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The following account of the amazing electronic political action that took place last week was written by Greg Wasson, who also authored the online petition to President Bush for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (see end of message). He asked that it be posted to the parkinsn list. Linda --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [log in to unmask] Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 23:05:25 EDT Subject: The New Health Advocacy: Mr Smith Goes to Washington.Gov A week ago last Friday nothing much happened. But it took the work of thousands responding within hours or minutes responding to an electronic calls to arms to make sure that it didn't. The following is the real story of the events of Thursday night last, through Monday, as related by those who were there and organized and implemented the strategy that saved the day for federal funding of stem cell research. Officials at PAN and CAMR tell the story, and also report that the New York Times piece of June 13 by Robert Pear is accurate in its analysis of the deep divisions within the Bush administration over the issue of stem cell funding. According to officials with PAN and CAMR, they received unimpeachable information a week ago Thursday night that the Bush administration was set to overturn the NIH guidelines which allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. These pro stem cell organizations immediately notified the Washington press corps that the guidelines would be overturned the next day. Reporters had been waiting for weeks for the outcome of the struggle over this important issue, and they swarmed over the White House and other administration officials for confirmation of the tip. The administration was so overwhelmed by press inquiries that when they learned the sources of the tip they sent a top emissary from HHS to look for them and deny the rumor. As it happened, the "sources" were at a bookstore attending a signing by Morton Kondracke of his new book, "Saving Millie." The administration emissary vehemently denied the rumor and requested a correction. The "sources" nodded their heads as if in agreement, but this was hardball Washington politics at its most disingenuous -- in other words, the officials had concluded that denial was false. They had already put in motion a strategy designed to stop President Bush at the very last minute. Using the power of the Internet rather than a snail mail action alert which could never have prevented the announcement, a request was sent to every pro stem cell citizen for whom they had an e-mail address, urgently requesting that calls and e-mails be sent immediately to the White House and other administration officials. By Friday morning a barrage of phone calls and e-mails denouncing the coming reversal of the stem cell guidelines was raining down upon the heads of White House officials. Soon the telephone mailboxes of everyone connected with the issue were filled. Before long, the Capitol Hill switchboard itself was shut down by an overload of calls. By afternoon administration officials as high as HHS Secretary Thompson were asking that PAN and CAMR call off the campaign, assuring them that there would be no announcement on Friday or in the near future. Although the switchboard was ultimately able to function, renewed calls for pressure on the administration went out over the weekend and a new round of phone calls and e-mails began. By midday Monday the previously scheduled luncheon arranged by Secretary Thompson with reporters from the Washington Post had turned into a stem cell question and answer period. Secretary Thompson chose the luncheon to announce that the administration was confident that he could reach compromise that would allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research -- a near complete reversal of the administration's previous position. Beginning with the Washington Post, a series of articles appeared in major newspapers across the country as the story developed throughout the rest of the week. The White House, in the person of Vice President Dick Cheney, sought to distance itself from Thompson's statement without directly contradicting it. As the New York Times article referred to above stated, there was and is a battle raging within the Bush administration over whether to prohibit federal funding for stem cell research. Cheney is said to be sympathetic to proponents of embryonic stem cell research, but he has refused to elaborate on his position. Other forces within the administration are pressing President Bush to maintain his opposition to such research. The struggle within the administration is acknowledged by administration officials to be a "passionate" one. Bush is said to be wooing Catholic voters to win a majority of that community in 2004. However, many of Bush's health advisers, led by Thompson, himself a Catholic who opposes abortion, have emphasized the potential value of research on embryonic stem cells. The National Institutes of Health have advised White House that such research may lead to cures for many debilitating diseases and injuries, including Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns, and spinal cord injuries. At the luncheon, Thompson expressed confidence that compromise can be reached within the next few weeks, and said he expected a decision by the end of June or early July. "I'm ready to make a decision if he asks me," he said. In the meantime, pro stem cell forces led by PAN and CAMR have vowed to continue to apply intense pressure on the administration to make it clear to President Bush that the vast majority of voters, including conservatives and fundamentalist Christian's, support such research. Officials at these two organizations have expressed their opinion that the success in preventing the announcement overturning the NIH guidelines was due to the immediate and forceful response of supporters of stem cell research who can now be reached in a matter of minutes through e-mail appeals and electronic action alerts. Said one official with both organizations, the days of using the postal system to arouse the citizenry are over. A new era in health care advocacy is here. The ordinary citizen can and will make his or her voice heard in Washington within minutes as they send their opinions through cyber-space. The internet gave the stem cell majority the opportunnity to make a decisive difference on an important public policy issue. They did just that. ---------------------------------------------------------- For more information see the following web sites: Coaltion for the advancement of medical research (CAMR) www.stemcellfunding.org Parkinson's Action Network www.parkinsonsaction.org Parkinson's Disease Foundation -- news www.pdf.org/news/index.cfm Online stem cell petition www.PetitionOnline.com/stmcll/petition.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn