Mel Gibson joins fight against stem cell measure

[Kadie]

Mel Gibson joins fight against stem cell measure

By PAUL ELIAS, AP Biotechnology Writer


Last Updated: October 28, 2004, 04:15:19 PM PDT


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Proposition 71 race turned into the battle of the Hollywood stars Thursday when actor Mel Gibson spoke out against the $3 billion bond measure for stem cell research and offered his help to the opposition campaign.

Gibson appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and said he had an "ethical problem" with the proposition, which would make about $300 million available annually for 10 years to fund the controversial research. The measure would allow cloning for medical research only. All told, including interest, it will cost $6 billion in taxpayer money over 30 years.

Gibson also has recorded a 60-second message that he gave to the campaign Thursday. A spokesman for the No on 71 campaign said officials are still discussing how to use the message, which they said arrived unexpectedly Thursday. A spokesman said the campaign already has produced two radio advertisements, which are airing throughout the state.

"It's kind of a last-minute thing but we are glad he could join," said No on 71 spokesman Tim Rosales. "He's a great spokesperson."

more...
http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/9345816p-10252559c.html

[cthrumatrix]

1. last minute.... but $$$$$$ talks

[Cha]

2. More reason to ban mel gibson from

my life!

Elizabeth Edwards explained stem cell research in the town hall meeting in Harrisburg last Sunday and I don't have an "ethical problem" with it.

[elepet]

4. Have you read that particular proposition thoroughly?

It's a strange one. Sometimes these California propositions have a good hearted approach to an issue, but when you read the fine print, they have odd twists that might do more harm than good. I think that this is one of those.

[mom cat]

16. What specifically did you have in mind?

[elepet]

23. It has to do with the funding

There was a post over in the California forum that alerted me to the problem, but I can't find it at the moment. Reading my official voter guide it says""pharmaceutical company executives and venture capitalists contributed 2.6 million dollars to put this measure on the ballot" The idea being that California taxpayers will fund the research,increasing California horrendous debt, but only those "awarded" contracts will benifit. It's as they say a sticky wicket. I think arnold is for this one, but i think we could do better.

[elepet]

27. i just found the post

Xithras (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-08-04 06:11 PM
Original message
Why would ANYONE support Prop 71?


It seems like all the Democrats I know are planning on voting for Prop 71 because it supports stem cell research. I just read the proposition and made three stunning realizations:

1) The proposition doesn't prohibit, and actually ENCOURAGES, companies from patenting their discoveries. A company like ImClone can come in, take millions of taxpayer dollars to fund their research, patent the results, and charge you out the a** to use the discoveries that YOU paid for! We pay for the research, and they get to keep all the profits. Where's the benefit of THAT? If my tax dollars are going to fund this research, I want the results to be PUBLIC and ROYALTY FREE. We're talking three billion dollars of corporate welfare here people!

2) There's no cancellation mechanism. If the money appears to be misspent, there's no way to cancel funds allocated to corporations.

3) It occurred to me that the discoveries funded by this bond measure will benefit people across the nation and around the world. So why are Californians expected to pay for the whole thing?

DU Lurker Extraordinaire

[SoCalDem]

37. I am voting against it , as well

I think this should be for the NIH to fund, not an individual state..and I do not like the "patenting" issues either.. When POOLED money is used to discover things, the discovery should benefit ALL people, not just the ones with enough money to BUY science..

[elepet]

53. Health insurance prop

is another weird one. Yes of course health insurance is a good thing, but this proposition is not the way to go about it.

[George_S]

44. So, you're going to change your vote because of this one post?

Does the poster own you? :)

[elepet]

50. no, it wasn't just this post

i already voted against it. this post stimulated me to really study the proposition and others on the ballot. I mentioned some of this in my previous post. Often California propositions are not what they seem to be. Fine print and all that.

[Career Prole]

3. The Passion of the Fundie Nutcase...

He'll no doubt be showing off his holy stigmata (no pun intended) any day now. :eyes:

[cubsfan forever]

6. Indeed, he is a small minded ,self important

"true believer" who should be locked up in a padded cell.

