STEM CELL BATTLES

In a couple hours I will be hitting the road again to Sacramento, to speak against Senate Bill 1565, a serious threat to our beautiful California stem cell program.

 

I have speechified plenty on that subject, (see bottom of page for the latest) but today I also want to talk about another form of hot air.

 

My wife Gloria has always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon.  However, there was the small problem of her fear of heights.

 

Naturally I supported her on this great adventure. I was even willing to accompany my wife to the launch site, where I would record the sight of Gloria disappearing into the outer stratosphere, as I diligently took notes and pictures until her safe return.

 

It was of course not necessary for me to actually accompany her on the expedition—why should I hoggishly share her moment?

 

Oh, no, said Gloria, you are always welcome! So when shall we go?

 

Soon, I told her, soon.

 

But we have been very busy, for the past 39 years…

 

But at four o’clock one morning, Gloria’s birthday, June 11^th, we were driving up the highway in the dark, and Gloria had no idea where we were going.

 

I had a stomach ache, doubtless from my political concerns about SB 1565, which could potentially allow the California stem cell program to be re-written by a conservative “efficiency” organization called the Milton Marks Little Hoover Commission, not unlike allowing King George III to re-write the American Constitution after we won our independence in 1776. Senate Bill 1565 would defy the will of the California voters and interfere with the effective functioning of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

 

Strangely, the stomach ache went away, after my cell phone rang.

 

The wind conditions are not right, said the voice on the phone, we must reschedule your flight.

 

Naturally I was deeply disappointed, even offended. We should teach them a good lesson, I thought, and cancel altogether! What poor management, to not control the weather!

 

But though I explained the matter carefully to Gloria, she forgave them, and we rescheduled.

 

Saturday, we endured the long drive up to Napa county again. Once more, I waited for the phone to ring. Two strikes-- you’re out, I was all set to say.

 

But it did not ring.

 

Gloria was worried, poor thing. Naturally I comforted her, saying many things like everyone would understand if she decided not to do it. Beside the weather looked changeable—wasn’t that a cloud over there, no see it, the little one by Mt. St. Helena at the Oregon border?

 

However, at a certain point, it became clear the weather was cooperating. There were no adverse wind conditions to prohibit the great adventure. I was overjoyed, of course.

 

A blow-torch affair blasted hot air into a horizontal multicolored bag slightly smaller than a football field. It swelled and grew, and grew-- and stood.

 

A wicker basket-like affair, called the gondola, rested insecurely on the tarmac, scraping back and forth.

 

“Ladies first,” I suggested politely, but Gloria allowed me that privilege, clambering aboard the assassination device.

 

There were no seats, just a sort of wall in the center of the compartment, and the waist-high barrier between us and the sky.

 

“Did you put the will in the glove compartment?” Gloria asked, as we waited on the pilot’s whim. I thought about the napkin, on which she had written, “In the event of our deaths, all our worldly belongings go to our children, Desiree and Roman Reed.”

 

One house, two cars, my books… in the event of our… well, that didn’t take long.

 

Gloria was so scared, poor thing. I let her pat my shoulder and give me a handkerchief to calm herself.

 

The gondola shifted on the ground-- and lifted.

 

 I am told there is a moment of sheer peace and joy and utter calm in  balloon riding.

 

“You become the wind,” the salesman told me.

 

I am still waiting for that moment.

 

Physically, I was busy, pushing with my legs against the side of the gondola, so that the edge was as far from me as possible--  to protect the other passengers, you see,  centering the balance, thereby saving all our lives.  I heroically maintained this posture throughout virtually the entire flight. Gloria pretended not to be frightened, clambering back and forth, taking pictures over the side, talking and laughing a mile a minute. I maintained silence to give her the assurance of stability she needed.

 

By the way, did you know a balloon can only influence its direction up or down, not sideways? The pilot turns the flame on or off—rorrrrr!—every few seconds to adjust the altitude. But only the wind decides, as to the left or right.

 

Which is why at a certain point the pilot threw a rope overside for friendly people to pull us away from the vineyards above which we had been hovering.

 

My wife’s cousin is trying to interest me in a parachute jump.

 

But I told her my ambitions in this area had been satisfied.

 

P.S. Below is the speech I will be taking with me to the SB 1565 hearing, in case I get to speak.

 

Senate Bill 1565 has three fatal flaws.

 

First, SB 1565 allows a conservative organization, the Milton Marks Little Hoover Commission, to suggest reorganization for the entire California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). If we were back in 1776, after America had just won her independence, this would be like allowing King George III to rewrite the Constitution! The CIRM has already been investigated three times: where the inevitable missteps of a new institution have been found, they were found and corrected by the CIRM itself. SB 1565 is in fact an attempt to undo the will of the California voters. The Little Hoover Commission is called an “efficiency” group--which may say, oh, this stem cell program is too large—let’s make it “efficient”, i.e. small… The CIRM is a stem cell program designed and built by stem cell advocates—a convergence of excellence and expertise…do we want it now to be broken down and turned into something less?

  

SB 1565 defies the clearly stated will of the California electorate. I urge your NO vote on Senate Bill 1565.

BILL NUMBER: SB 1565   AMENDED

           BILL TEXT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TALKING POINTS: Reasons to Oppose SB 1565 (Kuehl,Runner)

 

My name is___________, of________________. I strongly oppose SB 1565, which is a danger to California’s stem cell program.

 

SB 1565 has three fatal flaws.

 

First, SB 1565 allows a conservative organization, the Milton Marks Little Hoover Commission, to suggest reorganization for the entire California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). If we were back in 1776, after America had just won her independence, this would be like allowing King George III to rewrite the Constitution! The CIRM has already been investigated three times: where the inevitable missteps of a new institution have been found, they were found and corrected by the CIRM itself. SB 1565 is in fact an attempt to undo the will of the California voters. The Little Hoover Commission is called an “efficiency” group--which may say, oh, this stem cell program is too large—let’s make it “efficient”, i.e. small… The CIRM is a stem cell program designed and built by stem cell advocates—a convergence of excellence and expertise…do we want it now to be broken down and turned into something less?

  

2. SB 1565 takes a goal we all support—providing low cost medical treatment for the uninsured-- and mandates a one-size-fits-all approach. ((“at a price that does not exceed any benchmark price in the California Discount Prescription Drug Program… as it exists on January 1,2008.”) This provision would deny any  flexibility, or bargaining ability to the CIRM. This would defeat the CIRM’s ability to negotiate with corporations. For instance, consider the matter of orphan diseases like Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA), which take the lives of infants and devastate their families, but the number of patients is not a large enough market to attract corporate investment. If CIRM retains its bargaining ability, (which SB 1565 threatens) it could offer flexibility in pricing on one area, in exchange for industry involvement in an “orphan disease” like SMA, potentially saving lives and advancing science for the good of all. 

  

3. Proposition 71 was built precisely to support embryonic stem cell research, in part to answer ideological opposition against that research. At present, the California program contains a very important built-in safeguard—the 2/3 majority vote-- to protect and support embryonic stem cell research. SB 1565 would take away that safeguard. The effect of that change would be to make it easier to transfer funding to the more conservatively-favored “adult” stem cell research, the type approved (and out-funded approximately 7 to 1) by the Bush Administration. To remove that safeguard would be to deny the will of the California voters.

I urge your NO vote on Senate Bill 1565.