Examining our elected representatives' voting record is the surest way to determine their ideology--that is, whether they are liberal or conservative. The difference between Republicans and Democrats has become so blurred that it is hard to tell what they stand for. A clearer distinction can be made between liberal and conservative. Candidates when campaigning say anything that is calculated to gain support from the audience they are currently courting but there can be no hiding their voting record. This is called holding them accountable. It is a simple process to determine if they do what they say they will do. Another words., are they being honest with their constituents.

To begin, merely look at who voted yea and who voted nay on any given bill. Anyone who crosses over (i..e._l votes opposite the majority of his/her party) should attract our attention.Secondly, look at the sponsor(s) and co-sponsors of the bill. This indicates that they are strongly in favor of the bill. Two recent votes in the Senate give an unusual opportunity to analyse every Senator's real position on stem cell research. Both favored stem cell research but one was sponsored by the Democrats and the other by the Republicans.

S. 5, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, was sponsored by Senator Harry Reid (NV) and had 41 co-sponsors including 2008 Presidential candidates Clinton and Obama. Thirty-five co-sponsors were Democrats. Republican co-sponsors (6) were Collins (ME), Hatch (UT), Smith (OR), Snowe (ME), Specter (PA), and Stevens (AK). These six Senators, although they prefess publically to be conservatives, are really liberals. This bill would expand the number of embryonic stem cells eligible for federally-funded research. It would, obviously, increase government spending. Note: Remember that no research from embryonic stem cells has had any breakthroughs that offer the promise of curing any disease.

Republicans joining the co-sponsors in voting yea were Presidential candidate McCain, members of the Senate leadership, Lott (MS), Lugar (IN), and Warner (VA) plus 8 "go-along-to-get-along" Senators. It would appear that Democrat Senators Casey (PA) and Nelson (NE) are men of principle who are willing to cross party lines and vote their consciences and/or (my assumption) vote the will of their constituents. One can be sure that they have not endeared themselves to party leadership and will suffer the consequences in the future in the form of lost earmarks, a lack of support for re-election, failure to receive any leadership appointments, etc.

S. 30, The Principled and Ethical Stem Cell Research Act (or the Hope Act) was sponsored by Senator Norm Coleman and had 6 co-sponsors (all Republicans) including, most notablely, Coburn (OK) and McConnell (KY). This bill would allow flexibility in stem oell research to include embryonic stem cells as long as they "do not involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; and (2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo or embryos other than those that are naturally dead." Note: No research on aborted embryos.