Intro: When residents go to the polls on Tuesday they will vote on whether to amend Missouri's constitution to maintain access to stem cell research. Rachel Bunning has more from the Capitol.
Missouri's November election has sparked national interest because of a highly controversial ballot issue, the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative.
If approved the ballot issue would change the state constitution to allow any stem cell research allowed under federal law to be conducted in Missouri.
The initiative, also known as Amendment 2, is the first stem cell initiative to appear on a state ballot in the nation.
National celebrities like Michael J. Fox and Sheryl Crow have appeared on advertisments encouraging voters to approve the amendment. While Patricia Heaton and former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, Jeff Suppan,promote voting no.
Connie Farrow, spokesperson for the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, the group that sponsors the proposed amendment, says a vote yes would simply maintain the status quo.
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| Description: This is about creating a level playing field and ensuring Missourians continue to have the best access to stem cell research, therapies, and cures in the country. |
Opponents of the amendment focus on more specific issues.
Missourians Against Human Cloning spokesperson Cathy Ruse cites cloning as a main issue.
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| Description: Page one of Amendment 2 appears to ban human cloning but on page 4 in fine print it actually creates a constitutional right to allow human cloning under another name, the scientific term for human cloning which is Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. |
Ruse also claims the amendment will constitutionalize egg harvesting all on the expense of taxpayers' dollars. Supporters deny these claims.
Larry Weber, Executive director for the Missouri Catholic Conference, says it's not the specifics that worry him, it's what he sees as free reign researchers would have if the initiative passes.
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| Description: What they don't telll Missouri voters is that there are no restrictions at all in federal law on a variety of unethical life science research activities and other activities. |
Money spent on both campaigns has reached nearly forty million dollars, more than any other ballot initiative or campaign this election.
From the Capitol, I'm Rachel Bunning.
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