Spurred by first-brother and megalobbyist Andy Blunt on behalf of client [1] Boehringer Ingelheim, GOP leaders are looking to revive old research tax credits [2]...

Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, wants to bring back tax credits for qualified research expenses, including research and development of biotechnology, plant genomic products and prescription pharmaceuticals consumed by humans or animals...

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica’s primary animal vaccine research facility is located in St. Joseph. Its products benefit livestock producers.

The company’s executive director of business development testified in support of the credit, saying the research climate in Missouri is important to Boehringer, since the company would like to add more world-class scientists to the organization.

Shields' bill would be a boon of about $10 million to Boehringer, according to the story.  Unfortunately for Shields, Blunt and their GOP legislative allies, they can't grease Boehringer without simultaneously tweaking their base in the anti-choice community:

The bill’s sole opponent came from Missouri Right to Life, whose representative, Susan Klein, contended the credits could aid in human cloning research.

I wonder if Missouri Right to Life ever gets tired of being taken for granted by the Missouri GOP and Team Blunt?  The GOPers pay constant lip service to support for MRL's goals, sometimes even pretending to be the group's greatest champion [2], but when it comes down to brass tacks --the decision to support Right to Life's goals or bow to deep-pocketed corporate interests-- it seems the anti-research crowd almost always gets the short end of the stick. 

Which, as a matter of policy, I think is absolutely terrific.  But it must suck if you're a part of the MRL crowd.