Maricopa County Republicans Condemn McCain’s Support of Destructive Embryonic Stem Cell Research

NEWS & ANALYSIS

Maricopa County Republicans Condemn McCain’s Support of Destructive Embryonic Stem Cell Research

By Dennis Durband, Editor
September 5, 2005

Republicans in John McCain’s home county are far from through with the renegade U.S. Senator. Last week, Maricopa County GOP passed a resolution asking McCain to reconsider his support of destructive embryonic stem cell research (ESCR). McCain said in an Aug. 25^th town hall meeting that he would vote in favor of federal funding of ESCR – a position diametrically opposed by the pro-life community. Unable to justify use of tax dollars for destructive human research scientifically, morally or ethically, McCain said he supports it merely because Nancy Reagan supports it.

In 25 years of research, the private sector has found little or no reason to invest in ESCR. The process results in tumors and transplant rejection, and has not produced a cure for a single disease. On the contrary, non-destructive adult stem cell research has resulted in curative applications for 65 diseases – gaining full support from the pro-life community.

The resolution occurred within the Executive Guidance Committee (EGC), the governing board for Maricopa County Republicans. Introduced by Marne Haney, the resolution passed 18-6.

Two attempts to water down the resolution failed. One attempted to delete McCain's name from the resolution, and the other attempted to delete the words "as well as other Democrat."

No one from McCain's staff showed up to defend his anti-life position on ESCR.

The EGC resolution states, “Our own Senator McCain, as well as other Democrat and Republican politicians, has succumbed to pro-abortion and liberal media exhortations to promote tax-funded Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR), which requires the killing of innocent human life.”

The 2004 Republican platform opposes destructive embryonic stem cell research.

Maricopa County Republicans wrote: “Those who seek to rush through tax-funded ESCR ignore evidence from panels of medical researchers and bioethicists (www.stemcellresearch.org) that any potential benefits from ESCR can be replicated faster and simpler without destroying embryonic cells

Furthermore, the EGC resolution rejects “the exaggerated claims supporting ESCR as deceptive and cruel to millions of patients. We pass this resolution to encourage Senator McCain to reconsider his position, and we thank President Bush and Senator Kyl for their promise to prevent further use of our tax dollars for ESCR. We support President Bush’s position to veto this bill if it comes to his desk.”

The resolution was sent to President Bush and Arizona’s Congressional Delegation.

Arizona Republicans have passed five resolutions this summer in opposition to McCain’s liberal positions on a wide range of topics. The opposition in his own back yard does not bode well for the liberal senator’s presidential aspirations.