California's Proposition 71 on the Nov. 2 ballot would create a $3 billion California Institute for Regenerative Medicine based on stem cell research. Supporters have raised about $15 million, aired thousands of television ads, and garnered media attention across the United States. But ask a Californian about the local buzz on the ballot initiative and the likely answer will be, "I haven't heard anyone talking about it."
Karen Grant, who works at the Good Ol' Boys Saloon & Sports Bar, just down the road from Disneyland in Anaheim, says the only initiative that's a "big deal" for her customers is one to expand casino gambling. "I haven't heard anybody mention it," Grant says of the stem cell research initiative. When asked whether any customers would like to share their thoughts, Grant calls out in the bar: "Anybody here have an opinion about the stem cell initiative?" The response: "Nope."
There ...
