Rep. Andy Meisner spinning like a top

Here at the Daily Tribune (an Oakland County paper) you'll find Rep. Andy Meisner doing his best impression of a basketball on the finger of a Harlem Globetrotter.

But state Rep. Andy Meisner, D-Ferndale -- who has introduced legislation for several years to remove restrictions on stem cell research -- notes recent surveys done by MRG, a marketing research group based in Lansing, indicate most Catholics back embryonic stem cell research.

"It showed 72 percent of Catholics are in support (of stem cell research)," he said.

First, there are no restrictions on stem cell research in Michigan. There are restrictions on killing human embryos for research. Second, here we have Meisner trying to equate a 72% of Catholics favoring "stem cell research" with 72% of Catholics favoring "embryonic stem cell research." It should also be noted the MRG poll and how the questions are phrased hasn't been made public as far as I can tell and I can't find the poll on their web site.

Meisner said he is not against use of adult stem cells, but noted the "bulk of new investment is in embryonic stem cell research." He listed California as one example.

Here Meisner seems to be confusing public investment with private investment. California is one example of a state's citizenry being fooled into footing the bill for $3 billion dollars of research (at an expense of $6 billion dollars to the taxpayers) into human cloning and embryonic stem cell research. Proponents of embryonic stem cells are continually pushing for tax dollars because private investments aren't to the level they desire.

Meisner's legislation would limit research to embryonic stem cells to those left over from fertility testing.

Ummm.... let's look at Meisner's current proposed legislation (H.B. 4616). If it's just about "leftover" embryos, then what's the deal with section B?

"These are stem cells that would be thrown away," he said. "Wouldn't they be better used for research?"

The stem cells would be thrown away or the human embryos? This is like someone who wants to forcible remove organs of an inmate on death row claiming, "The organs would be thrown away. Wouldn't they be better used for research?"

Tags: andy meisner, embryonic stem cell research, michigan