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Charlotte Mancuso wrote: > Hi, > > The segment with Joan Samuelson and Arlen Spector on 20/20 aired last > night at 10:00. I THINK IT WAS AWESOME!! Joan Samuelson was great, and > has done so much for furthering funding and awareness for PD! Yet, this > never would have happened if it weren't for MJFox, and that ties in with > one message of the segment: why are celebrities necessary to get national > and political attention; why isn't need driving prioritizing funding for > research. > > The other focus was on the unfair disparities in spending across the > disease groups. When they interviewed Sen. Spector, they really > challenged him pretty hard; he was obviously uncomfortable, he > stammered, and couldn't come up with answers for Stossel(sp?), the 20/20 > interviewer. In the end, Spector, who seemed to think he'd be given credit > for his support, started back peddling, once he realized, that instead, he > was taking the heat for embarrassing criticism of the funding process, and > so he placed the responsibility on the NIH. (If he or most any politician > can take the credit for something, then it's their responsibility and > power that prevailed; if there is embarrassing criticism and heat for it, > and there was last night, then it's not in his power or responsibility, > it's some other entity's.) > > I'm very glad the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, if not Spector > personally, had his "feet held to the fire," and about time too. At any > rate, this is my feeling and immediate impression of the show; it goes > without saying that you are welcome to disagree. > > Let's all remember how long Joan Samuelson and others have been fighting > this outrageous, frustrating political situation without MJFox, and what > they are once again enduring with this maddening political process!! Let's > give kudos! > > > HEAR HEAR, JOAN, YOU HIT > A HOME RUN!! > > Thank you > Joan, MJFox, > PAN, et al. > > > Note to locals on list: I taped it, and if some of you didn't see it, I > can try to show it here soon, or if someone can do it conveniently, please > come forward. (It's a hassle for me to reorganize my TV/VCR.) Let me > know right away; I feel it needs to be seen now, since we have to start > pushing on the House of Reps. and the Senate to pass an acceptable version > of the bill that funds the NIH. I'll be getting an action alert from PAN > Tues., and will send it out right away. Please make those calls, and make > this a priority for just a little while longer. Thanks, and once again, > sorry for the nagging. > > Regards, > > Charlotte > > ------------------------------------------------------ > -- Charlotte Mancuso *************************************************** For advocacy, medical, and other PD-related material, go to: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/CurePD-NorCal