He's done it again.

Governor Jim Doyle vetoed AB 499, an initiative that would have banned all methods of human cloning. In doing so, Doyle has once again made the right choice for Wisconsin. Thanks to Doyle, stem-cell research in Wisconsin will continue to prosper and, it is hoped, find cures to life-threatening diseases, as well as continue to help the state's economy.

Doyle, who has stated several times he is a supporter of stem-cell research, defended his decision to veto this initiative in a press release: "The real purpose of this bill is to restrict stem-cell research, which holds enormous potential for our state as well as the promise of curing juvenile diabetes, spinal-cord injuries, and Parkinson's disease."
In addition to prohibiting cloning, the initiative called for extensive punishments for anyone acting in violation of the bill — prison time or up to $1 million in fines.

This veto is extremely significant because it comes at a crucial time — just after the recent decision to establish a National Stem Cell Bank at the WiCell Research Institute here in Wisconsin. Had AB 499 become law, it could have stopped research in its tracks. Had Doyle failed to veto it, it would have killed the momentum building here to make the WiCell Research Institute a center of some of the most important research in the world.

The controversy in Doyle's veto lies mainly in the ethical and moral disputes over cloning. Republicans who supported AB 499 argue that cloning breaches "basic moral values." They believe cloning has no place in our society. U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., said in a release, "There are basic principles of decency that define a civilized society, and, under any definition, human cloning crosses the line of acceptability." These Republicans, however, do not understand the important advantages of ongoing stem-cell research.

Stem-cell research is one of the groundbreaking techniques with the potential to find cures for some of the worst diseases that exist today. In addition, one form of cloning — therapeutic cloning — can be used to grow organs and tissues that will eventually be used for transplant surgeries. If successful, techniques like these would eliminate the problem many patients have of finding organ and tissue donors.

Whereas supporters of AB 499 argue that cloning destroys human life, Doyle argues that it in fact does the complete opposite. He believes that preventing stem-cell research is essentially ignoring the value of human life by refusing to try to find cures for diseases. "Allowing our scientists to conduct stem-cell research and find cures to the world's deadliest diseases is not about being liberal or conservative," Doyle said in a press release. "It's about being compassionate. And respect for human life means you don't turn your back on cures that can save lives."

While Republicans, like State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, labeled Gov. Doyle as a man who "has chosen to leave Wisconsin wide open to the mad science of human cloning," I label him as a man who is doing the right thing. Thanks again, governor.

Emily Friedman ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and legal studies.