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Hidden
election issues
By
TRACEY L. REGAN, The Times, Trenton,
November 03, 2003
Some pieces of
proposed legislation generate so much controversy that lawmakers don't
even like to discuss them casually in the months leading up to
elections, much less debate them in full-fledged committee hearings in
front of partisans eager to take away campaign weapons.
Bills that would
authorize stem cell research in New Jersey and
give legal protections to domestic partnerships are two such measures
that have been shoved firmly off the legislative agenda until after
tomorrow's election, despite backing by party leaders and pledges of
support from Gov. James E. McGreevey.
The Democratic
sponsors of both bills assert, however, that they will get full-blown
hearings in the coming months - possibly as early as the lame-duck
legislative session.
But observers in
both parties say no matter what sort of push sponsors are planning after
Nov. 4, the fate of the two measures lies firmly in McGreevey's
hands.
As one Democratic
insider said, "After the election, we don't matter. It's all about
him."
While McGreevey has
said he favors both measures, his support is unpredictable, lawmakers
say, and will hinge largely on his willingness to alienate significant
sectors of the population who adamantly oppose them.
The stem cell bill
would allow researchers in New Jersey
to conduct experiments on embryonic stem cells culled from unused
fertilized eggs stored at fertility clinics.
Supporters tout the
potential of these cells, which are created in the first days of
pregnancy and can be prompted to develop into a variety of tissues, in
finding a cure for diseases such as Parkinson's.
Opponents liken use
of the fertilized eggs to abortion.
While both sides are
passionate on the subject, there are people in the middle for whom the
research presents a huge unknown.
The domestic
partnership bill would give legal rights to unmarried couples -
including same-sex partners - such as the ability to apply for
health-care insurance as a dependent.
"The stem cell
bill is one that intellectually (McGreevey) likes to support, but it
gets into the gray area of abortion for him," said one insider
familiar with McGreevey's thinking, who added, "He doesn't like to
discuss abortion."
Of the domestic
partnership bill, the person noted, "He wishes it would go
away."
One GOP lawmaker,
who acknowledged he still was grappling with the issues himself, said
McGreevey's willingness to take up the controversial matters will depend
on the direction of his job approval ratings after the election. If they
are still well below 50 percent, he will be loath to take them on,
observers speculate.
Noting that
opponents of the domestic partnership bill almost certainly will
describe it as "gay marriage," the lawmaker said, "Given
the tentative position of McGreevey, I don't think he'll want to deal
with it and alienate as many as 40 percent of voters. This is a single
issue that could turn people off."
Democrats have said
privately that they decided to take up the measures after the election
to protect possible GOP allies from primary fights on the right,
although in the case of the stem cell bill, they opted for the safer
timing after encountering fierce opposition within their own ranks as
well.
A Zogby poll
released this summer found 55 percent of likely New Jersey voters
support same-sex marriages compared with 41 percent opposed to it. Eight
states have approved domestic partnership benefits.
Despite those
numbers, it may not be easy to find enough votes in the
Legislature.
While the bill has
prominent Democratic sponsors, including Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Ewing,
the state Democratic chairwoman; Assembly Majority Leader Joseph
Roberts, D-Bellmawr, and Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck,
supporters say it would require Republican votes as well. But Democrats
won't even mention the names of possible GOP allies before the
election.
"I won't know
until the fifth of November what the mood of the Legislature will
be," noted Coleman.
She has called the
bills "two very important pieces of legislation that we need to
address." She added, "There needs to be bipartisan
support."
"I think this
will proceed as a series of skirmishes, given the political tenor of the
state," said a Republican lawmaker who put himself firmly in the
camp of those not wishing to discuss the matter until after Nov. 4.
Supporters of the
bills say they are not unhappy about the timing, however.
"Let's have a
debate and not let it be a sound bite before the election," said
Elizabeth Volz, president of the New Jersey
chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW), who backs the
domestic partnership bill.
"Once these
lawmakers have been in for a couple years, then they can have a
reasonable discussion."
Contact
Tracey L. Regan at (609) 777-4465 or tregan@njtimes.com
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