Even though voters approved a constitutional amendment last year protecting embryonic stem-cell research, expanded research hasn’t happened yet in the state, the New York Times reported. That’s in large part because some state lawmakers in Missouri are still fighting the issue, introducing new bills to try to block certain types of research. As a result, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research has suspended its plans for a $300 million expansion, citing the "persistent negative political climate," the Times reported. A Harvard University professor who put off his plan to move to Missouri to work at Stowers called what has happened since the amendment passed "a big disappointment."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Another reason Sam Brownback would really, really like to clean Mitt Romney’s clock in the Iowa GOP straw poll Saturday: "Sam Brownback, he’s a sweet guy, but he’s obviously in a pretty desperate situation at this point. He ought to get to his own campaign and stop worrying about mine," Romney, speakingon ABC’s "Good Morning America" about Brownback’s dogged criticism of Romney’s flip-flops on social issues.
FYI: Did you catch the "Brownback Girl" song clip on NPR this morning? Here is a link to the audio file (click on "listen").
Posted by Rhonda Holman
After many of its members criticized Iraq’s parliament for taking the rest of the summer off while U.S. troops are dying in Iraq, Congress left Washington, D.C., over the weekend to take the rest of the summer off. It reconvenes Sept. 4 after this “district work period,” leaving itself less than a month to pass 12 appropriations bills for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Judging from the year’s output so far, expectations are best kept low.
Meanwhile, President Bush will be at Kennebunkport, Maine, this weekend, then back at his Texas ranch for about half of August, excepting meetings with leaders of Canada and Mexico Aug. 20-21. Bush has spent 418 days as president at the ranch, but a White House spokeswoman notes that “the president is always president and gets his regular daily briefings.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
At least one elected official isn’t holding back her frustration at Tuesday’s gaming vote results. “I am really disappointed,” Wichita Vice Mayor Sharon Fearey (in photo) told The Eagle editorial board. “I think Sumner County is laughing all the way to the bank.”
Fearey said gaming supporters didn’t do a good job of educating the public about the economic benefits. “We’re losing a heck of a lot of property taxes,” she said of the loss of the proposed $225 million casino, which she said — contrary to opponents’ claims — would have provided some money for local schools. And she pointed to a 2004 study that said a Wichita casino would provide 1,155 jobs. “It’s a huge missed opportunity.”
Fearey also expressed annoyance with the high moral tone of the casino opponents. “Are the people of Wyandotte County less moral than us? Or, for heaven’s sake, the people of Sumner?”
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Mitt Romney has no doubt how many counties there are in Iowa — 99, all of which his son Josh is visiting. But Romney stumbled when asked by an Iowa voter at one of his “Ask Mitt Anything” events how many counties there are in Massachusetts, which he served as governor for one term. “Thirteen,” he said, as a nearby aide offered “10.” And the correct answer is: 14.
(In Kansas, by the way, it’s a whopping 105.)
Posted by Rhonda Holman
