again, this is something more under the control of Congress than the president. And keep in mind this only affects federally funded research. Private funded research and state funded research are not “shut down”.
This is controlled by the [Dickey-Wicker Amendment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey-Wicker_Amendment) signed into law when Clinton was president. The latest court ruling has allowed Obama’s executive order to expand funding into new embryonic lines, but Congress can shut that down toot sweet by addressing the part of that amendment that the court found “ambiguous”.
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### Author:  [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/5 "2012-08-28T16:47:06Z")
> [@Jas09](#):
>
> Here is his position from his website:Basically the Bush position, if I’m correctly parsing the politician-speak. You can use existing lines but not create any new ones.
With this in mind, if I was a stem cell researcher I would be doing my darnedest to create as many lines a possible prior to January 20th 2013, just to be on the safe side.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-romney-stated-a-position-on-stem-cell-research/632889/6 "2012-08-28T18:50:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Stem cell research is a great scientific frontier, and it must be pursued with respect and care. When confronted with the issue of stem cell research as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney chose to support life by vetoing a bill that would have allowed the cloning of human embryos. Quite simply, America cannot condone or participate in the creation of human life when the sole purpose of its creation is its sure destruction.
>
> Adult stem cell research and alternative methods to derive pluripotent stem cells, such as altered nuclear transfer and direct reprogramming, are scientific paths that carry much promise and avoid raising ethical concerns. As president, Mitt will focus his energy on laws and policies that promote this kind of research to unlock the medical breakthroughs that our loved ones so desperately need.
In other words, he doesn’t say a thing about embryonic stem cell work, he’s adamantly opposed to cloning, but he thinks that we should be promoting cloning.
Man, politics gets really weird, when you actually know anything about science.