Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research

by BooMan
Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 03:49:58 PM EST

Despite some confusion from people with either poor memories or poor reading comprehension skills, I was a loud opponent of Bob Casey Jr. in last year's Pennsylvania Senate primary. I didn't like his position on choice, on stem-cell research, or his history on gay rights. I worked with Chuck Pennacchio and hoped to raise a protest vote against the coronation of Casey Jr. by Chuck Schumer and Gov. Ed Rendell. After Casey Jr. won the nomination I advised people that we could not retake the Senate without Santorum's seat. I never questioned the integrity and wisdom of people that refused to hold their nose and vote for Casey Jr., but I did point out the math.

So far Casey Jr. has been one of the most reliable votes for the Democratic majority position. But it was inevitable that a vote would come up to validate my concerns about him on social issues. Now we have that vote.

The Senate is expected to pass legislation this week that would ease the Bush administration’s limits on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research. The measure, passed by the House, is identical to the bill that passed the Senate 63 to 37 last year before being vetoed by President Bush...
Senate Democrats now think they have 65 votes, one shy of what is needed to rebuff a veto.
...Senator Bob Casey, left, a freshman Democrat from Pennsylvania who campaigned as a social conservative, has said he will vote against the bill. Democrats hope for support from Senator John E. Sununu, Republican of New Hampshire, who may face a tough race next year in a state where Democrats have gained strength.

If the President vetoes the bill we will need 67 votes to override his veto. Tim Johnson will hopefully be recovered enough by that point to cast a vote, which will put us at 66. It looks like Bob Casey Jr. may cast the deciding vote that blocks stem-cell research funding.

Now, there is no way that Rick Santorum would have voted in favor of funding. And there is no way that Santorum would have been one of the most reliable Democratic minority votes in the Senate. This isn't about refighting the interparty war over Bob Casey Jr. But, we need to send a message to Casey that we will primary his ass and load our challenger with boatloads of cash if he casts the deciding vote against funding stem-cell research.

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Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Ok or SC maybe, but PA, Grrrrr (4.00 / 2)

Maybe I'm wrong on my assumptions here about the state where I live (PA), but as I see it, I would accept a conservative social democrat if that was the only way to win in SC or OK or other states. However, PA should be a state that could go Democratic and win with a full fledged social liberal as well. We can't, IMO, afford to dilute ourselves on the social side in states that we do not have to!!

Now that was the shame of a Bob Casey candidacy in a real blue state, IMO!

by NG on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 04:58:38 PM EST

this makes me (4.00 / 2)

sofa king angry. for a lot of reasons. ahem, correct me if i'm wrong, but casey doesn't have any developmentally disabled orphans of color in his home, right? or pregnant teens running away from the family members who raped and impregnated them? how many alzheimer's elders does he take care of, day and night? none?

well he should STFU about his passion for "life."

not to mention the fact that for christ's sake, think of the value of overcoming a veto on this issue- it would be such a stake in bush, the capitol gained from such success would be immense. arg. thanks so much, chuck schumer, for giving us this guy.

by chicago dyke (anheduanna at yahoo.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 08:18:23 PM EST

Re: this makes me (none / 1)

Well, prior to getting really annoyed, call him and ask him to vote in the correct manner.

He has, in fact, not yet done anything.

by dataguy on Wed Apr 11th, 2007 at 12:01:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Don't waste your breath (4.00 / 2)

Casey Jr. doesn't care whether we primary him or not. He would be perfectly content to lose so long as he could stand up for his issue.

Casey isn't like other Democrats on abortion -- this is the single defining issue of his moral system. He won't just abandon it for political reasons. You want a reliable pro-choice vote, you've got to get rid of Casey. That's all there is to it.

ProgressiveHistorians: History For Our Future

by Nonpartisan on Wed Apr 11th, 2007 at 09:58:37 AM EST

Re: Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research (none / 1)

Schumer picked and elected him. We need to lean on Schumer to call in an IOU from Casey. Casey will do what he is told, if the Dems lean on him. The Progressive Caucus always does, so why not Casey.

by dkmich on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 04:22:26 PM EST

Re: Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research (none / 0)

The way I might spin this is to press Casey that a vote to override the President's veto is a vote to sustain the overwhelming majority's preference on the issue, that one man (Bush) shouldn't be able to stand in the way of the Senate on this issue.

[Of course, the flip side is that Casey could see himself as the one man positioned to defend "life" by sustaining the veto.]

We knew this day was coming; let's see what we can do.

by adam b (throwingthingsblog -at- hotmail.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 04:29:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

PA residents!! Time to assemble (none / 1)

I am not a PA resident. I reside in IL.

It's very clear to me that this issue will be decided on the ground in PA. Can PA residents call Casey in such numbers that they will convince him? Chuck Schumer does not vote for Bob Casey. If you vote for Bob Casey, you need to call him soon like today, and register your position.

Grass-roots activism is required.

by dataguy on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 05:00:40 PM EST

Re: PA residents!! Time to assemble (none / 1)

Chuck Schumer does not vote for Bob Casey.

But he did anoint him and demand all others stand down.

--
Albert Yee
Philadelphia, PA
http://dragonballyee.com/blog

by albert (dragonballyeeATgmail.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 10:44:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research (none / 0)

Just called in to the Harrisburg office. The lady on the phone was very nice and said that Casey has been doing a lot of thinking about it. Then she said that Casey is going to be voting for an alternative bill to be introduced by Norm Coleman S. 30. So I guess I have to go and look into that.

Frankly I don't thin that Casey will change much on this issue, he appears to really believe what he believes. Frankly I think we have to respect his position even if we disagree with it. A persons first responsibility is to their own conscience, which means that for a Senator his constituents opinions have to come in a strong second. To be otherwise is to be a panderer.

My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington- Obama
Philly for Obama

by Luam (LuamDK at gmail.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 05:14:12 PM EST

a touch of research (none / 0)

Obviously a bill introduced by Norm Coleman isn't going to be very popular here in the frog pond. The National Right to life does not oppose the bill. My understanding of the S. 30 bill is that it would expand the number of stem cells open to research to include more stem cells which are "Naturally Dead", but not actually provide for funding.

It is somewhat of an improvement, but not everything we would want. Unless we can find more votes I think that funding for stem cell research will remain private and an issue for the 2008 presidential.

My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington- Obama
Philly for Obama

by Luam (LuamDK at gmail.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 05:30:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: a touch of research (none / 1)

some info on the bill he's supporting via Huffington Post

--
Albert Yee
Philadelphia, PA
http://dragonballyee.com/blog

by albert (dragonballyeeATgmail.com) on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 at 10:52:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

And here's a sample (none / 1)

of what he's voting against: From the Times of London

Diabetics using stem-cell therapy have been able to stop taking insulin injections for the first time, after their bodies started to produce the hormone naturally again.
In a breakthrough trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were given drugs to suppress their immune systems followed by transfusions of stem cells drawn from their own blood.
The results show that insulin-dependent diabetics can be freed from reliance on needles by an injection of their own stem cells. The therapy could signal a revolution in the treatment of the condition, which affects more than 300,000 Britons.
People with type 1 diabetes have to give themselves regular injections to control blood-sugar levels, as their ability to create the hormone naturally is destroyed by an immune disorder.
All but two of the volunteers in the trial, details of which are published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), do not need daily insulin injections up to three years after stopping their treatment regimes.

"Little people are very stuff-intensive."

by CabinGirl on Wed Apr 11th, 2007 at 08:44:55 AM EST

Casey Jr. and Stem Cell Research | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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