Professor 2

[Career Prole]

10. Yessir, and one other thing...

...as a lifelong Red Sox fan I'm now happy to say...
"Cubs got next!" :hi:

[cubsfan forever]

14. One curse down, one to go! Thanks!

My whole family rooted big time for the Red Sox. We are thrilled for you and the rest of Red Sox Nation.

Professor 2

[Career Prole]

18. I was rooting for the Cubbies over the Marlins...

I guess mine didn't work. I'll yell louder next year!

[cubsfan forever]

33. Thanks! n/t

Professor 2

[Sugarbleus]

11. Opus Dei Gibson? Is that the guy? *Ha*

He thinks his socks are holy! What a doofus! I ALWAYS said "bleck" to Gibson when everyone else thought he was so "awesome"

He opposses the stem cell measure?; then I'M ALL THE MORE FOR IT.

[jdj]

59. there's a certain kind of guy

that thinks if you "act" a certain way it is appealing, no matter how you look, and who you are inside. It is so transparent, and it makes me cringe, I don't think it is sexy at all. Tom Cruise is another one like this, although I think he's a nicer person.

I think it is because they are really gay.

[Ima]

12. I voted for it

If we in California don't do it , it may never be done.

[maddezmom]

5. hmm, but is he for the death penalty and unjust war???

Mad Max is right :eyes:

[progressivebydesign]

7. I guess all the heavy drinking and debauchery got to him...

.. nothing worse than an ex-philanderer. He's rather holier than thou for a skank. Oh.. but I guess if you find religion, it's a clean slate, right? Ethics? Gibson lecturing on ethics? That's rich!

[proud patriot]

8. Boooooooooooooo !

x(

[young_at_heart]

9. Why is Mel such a "great spokesperson"?

Is he an expert or scientist who knows all the research and facts. Wait until he has a loved one with a horrible disease that might be helped by this; maybe he'll change his mind!

[Kadie]

13. I wonder if it would.

Didn't Mel say in an interview a while back that he thought his wife would not go to heaven because she didn't believe the same way he did. Or something like that. His brain is in another place.

[Clyde39]

19. Some people have called him a wacko

One can sense that he lives in a "black and white" world. I don't know about his statement re his wife, but his father said that the Halocaust was exaggerated.

[AndyTiedye]

36. If Heaven is Really Full of Assholes Like Him...

...maybe I'll go to the other place and fix the air conditioning.

[JPace]

15. To get his point across we can expect a film by Mel

depicting a stem cell being beaten, whipped, pinned to a toothpick
and left out in the sweltering sun while it drips blood. Instead of
the stem cells saving us we will be compelled to save the cells.

[Free2BMe]

17. What an idiot ...

[robbedvoter]

20. "They don't know how to use the message" - a crazed Mel (South Park

version) screaming in the camera - I guess they'll dump it.

[doreme]

21. Surely the republicans

will tell this Hollywood movie star to sit down and shut up. After all that would be the fair and balanced thing to do.

[sphincter]

29. You beat me to that comment.

Wonder if Bill O'Reilly is going to attack Gibson now that he is one of them elitist Hollywood stars speaking out politically. Or how was it?

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Easy to say when you have a thousand healthy kids.

:eyes:

[geniph]

61. Bingo, MrsGrumpy,

it'd be interesting to see if Holy Mel's tune would change if one of his dozens of offspring was born with spina bifida or something.

[argyl]

24. Mel, you made your last buck off me with "We Were Soldiers."

[VegasWolf]

25. Gibson is such a wacko he thinks Opus Dei is far too conservative -

plain and simple, Gibson is a wacko. I've never senn
Passions of the Christ and never want to, although, I did
see Passions of the Tush!

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[mountainvue]

26. God complex.

eom

[AlbertoMo83]

28. This is why I never ever went to go see "The Passion"

Mel Gibson is a fucking crazy religious right-wing nut job!! :crazy:

[dethl]

30. Sadly, I went and saw it...

Just to see what the hype was all about (I'm Jewish...I was hearing reports that the movie had an anti-semitic tone (and it had a small one, or at least I thought so)). That was one of the worst movies I've ever seen, and I now refuse to see any other movies with Mel Gibson in it or directing it.

