A: Parents should be involved in the decisions of their children. Absolutely. But there are some families where there has been abuse, there are some families where there’s been neglect, if there is proper protection in the law, then let’s take a look at it. phony divide. But I am concerned this may be one more corporate boondoggle. We already provide more than $300 billion in corporate welfare to wealthy companies. If we’re going to provide funding for stem-cell research, then taxpayers should be treated as investors and should profit from that research.
CARDIN: Most stem-cell research is done by universities, with the support of NIH. Embryonic stem-cell research holds promise not only for stopping the deterioration for diseases, but for reversing it.
CARDIN: You know that I’ve introduced legislation to take on the pharmaceutical companies.
ZEESE: Yes, after you voted the wrong way, to not allow less expensive pharmaceuticals into the country.
CARDIN: My bill would reduce the cost of pharmaceutical products by about 2/3rds, using market forces to bring down costs. I’ve taken on the insurance companies. I want Canadians coming to America to buy drugs. Take a look at what I’ve been able to accomplish, and who has stood up to these interests.
CARDIN: Yes. We need to change the agenda-setters. I stood up for change in Washington. I took on the President when he was wrong. I’ve worked across party lines. But we need to change the direction.
STEELE: For Ben Cardin to say he’s a change agent is laughable. He’s been in Congress for 20 years. To all of a sudden say you’re interested in change is just not believable. Where’s the voice been? Where’s the voice on transportation, on health care? These voices I have not heard. Now to say that you’re for changing the system, when you’ve been part of the system that gave us these problems, is laughable.
CARDIN: I’m proud of my record in Congress. Proud of the changes I’ve made in Medicare & the retirement system.
ZEESE: I think both of you are right. You’re both selected by your party leadership. You’re both in bed with the special interests. And you’re both not going to bring change to Washington. The voters need to know that.
STEELE: The Congressman has been running against George Bush for a year, but Bush is not here. You talk about hand-picked-you were hand-picked by Congressman Steny Hoyer to get in this race. If not for Hoyer, Kweise Mfume would be sitting here. He was the first to enter this race, and he stuck his neck out. You’ve been shepherded around the state by Steny Hoyer. When you talk about who’s hand-picked, not me, friend, you.
CARDIN: You’re the one who identifies with George Bush. You brought Bush into Maryland to raise a half-million. You’re the one who supports his agenda.
STEELE: Stop running against George Bush. Run against me and my record as Lt. Gov.
CARDIN: I won a competitive primary and Kweise Mfume is supporting me for the US Senate, because he knows I’ll bring change to Washington.
CARDIN: I voted against the war four years ago and I’ve been a critic of the president ever since. Yes, I’m going to support the appropriations bill so our troops are safe, with the body armor and equipment they need. Would you have voted for war four years ago?
STEELE: Yes, I would have authorized the use of force, to deal with the terror that was there.
ZEESE: You guys are both wrong on the war. We’ve got to get out of Iraq rapidly & responsibly, or we’re going to get out in chaos. Mr. Cardin, you have not done much on this issue. After your first vote, you’ve been wrong, wrong, wrong. You voted against an exit strategy. You voted to stay the course. You voted for $320 billion for permanent bases.
CARDIN: I voted against the permanent bases. Check the record.
ZEESE: I did check the record. You voted for it [in a package bill].