Californians voted overwhelmingly to approve [Prop. 71][1]. Prop 71 was a $3 billion bond measure to fund stem cell research. Are they kidding me? California is fighting to get itself out of a huge deficit. I totally disagree with Gov. Schwartzenegger on this. I think he caved. It’s totally fiscally irresponsible.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against stem cell research per se. I’m against it being state funded. Medical research is not something that solely benefits a single state electorate. It benefits the entire nation and the entire world. If it should be funded by tax dollars it should funded by the federal government; or it should be funded by private monies. For my fellow Californians to mandate that I pay this, even though legal, is, in my opinion, irresponsible. I certainly doubt that potential profits from this research would come into the California coffers. I just don’t think California, as a state, should be in the business of funding research.
Has any other state done something similar in the past? Please, don’t bother with argument stating it’s the same as state universities doing similar research. That money is usually funded by the university budget, federal research grants or through donors. Not from state bond measures.
[1]: http://www.curesforcalifornia.com/