Don tells me that Mark Pera is the "real deal" re ESCR - Everybody needs to
help him  www.Pera08.com if we are to help ourselves, Ray

Mark Pera, George Bush, and the Price of Politics
by diverdonreed
Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 01:30:36 AM PDT
Ask any politician what they hate most about their job, and they will answer
in one word: fundraising.
So how do the good guys win?
Follow us behind the scenes, as progressive Democrat and stem cell supporter
Mark Pera struggles to raise the funds needed to defeat an anti-research
Bush-league "Democrat-in-name-only".
diverdonreed's diary :: ::

MARK PERA, ANNA ESHOO, STEM CELLS-- AND THE PRICE OF POLITICS
Two weeks ago, Gloria and I stood outside a lovely home in Atherton,
California. We knocked on the door, and waited.
We were ninety minutes early for a fundraiser for Mark Pera,
(www.Pera08.com) candidate for Congress, representing the Third district of
Illinois.
Why would a Californian care what happens in Illinois?
It's simple. Mark Pera supports embryonic stem cell research. His opponent,
Daniel Lipinski, the man in office, is a national obstacle to that great
endeavor.
Here's Mark Pera:
"Embryonic stem cell research offers millions of Americans the best hope for
a cure and treatment for many debilitating diseases. I believe that
ideologically-driven politicians should not deny patients and their families
the promise this research offers."
Also:  "...voters are unhappy with Congress. They want change. If you take
stem cell research, for example, the overwhelming majority of not just
Democrats in this district, but also Americans as a whole, want the federal
government to invest in embryonic stem cell research. Nearly everyone knows
someone who suffers from the intractable diseases that may be treated or
even cured by this new medical technology. Yet President Bush and
Congressman Dan Lipinski let their ideology trump the needs of the American
people and blocked legislation to develop this technology."-from an
interview with Aaron Krager, September 26, 2007.
His opponent, Dan Lipinski, the man in office now? This Bush-league
"Democrat-in-name-only" authored a bill to cripple the federal funding of
embryonic stem cell research. The misleadingly-named "Patients First Act",
is essentially a ban on embryonic stem cell research. Supported by the Bush
White House, the bill would stack the deck, prioritizing all NIH grants in
such a way it would be almost impossible for embryonic stem cell research
grants to ever be awarded.
Lipinski is way out of line with Illinois, which is strongly pro-stem cell.
How did he win election? He didn't. His father won the nomination, then
turned around and gave it to his son. (Astonishing, but true.)
What did Mark's father give him? A job in a steel mill, where Mark worked
his way through college.
Lipinski has an enormous advantage, because, as the incumbent, he gets free
publicity, including the "franking" privilege, being allowed to send letters
to constituents, as well as getting in the papers pretty much anytime.
As challenger, Mark Pera has a tough battle ahead. How is he funding his
campaign? Two ways: one, he and his wife Leslie Fenton Pera took out a loan
on their house.  Second, from fundraisers.
Whoever wins the Illinois Democratic Primary (February 5th) is assured
victory in that strongly Democratic district-so it all comes together on
February 5th.
The door opened. Movie-star beautiful Vega Gerber (she and  husband Steven
Gerber had sponsored the evening) welcomed us graciously.
"We're early," said Gloria, "Could we help?"
"That would be wonderful," said Mrs. Gerber, and in a couple moments Gloria
was making Bernaise sauce and I was folding little strips of transparent
bacon (I think) over pieces of cantelope, to make tiny snacks called
prosciutto. I liked it because there was no "ice-breaking" needed; we were
helping, and felt welcome.
I had wondered, would there be a lot of servants running around?
No, but the two strong Gerber sons carried around the food.
When more guests arrived, they ate some snacks, or stood around and talked.
Then Anna Eshoo entered the room.
Anna Eshoo is a progressive Democrat, Representative of the Palo Alto
district. Unfortunately nearly every vote Ms. Eshoo casts is canceled out by
Dan Lipinski's obstructionism.
But the instant I saw her, I felt like smiling, because I knew where she
stood.
She was a fighter for people, and a leader in the struggle to advance stem
cell research.
She was with us, early. When a republican Congress was trying to ban
advanced stem cell research, Anna Eshoo (D-CA) said: "As we stand on the
brink of finding the cures to diseases that have plagued so many millions of
Americans, unfortunately, the Congress today in my view is on the brink of
prohibiting this critical research."-August 20, 2001
She never wavered.
Here is her recent statement on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act,
passed by both Houses of Congress, only to be vetoed by President Bush.
Eshoo Statement on Enhancing Stem Cell Research
January 9, 2007
Washington, D.C. -- Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-California, made the following
statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of
H.Res. 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.
"I thank the speaker and I thank my colleagues, Congresswoman DeGette and
Congressman Castle for the outstanding work that they've done in bringing
this bill before the House.  I'm proud to support it and I think this is a
very important moment for the Congress.  Why?  Because this bill really
represents hope for the American people. I often say to my constituents that
I am in the business of hope.  To give hope to people with what I do in the
votes that I cast.  There is a reason why this bill is an overwhelmingly
bipartisan bill.  Because 72 percent of the American people support stem
cell research.
...  We all have constituents, we all have members of our families that have
diseases that have befallen them and injuries that have befallen them and
where they come to us and say, 'Please take action on this.'
Mark Pera is her cousin.
Mark said: "My cousin, Anna, a Democratic Congresswoman from California, and
our respective families share a very close bond. During the Armenian
Genocide, both Anna's grandmother and my own grandmother, Esther, escaped
their homeland together to America. Their journey lasted three long years."
As I listened to these two descendants of immigrants speak, I felt a swell
of pride in America, a country where regular folks can still bring positive
change-if we choose to.

If you would like to help Mark Pera, with time or a couple of bucks, here is
his website.
www.Pera08.com

Rayilyn Brown
Board Member AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation
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