Professional Lobbyists vs Grassroots

[Faye]

Regarding The BEAUTIFUL segment on Boston tv by Chaz and Bob:

Really GREAT piece. Very well put together by the reporters.
Thanks Chaz and Bob for your terrific contributions!

As you know this part still bothers me, as I think it is outdated logic which is held onto by the so-called professional lobbyists who might have been making some deals with legislators to intentionally downplay the importance of Embryonic Stem Cell Research for the benefit of conservative's agenda.

Reporter's voice on the tv segment:
"While Christopher Reeve's name may bring the bill attention, it may also be what is keeping it from being passed.
Reeve's support of Stem Cell Research has made this bill unpopular among some conservative lawmakers.
..........message to lawmakers is that the CRPA does not include language about stem cells."

The reason it's outdated logic is that the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act itself is NOT STUCK IN COMMITTEE.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act is much further along than the CRPA,...............how in the world can that be explained....... if supposedly the Stem Cell Research issue is holding up the CRPA..........?!?

Apparently the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and thus stem cells are much more popular than the CRPA.

In a true grassroots fashion we can finally put these bills side by side like Christopher Reeve intended.
That time has finally come,.......because there is no more logic in making out that stem cells are holding up the CRPA.

With the kind of visibility that people in wheelchairs have ( and I'm so glad that will be accomplished again this year ), I hope we are not spreading the massage that Stem Cell Research is not important to us,..............or so much less important that we will postpone talking with our legislators about it for an undefined long period of time.................until AFTER the CRPA is passed.

It will be another year before people will have the money to be in Washington again.

Thanks for your answer Bostondad:

Faye,
I don't see this as a popularity contest. Your right SCREA is not stuck in committee but the CRPA is. Why is that? It is believed that one Senator held it up. Why? Why would someone point their finger at the paralysized community and say no! Not on my watch!

SCREA is critically important to millions upon millions of people including SCI but CRPA is directly for the much smaller population of the paralyzied community.

Are supporters of SCREA lined up behind the CRPA and voicing their full support?

[Faye]

Originally Posted by bostondad

Are supporters of SCREA lined up behind the CRPA and voicing their full support?

Yes they are:

The people who are visiting from FL are all die-hard Stem Cell Research Actvists. I too have given the CRPA my full support. Spent over $1,000 for travel, stay and t-shirts etc, last year.

One of this year's FL travelers is even the director of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research.

For many the two bills CRPA and Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act stand side by side.

It is ONLY on CC that such a concerted attempt is made NOT to speak up on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, in effect excluding it from your conversations with legislators..... yet Stem Cell Research Activists who are SCI would never exclude the CRPA in their talk with legislators.

Those who really support the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and are very vocal and active about it ALSO support CRPA.

[Faye]

Originally Posted by bostondad

Your right SCREA is not stuck in committee but the CRPA is. Why is that? It is believed that one Senator held it up. Why? Why would someone point their finger at the paralysized community and say no! Not on my watch!

Yes, it is true that at the time this happened in 2004, it was believed one senator connected the CRPA to Christopher Reeve's advocacy for Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

Christopher Reeve however cannot be blamed for the subsequent success of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act which likely also passed through the same HELP committee. So apparently that same senator did not hold up the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and thus has no reason to stand in the way of the CRPA ANYMORE.

[bostondad]

Quote:
Originally Posted by bostondad
Are supporters of SCREA lined up behind the CRPA and voicing their full support?

Faye,
Has CAMR formally thrown their full support behind the CRPA?
Are they lobbying for its passage?

[howboutdis]

It is really sad that Professional Lobbyists have split the sci cure community. It shouldn't be with or without esc or asc. It really is sad and it shows why grassroots advocacy was needed.

Originally Posted by bostondad

Quote:
Originally Posted by bostondad
Are supporters of SCREA lined up behind the CRPA and voicing their full support?

Faye,
Has CAMR formally thrown their full support behind the CRPA?
Are they lobbying for its passage?

[bostondad]

Opps,
keep forgetting to put that hyjacking software when ever I post.

My Oh My will I ever learn.

Well, got to go pack! I have symposiums to go to, researcher to talk with, politicians to meet, and real work to do to help in ending the curse of paralysis.
Can I afford to do this? No!
Can I afford to not do this. Absolutely not!

Some people have plenty of time to pontificate and to try to drive a wedge in our community. I for one no longer respond to these individuals. I refuse to go to that level.

For those going to DC I look foward to seeing you there.
For those who can't but who's hearts are there please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Faye]

Originally Posted by bostondad

Originally Posted by bostondad
Are supporters of SCREA lined up behind the CRPA and voicing their full support?

Here is another fervent Stem Cell Research supporter flying all the way from California to come and support the CRPA and the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act side by side:

We will be talking about the Christopher Reeve Act, which has languished far too long in the wings of Congress, and the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, of which exactly the same is true. (Do you realize it has been almost exactly one year since the latter passed the House of Representatives? One year, waiting, one year—time the Senate acted—no more promises, we want action!)

We will visit Senators and Representatives.

Don Reed,www.stemcellbattles.com

Chuck, so why won't you do the same and support the CRPA and the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act side by side?

As Don Reed has said, both bills have languished far too long!

[bostondad]

Originally Posted by Faye

Chuck, so why won't you do the same and support the CRPA and the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act side by side?

Faye,
Never said I wouldn't. You know where I and my Seantors stand on this issue. You know where the State of Massachusetts stands on this issue.

I am glad that Tricia Brooks and Kris Gluden coaxed Don Reed to come to the rally. We are a little group looking for attention. We need all of the fire power we can get behind us.

In my opinion the energy on this site should not be at dividing this community as one person constantly works at but bring the community together by solicitng support for all of our causes. We need big names and big organizations supporting us. We the CC community can not stand alone in this battle. I am thrilled that Don Reed will be there showing his support. We need more Don Reeds and the organizations behind them. This is where we need to put our efforts in the future.

[Faye]

Originally Posted by bostondad

Faye,

In my opinion the energy on this site should not be at dividing this community as one person constantly works at but bring the community together by solicitng support for all of our causes. We need big names and big organizations supporting us. We the CC community can not stand alone in this battle. I am thrilled that Don Reed will be there showing his support. We need more Don Reeds and the organizations behind them. This is where we need to put our efforts in the future.

VERY TRUE.

As you know there would not be any division if we did support all our causes, rather than select just one to speak on at the rally. The division really occured when the CRPA was selected seemingly at the expense of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

I am glad the CRF will be focusing on BOTH, and so will others outside the CC community who are attending.

Though that one person may not express himself to your liking, he does embody "support for all our causes" as you put it.

[betheny]

Who decided that agenda, rally for the CRPA? I wonder why....