IgnatiusInsight.com: You are described as a pro-life Democrat.
Would you explain your stance on the death penalty, abortion,
and embryonic stem cell research and human cloning? How would you
vote if the Castle bill came to you in the Senate?
[Editor's note: The Castle bill would allow embryonic stem cell
research on so-called "left over" embryos from in-vitro
fertilization clinics. It was approved 238 to 194 by the House of
Representatives on May 24, 2005. Its formal name is The Stem Cell
Research Enhancement Act. It was sponsored by Delaware Republican
Rep. Mike Castle and in the Senate is sponsored by Pennsylvania
Republican Sen. Arlen Specter and Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.]
How do your positions differ from those of your opponent?
Casey: I believe that being pro-life means the right to a decent
life for a mother and her child before and after birth.
I am and I have always been pro-life.
I support the current federal policy on embryonic stem cell research
and would oppose the Castle bill to expand federal support of
embryonic stem cell research. I believe that the death penalty
is an appropriate punishment for those who have committed heinous
crimes.
As a U.S. Senator, I will strongly support funding for stem cell
research that doesn’t destroy an embryo. There are many
promising techniques under development that don’t require destroying
the embryo and there’s good reason to hope that soon we’ll be able
to remove the politics from this issue.
I also strongly support increased federal funding for research on
stem cells derived from adult cells, bone marrow and placentas —
areas where tremendous progress has already been made.
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