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Rightwing Attacks on Stem Cell Research Advocate Michael
J. Fox Spotlight One of Election 2006’s Most Heated
Ballot Issues
Record Citizen-Written Ballot Initiatives Could Swing Election
Results
Rightwing Attacks on Stem Cell Research Advocate
Michael J. Fox Spotlight One of Election 2006’s Most
Heated Ballot Issues
Parkinson’s sufferer and actor Michael J. Fox has
been mocked by rightwing host Rush Limbaugh after he appeared
in a Missouri television ad urging viewers to vote yes for
stem cell research and for a Democratic Senate candidate over
the Republican incumbent. We look at one of the most hotly
contested issues in the 2006 elections with Arthur Caplan
of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.
[includes rush
transcript]
In addition to electing candidates for the House and Senate,
voters on November 7th will get to settle matters of public
policy ranging from gay marriage to abortion and raising the
minimum wage.
A near record number of ballot initiatives were proposed
by citizens this year. Perhaps the most hotly contested issue
this election season is embryonic stem cell research. Earlier
this year, President Bush issued the first veto of his presidency
in order to bar the expansion of federally funded stem cell
research. Scientists have widely criticized Bush’s move
to block the use of embryonic stem cells to find treatments
or cures for many debilitating diseases. Polls show 70 percent
of the country backs stem cell research.
One its most prominent backers is actor Michael J. Fox. Fox
was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991 and went public
with his condition seven years later. Last week, he appeared
in a television campaign ad urging viewers to vote yes for
stem cell research and for a Democratic Senate candidate.
- Michael J. Fox TV commercial.
Soon after the TV ad ran, conservative talk show host Rush
Limbaugh lashed out at Fox for his appearance in the ad where
he is visibly shaking from the effects of the disease.
Fox responded to Rush Limbaugh’s comments in an interview
with Katie Couric on CBS Evening News
- Michael J. Fox on CBS Evening News.
Arthur Caplan is the director of the Center for Bioethics
at the University of Pennsylvania. He joins us now from the
Center in Philadelphia.
- Arthur Caplan. Director of the Center for Bioethics at
the University of Pennsylvania.
Record Citizen-Written Ballot Initiatives Could Swing
Election Results
Voters will consider 76 citizen-written ballot initiatives
on Election Day. According to the National Conference of State
Legislatures, this is the third largest number of initiatives
on the ballot in almost 100 years. Some are predicting that
with measures to increase the minimum wage on the ballot in
six states and initiatives backing stem cell research ahead
in many of the polls – the Democrats will gain votes
this time around. [includes rush
transcript]
On November 7th, voters will consider 76 citizen-written
ballot initiatives. According to the National Conference of
State Legislatures, this is the third largest number of initiatives
on the ballot in almost 100 years. In addition, state legislatures
across the country have sponsored another 121 ballot questions
that will be voted on next week. In 2004, Republicans tended
to benefit from ballot initiatives. Some are predicting that
with measures to increase the minimum wage on the ballot in
six states and initiatives backing stem cell research ahead
in many of the polls – the Democrats will gain votes
this time around. Oliver Griswold is the Communications and
Outreach Director for the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.
He joins us from Washington DC.
- Oliver Griswold. Communications and Outreach Director
for the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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