The stem cell initiative will have various effects on the Nov 2006 ballot, some of which will cancel each other out.

The pro-D effect on moderate and Republican women cited by Hotline is certainly a distinct possibility.

On the other hand, ballot measures usually affect turnout a lot more than they affect who votes for whom. An initiative like this is exactly what will bring out marginal non-voting evangelicals out in the sticks, and while they're voting, most will probably still vote Republican.

Democratic Gov. Bob Holden derailed the impact of the "definition of marriage" amendment in 2004 by using his prerogative (upheld by courts) to schedule the vote in the primary instead of the general election. If early GOP polling shows the issue having a negative impact on the election, expect Gov. Blunt to do the same (unless the law is different for a petition initiative than a constitutional amendment passed by the legislature).

It's funny but true-- those "evangelicals out in the sticks" actually think of Republicans as the lesser of evils. Kind of like how "tree-huggers in communes" think of Dems as the lesser of evils.

So, the Oracle has a point. A stem-cell ballot issue will likely bring out single-issue voters that normally don't vote, just as gay marriage did.

So then, the bigger question is whether bringing out more fundamentalists to the polls is worth the moderates gained. At the polls, I think it wouldn't be much gain, if not a loss. Think about it-- with gay marriage, those feeling strongly against the ban, progressives should have been at the polls. But instead, moderates were somewhat apathetic about the issue, and more single-issue opponents showed up.

But in fundraising (and that's what is truly driving this issue), we all know where moderates stand financially. And that's why we're talking stem cells.

In all of their wisdom the key result of Stem Cell passage will be more Missourians without health care. True, middle and high income people will get the most advanced care availiable, but regular missourians will see their medical benifits cut again. By letting the major hospitals dictate how they spend health care dollars, a medical industrial complex has been created. It will also fund an eminent domain land grab in the bio-corridor. This will force regular companies out of the area, and with it their industry job base. The jobs will be replaced with advance employment which none of our working class current residents will get. The City of St. Louis will transfer needed infastructure money into the high dollar medical expansion projects. We as citizens will lose. Our city will continue for decades to look like a burned out Iraq City across 35 square miles of North St. Louis, add to that the very much endangered New Ward 20 in South St. Louis.

Just a reminder, next November's ballot will also have the Charter change diminishing our right to recall Aldermen.
Don De Vivo

Don, no strong business in the CORTEX area has been sent packing. Many of our City's working class residents are indeed employed by our City's largest private employer, that "land-grabbing" medical complex. And it's this largest hospital in our region providing the most health care to those living or at the edge of poverty.

Nearly every Dem running wants to restore Medicaid cuts. But campaigning on Medicaid unfortunately doesn't register with middle-income voters. Stem cells offers a wedge issue to challenge the party in power that has been hurting all health care needs-- basic, reproductive, and research for cures.