[Gregorian]

31. Hahaha. I'm hearing that 71 should be voted no, anyways.

Just got an email tonight stating that it isn't the proposition it's supposed to be. Sorry I don't have a link. I voted yes on it before hearing that it's not a well thought out prop. More of a taxpayer subsody of the biotech industry.

[VegasWolf]

32. Does anybody know if that wonderful movie F911 outearned that

sick fuck movie passions?

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[Lindacooks]

34. Gibson sure is an asshole, isn't he?

Shut the fuck up, you aussie prick.

How dare you tell those with life threatening diseases that that can't take advantage of medical research? What a jackass.

I'm even more glad I've never seen one of his movies. Never will, either.

[expatriate]

42. Originally Mel Gibson is from Poughkeepsie. He's not an Aussie n/t

[Lindacooks]

43. I don't care. I hate him.

[callous taoboy]

52. Go fuck yourself, Mel.

[jdj]

58. his Daddy took him there to avoid his boys getting drafted into 'nam.

but he learned nothing from that obviously

[PROGRESSIVE1]

35. And where were his "ethical" concerns when he made an....

Anti-Semetic Film???

Hypocrit!!!

:grr:

[Democat]

38. What do the latest poll numbers show for this proposition?

Does anyone have the latest polls for this proposition?

[Democat]

39. I found a couple of polls - the proposition looks like it should pass

An Oct. 21 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed the amendment winning by a margin of 50-39 percent with 11 percent undecided. An Oct. 10 Field Poll showed the amendment favored by a margin of 46-39 percent, with 15 percent undecided.

http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=19425

[George_S]

45. Part of the greater eugenics plan?

Anyone know?

[Carolab]

40. All Gibson is doing

is wrecking his career--what's left of it

[realcountrymusic]

41. Fuck Mel Gibson. I hope he

falls off a horse and breaks his spine and is paralyzed from the tongue down, inclusive, and someone has to change his diapers every day.

Then we'll see how good a Catholic he is.

RCM

[genius]

46. That LIAR: It's specifically excludes cloning

[JSJ]

47. 'mad mel' at it again

[truthisfreedom]

48. hey, mel, you're going to lose, but hell...

you'll look good doing it, huh? 8^)

[RedTail Wolf]

49. These Propositions are insane

As a member of another state I must say that the propositions or ballot initiatives states allow are democracy at it's worst. Most of these things are very controversial ideas that get thrown on a ballot and are voted on after the electorate becomes a bunch of hotheads on each side. This is not the way democracy should work in my opinion. Hot button issues decided by hotheads usually lead to the wrong decision. I think all propositions and initiatives that are allowed to be put on a ballot should be banned. If you want a law changed go through your legislature the way this republic is supposed to work. It will take longer to get these issues passed but there will be a longer debate and generally a more thoughtful debate. Just my opinion


RedTail Wolf

[elepet]

51. i am beginning to agree

After many years of this stuff, i was tempted to just vote NO on all of them. The original concept was to give "the people" a direct voice in the government, but somehow it got pretty mixed up.

[Skittles]

54. I saw him on TV - he is f***ing nuts

first they had Michael J. Fox on and although Mr. Fox was clearly suffering from that terrible disease he has, he STILL was far more eloquent and articulate than that nasty piece of garbage Gibson could ever HOPE to be.

[saigon68]

56. Gibson's career is over

He needs to come up with this stuff on his own--- maybe he will do a crucifixion of St Paul next?

[katinmn]

55. He is a sick-o!

His movie "Passion" shows he has no soul. It's unfortunate the hype machine got so many people to see it and make him richer.

I despise him.

[are_we_united_yet]

57. "had an ethical problem"

Mel:

1) Why not use the present tense (have)?
2) Why qualify problem? (i.e. leave the word ethical out)

[Supersedeas]

60. maybe Mel and Arnold should fight it out (Mel is obviously pandering)

buy my videos - I believe and my belief sells