NJ Researchers Push for $1 Billion Bond Issue for NJ Clone and Kill Research, Contact Legislature

NJRTL ^ | 11.11.04

[Coleus]

November 11, 2004

 

Dear Pro-Life Friends:

 

Today's Star Ledger article (link below) reports that state debt grew $12 billion during McGreevey's three years in office.  This article appeared one day after two researchers appeared at a Press Conference in Trenton lobbying for an additional  $1 billion bond issue for the NJ Stem Cell Institute.   Please read my press release which can be found below the link to the Star Ledger article.  

Contact your two state Assembly members and State Senator and urge them to oppose this bond scheme as well as any proposal to continue taxpayer funding in the budget for the NJ Stem Cell Institute.  It's outrageous that McGreevey and Democratic leaders approved $11.5 million in this year's budget for the NJ Stem Cell Institute and these researchers are now greedily lobbying for more money!    You can find your state legislators by going to the Office of Legislative Services web page link  or call them at 1-800-792-8630.

 

 Star Ledger Article

 

NJ Researchers Push for $1 Billion Bond Issue

New Jersey Right to Life
113 North Avenue West
Cranford, NJ  07016

Contact: Marie Tasy (732) 846-2000
Public & Legislative Affairs Director

$1 BILLION STEM ‘SELL’ PUSH SELF-SERVING AND MISLEADING
November 10, 2004—

In an obvious attempt to solicit additional funds for the NJ Stem Cell Institute to compete with California’s Proposition 71, the two researchers who have been appointed to head the NJ Stem Cell Institute, Ira Black, a neuroscientist at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ and Wise Young, a spinal cord researcher at Rutgers University held a press conference Tuesday in Trenton.  During the Press Conference, they called for a $1 billion bonding scheme to compete with California’s recently passed ballot initiative to provide $3 billion for human embryonic stem cell research.   Black and Young had already convinced McGreevey to increase the $6.5 million in the budget for the NJ Stem Cell Institute to $11.5 million on the day before the budget vote last June.   According to press accounts, Black and Young brought slides of naked babies with genetic disorders to the Statehouse to plead their case.

“This is nothing more than a misleading campaign to manipulate emotions to pour more taxpayer money into these researchers’ coffers,” said Marie Tasy, Public & Legislative Affairs Director. “These two men have a long history of dictating public policy and the use of our tax dollars when it comes to furthering their own agenda.”   Ira Black wrote the first proposal for the Stem Cell Center for Rutgers and UMDNJ in 2002, which he gave to McGreevey. (Star Ledger, 10/10/04), Jersey Aims to Cut Off A Stem Cell Gold Rush.)  Wise Young admitted writing the flawed legislation which the Stem Cell Institute is authorized to perform. “There is something terribly wrong with the way Trenton does business when researchers are permitted to craft legislation that they will personally benefit from,” noted Tasy.

The research to be performed by this Institute is unproven and unethical because it authorizes a cloning process, which creates a human embryo that is killed in order to harvest its stem cells.  Under the law, the research is not limited to the "embryonic" state, but authorized “through the embryo, fetal and newborn stages.”

The only research that is showing any promise comes from adult stem cells, which can be found in umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, placenta, skin, brains, spinal cords, dental pulp, olfactory, muscles, blood vessels, corneas, retinas, livers, pancreases, fat, hair follicles, placentas, umbilical cords and amniotic fluid.   There have been no human trials – involving human embryonic stem cells.   As stated by the NY Times in a recent article, “So far, there has not even been successful treatment in mice, and no specific help for humans is on the horizon.” (NY Times, October 28, 2004, "Fact Check: A Closer Look at the Stem Cell Debate" by David E. Rosenbaum.)

“The NJ Legislature is already facing a $4 billion shortfall next year and the state’s bond ratings have been lowered significantly because of excessive borrowing. We should not be fooled by the outrageous hype to persuade suffering people that funding human embryonic stem cell research and the cloning of humans will lead to a myriad of cures. The evidence proves otherwise,” said Tasy.

[Edgerunner]

Dems pushing more junk science...

[farmfriend]

We just had one of these pass in CA. Pushed by our wonderful "conservative" governor. And there are people here on FR still drinking his cool aide.

[michaelbfree]

Jersey Aims to Cut Off A Stem Cell Gold Rush

Lies, Lies, Lies

Were this such a gold mine, venture capitalists would be throwing buckets of money at it. Since this is such a sound venture for the taxpayers of NJ, the research firms should have no problem raising money by selling bonds of their own....let the libs fund it themselves and buy bonds in the research since they are so emphatic miracle cures by the millions will result...idiots.

[MHGinTN]

New Jersey, still first in cannibalism despite Kalifornia's effort to unseat them!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

These are not proper or legitimate areas for the use of tax dollars. It must be stopped.

Every Christian and conservative should oppose this.

[Nick Danger]

Were this such a gold mine, venture capitalists would be throwing buckets of money at it.

That's what I think, too. Back when "recombinant DNA" was the Hot New Thing, the VC's were right in there shoveling money at it. Same thing with monoclonal antibodies.

[njwoman]

"The NJ Legislature is already facing a $4 billion shortfall next year and the state’s bond ratings have been lowered significantly because of excessive borrowing."

Oh please, we do not need more borrowing and taxes. The Republicans tried to block the latest bond issuance, because according to NJ statues, any bond issuance by governmental agency needs to be approved by public. The Democrats pushed this bond issuance through quasi-governmental agency which did not require public vote because it was not a governmental agency, i.e. just a way to get around the NJ statues. The Republicans challenged it in anyway in the court, but the judge rule was basically "it is wrong, but I will allow it this time". I am a part-time faculty member at Rutger University and the school is already building additional research and lab centers…

[Calpernia]

I heard his opus. Has he signed that paper yet?

[Coleus]

Action: NJ Gov. McGreevey May Seek Job with Stem Cell Institute he Created with Taxpayers' Money

[Ed_in_NJ]

bttt

[SuziQ]

I knew, as soon as I heard that the CA proposal had past, that it wouldn't be long before they got something like that going in MA. The politicians here could not stand the thought of all those tax dollars from Biotech going to CA.

I guess we folks against embryonic stem cell research in MA have our work cut out for us.

[stopem]

Brings up an excellent idea.

I have no idea if this is being done but are people on Medicaid or any state or federally funded program getting abortions performed and paid for?
IF so for gosh sakes it should be easy enough to stop the funding shouldnt it?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Christian conservatives should file lawsuits and take it to SCOTUS to stop all of the government funding of this monstrous crap. And Bush should be held accountable to make the right appointments to end this senseless slaughter.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

If they are going to use our tax dollars to fund the mass genocidal slaughter of the unborn, we will have to stop paying taxes so that we are not coercively made party to mass murder which is in direct violation of our "free exercise" rights.

[KMC1]

Just notified the boss - he will be blogging and talking this up on the big show today...you can listen on line beginning at 1pm.

[stopem]

We need to do something about any federally or state funded programs that pay for MURDER!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Ted Olson should argue the case before SCOTUS.

The Catholic Leaugue and the Christian Coaltion should file the suit jointly. Catholic League and The Christian Coalition vs. The State of New Jersey.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Mel Gibson, no doubt, would put up the funds to stop it in California.