Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

by Josh Orton, Wed Apr 01, 2009 at 09:23:43 AM EDT

Democratic National Committee chair and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine just set his state back:

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has signed a bill into law banning the use of some state funds for embryonic stem cell research.
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It contains language inserted by the General Assembly that would prevent a state fund from providing dollars to organizations or businesses that undertake "research in Virginia on human cells or tissue derived from induced abortions or from stem cells obtained from human embryos."

Kaine's support for the legislation is not surprising: He is a staunch Catholic who has long opposed using taxpayer money for embryonic stem cell research. But the platform of the Democratic Party, now headed by Kaine at Obama's behest, describes embryonic stem cell research as "research that could save lives."

This isn't a departure from Kaine's personal beliefs. But given that all of the Democrats trying to succeed Kaine support public funding for stem cell research, this doesn't seem like a decision that represent his Virginia constituency, let alone his national one.

Tags: DNC, Tim Kaine (all tags)

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13 Comments

My-meetup1
Re: Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

Didn't anyone tell cain that he shouldn't bring his religion into his decisions. There is the Constitional seperation of church and state.

by Ed beckmann 2009-04-01 09:27AM | 0 recs
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A legislative decision

If the state of Virginia wants to elect politicans who, for religious reasons, want to dead end funding for research in their state, I say, MORE POWER TO YA, FUNDIE!

Also, where are the academics and the scientest of Virginia State?

Seems to me, the ought to be moving to a more progressive state, one in the 21st century instead of the 17th?

Seems also, they have a bone to pick BOTH with Kaine and the state legislature.

by WashStateBlue 2009-04-01 09:33AM | 0 recs
My-meetup1
Re: A legislative decision

The problem here is that Kain is more than the Gov of VA, he is also the Democratic National Committee chair. Just imagine if this were Mr Steele and he just signed a bill supporting Stem cell research or Abortion rights! To me Kain deserves to be swarmed just like the Ditto heads swarmed Steele!

by Ed beckmann 2009-04-01 10:07AM | 0 recs
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Re: Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

I never liked Kaine and I never will! Thank god he isn't VEEP!!!!! And within a couple of years he will be no longer needed!

by boxer4hrc 2009-04-01 09:39AM | 0 recs
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It's just too bad...

That we're stuck with him as DNC Chair! Yikes! Way to thank President Obama for making the DNC give him that post, Kaine just undermined our new policy on stem cell research in his state.

But hey, no one can say we didn't warn everyone here about Tim Kaine. This is just one of those times when I'm actually not happy about being proven right. :-(

by atdleft 2009-04-01 09:51AM | 0 recs
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Re: It's just too bad...

Well, after all, Howard Dean was too radical and out of step with everyday Americans. Why he even believed in gay rights and universal health care! Couldn't leave a radical like that around. It might hurt bipartisanship!

Yeah! Yeah! Look at it that way. Tim Kaine is promoting bipartisanship.

by antiHyde 2009-04-01 01:07PM | 0 recs
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Re: Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

Hey, if Virginia wants to scare off researchers to other states, that's fine with me.  More for the rest of us.  

by rfahey22 2009-04-01 09:44AM | 0 recs
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Why in the world...

Do we have this fundie wingnut as DNC Chair? And why is he going all GOP on all the Dems who put him in office in VA by rejecting sound science? My goodness, I'm embarrassed for our party.

by atdleft 2009-04-01 09:52AM | 0 recs
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Re: Why in the world...

Why is the protege of Hank Paulson and Henry Kissinger our Secretary of State? When we voted (D) in Fall, we just didn't realize that it meant DINO.

by antiHyde 2009-04-01 01:09PM | 0 recs
97250_45
What's the date today?

Kaine outlaws cul-de-sacs:

http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S= 10077757&nav=menu496_2_1

by QTG 2009-04-01 10:19AM | 0 recs
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Re: Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

this is insane. i expect many key dem groups to demand he resign dnc chair

by art3 2009-04-01 10:36AM | 0 recs
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Re: Kaine Blocks Stem Cell Funding In VA

And why do I think Sibelius is going to be a big letdown

I heard on the radio this morning that Sibelius is correcting some "mistakes" in her prior year tax returns. I'm sure that qualifies her for the cabinet. Is Leona Helmsely dead? If not, why don't we see her name mentioned by the Obama team?

by antiHyde 2009-04-01 01:12PM | 0 recs
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Re: Yet another Obama moment...

I've never been a fan of Kaine being appointed head of the DNC, and some of Obama's Cabinet choices have been bothersome (Treasury, cough, cough), but why the beef with Sebelius?

Or for that matter, what's wrong with Solis at Labor?  She's very decidedly a progressive.

And for folks who supported HRC in the primaries, are you upset that she's got the biggest Cabinet job of all?

I do wish that the Cabinet was a little more progressive than what we've gotten, but by the same token, I always knew that Obama would use a pragmatic approach in his appointments.  Some, like Kaine and Geithner, I think he got flat out wrong, but I don't have a problem with all, or even most of them.

by Obamaphile 2009-04-02 08:43AM | 0 recs

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