Friday, September 26, 2008

Jim Burkee and stem cell research…

From the email.

In early July then-congressional candidate Jim Burkee called me at Pro-Life Wisconsin (PLW) to discuss at length his positions on various life issues, in particular his position on human embryonic stem cell research.  The timing of the call was fortuitous because I had just read an editorial by John Torinus vaguely stating that Burkee “supports stem cell research.”  I asked Burkee to clarify his position.  He explained that he opposed the kind of stem cell research that destroys human embryos, what we pro-lifers term “embryo destructive research.”  Whether a new embryo is created through cloning or whether an existing embryo is retrieved from an in vitro fertilization clinic, Burkee clearly told me that he opposed embryo destructive research.  Rather, he explained that he supported life-affirming stem cell research such as adult stem cell research. 

Given that satisfactory answer, I asked Burkee to please fill out PLW’s candidate questionnaire and return it to us.  I explained that if he filled it out with a 100% pro-life rating, we would be happy to share that fact with our 5,000+ members in the 5th congressional district.  (The same offer was made to the Sensenbrenner campaign.)  Burkee enthusiastically responded that he would be happy to fill out our questionnaire and return it to us promptly.  We never received his questionnaire.

Burkee’s comments to me over the phone in July directly contradict his September 9th Election Day comments to Charlie Sykes on WTMJ morning radio (which I had the displeasure of hearing this week).  When asked about PLW’s candidate questionnaire, Burkee stated that not only did he not fill it out but that he “never personally talked to anybody in that organization.”   Although Burkee stated that he opposed abortion and creating life for the purpose of destroying life (research cloning), he told Sykes that he believed that discarded human embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics may be ethically used for research purposes.  One can conclude that Burkee supports human embryonic stem cell research since he gave no further explanation. 

I submit this commentary to set the record straight on three counts.  First, Burkee’s contention that he never spoke to anybody at PLW is untrue.  We had a substantive, 15 minute phone conversation in July.  Second, Burkee’s support of human embryonic stem cell research directly contradicts his expressed opposition to such research in our July phone conversation.  Finally, Burkee’s contention that State Senator Glenn Grothman is inaccurate or off base in highlighting these contradictions is false.  I briefed Senator Grothman on the details of my conversation with Burkee.

Burkee’s Election Day comments are troubling.  If there is one thing that frustrates the voting public, it is obfuscation and insincerity on policy matters of great importance.

Matt Sande
Director of Legislation
Pro-Life Wisconsin

(9) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1945 hrs
Culture + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. Thank you, Matt, for letting us know these details. Very nice post and a morbid reminder that some people cannot be trusted to tell the truth.
    Keep up the good work!! And keep telling the truth about the horror of abortion. We’ve been lied to for 30 years about that too.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2012 hrs


  2. Su-prize, su-prize, su-prize, shazam, Andy!

    A lying politician!

    Posted by dad29 on September 26, 2008 at 2014 hrs


  3. I’m glad Burkee won’t be in Washington DC anytime soon!!! Sensenbrenner has proven himself trustworthy.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2019 hrs


  4. Senator Glenn Grothman has also proven himself trustworthy. Atypically, we have some good legislators representing us here in West Bend.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2023 hrs


  5. When will the hypocrites at Pro-Life Wisconsin seek introduction of a bill to ban in vitro fertilization in Wisconsin?  All of the fertilized eggs used to create embyonic stem cell research in Wisconsin have come from IVF clinics.  These fertilized eggs were otherwise destined for medical waste incinerators.  The truth is that thousands of fertlilized eggs are discarded all across the country every year.

    If these indeed be little people, as Matt Sande claims, then this be murder, and yet Pro-Life Wisconsin has NEVER sought introduction of legislation to ban this immoral practice.  Zip, zilch, nada.

    Why such rank hypocrisy, Matt?  Why don’t you stand up for these little frozen people?

    Matt knows that only a couple dozen fertilized eggs have been used to create emtryonic stem cell lines in Wisconsin.  Yet over the last 10 years tens of thousands of fertilized eggs have been incinerated.  If embryonic stem cell research is a sin, what about the thousands of little people similarly bludgeoned?

    It’s time for Matt and the other whackos at Pro-Life Wisconsin to stand up for these little people!

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 26, 2008 at 2053 hrs


  6. Helloooo…Wally…. anyone?

    The crap that you peddle as science, no doubt, much like your environemenal science, is crap.

    Your destructive preference has given medicine NOTHING. Adult stem-cell has given us far more.

    So, dry up and read up.

    Your quest to kill has given us NOTHING.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 0147 hrs


  7. Nice job in ignoring the question at hand:  Why do the hypocrites at Pro-Life Wisconsin wail incessantly about something which has resulted in the use of a couple dozen fertilized eggs in Wisconsin—eggs which would otherwise be discarded—while doing absolutely nothing about a process which has resulted in the “death” of thousands upon thousands of fertilized eggs over the same period of time?

    That’s the question that the whackos at Pro-Life Wisconsin are asked to answer.

    Thanks for playing, loser.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 0816 hrs


  8. Yet over the last 10 years tens of thousands of fertilized eggs have been incinerated.  If embryonic stem cell research is a sin, what about the thousands of little people similarly bludgeoned?. Will be back to read more!
    Cheers,
    Chinese medicine

    Posted by Acupuncture on October 07, 2008 at 2106 hrs


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    Posted by marijuana detox on October 20, 2008 at 1520 hrs


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