Defeat in N.J. of stem cell initiative raises alarm

In 2004, New Jersey became the first state to use taxpayer money for stem cell research, beating California to the punch by three years.

Polling in the state overwhelmingly supported the controversial science. And additional state budget allocations allowed for the creation of a state stem cell institute, for which Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine broke ground a month ago.

So what happened on Tuesday, when voters in the pro-choice, Democrat-controlled state overwhelmingly turned down a bond initiative that would have allowed the state to borrow $450 million over the next decade to support stem cell research?

New Jersey voters had not voted against a ballot initiative in 17 years. But on Tuesday, they voted 53 percent to 47 percent against the stem cell initiative.

Is voter support for stem cell research eroding across the United States, leaving California, with its $3 billion stem cell initiative, to become an island in a sea of disinterest and skepticism?

People on both sides of the stem cell debate said the key factor in New Jersey's failed initiative was taxpayer fatigue.

Or, more precisely...