Posted on 05/12/2005 10:16:37 PM PDT by Coleus
Supporting embryonic stem cell research is not only morally misguided but fiscally irresponsible, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler told a cheering crowd of 200 anti-abortion activists who gathered on the Statehouse steps yesterday to blast acting Gov. Richard Codey's $380 million research proposal.
Schundler accused Codey of using the moral debate over whether stem cells should be extracted from embryos for potentially life-saving research to distract voters from the price tag.
"To come up with that money, what are they going to do, of course? They are going to increase your taxes," Schundler told the crowd. "They have a $2 billion deficit as they are proposing this. And they are saying this is going to help our economy? Give me a break."
The candidate's fiery speech energized the crowd that included senior citizens, parents and a busload of students from Immaculata High School in Somerville. Many carried signs declaring: "The Garden State FARMS HUMANS!" "No $ for Stem Cell Cloning Institute" and "NJ Clones and Kills."
A series of speakers including physicians and anti-abortion leaders condemned as immoral the destruction of human embryos in research, and questioned the economic wisdom of devoting state money to science that has yet to yield breakthroughs.
Marie Tasy, legislative and communications director for New Jersey Right to Life, said New Jersey deserved "a crown of dishonor" for being the third most indebted state in the nation.
Codey wants to spend $150 million to build and equip the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick with money from bonds backed by cigarette taxes. The state is authorized to issue those bonds, but using the proceeds for stem cell research would require approval by the Legislature and the state Economic Development Authority.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Schundler for Governor!
Whatever happened to that McGreavey creep?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.