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LAist was intrigued this morning to find out (via the Los Angeles Times) that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to back a $3 billion stem cell initiative which totally goes against the current administration's position on such scientific research.
Even more startling is the fact that both the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets have yet to pick up on the irony in Schwarzenegger's decision to take such a position -- that the real reason for going against his party on this issue and supporting research that could someday cure disease and indirectly encourage illegal cloning experiments, is that Arnold misses acting and wants to be an action star all over again.
Take his 2000 film The 6th Day in which Arnold fights to stop a maniacal scientist from using stem cells to create clones who will eventually take over the world. Arnold fights tooth and nail against a variety of clones, including one of himself in a slam-bang sci-fi/action adventure movie that, sadly, didn't do too well at the box office. But, Schwarzenegger, out of the action-adventure loop since being elected Governor of California, has finally found his loop hole to being Governor AND an action-adventure star all at once. For if stem cell research happens, and illegal cloning follows, Arnold will be well within his rights as Governor to kick some major ass and defeat the big-brained, hugely evil scientists that take part in such activities.
Really, there's no other reason for Arnold to go against his Republican constituents on this issue. Maybe his Democratic wife, Shriver had something to do with his change of heart -- but really, would a buff guy like this take orders from a woman with Democratic leanings?
Arnold is hoping to be the first Governor to create a hybrid action-star/governing official position, we're sure of it. Just watch as the irony continues. Up next for Schwarzenegger -- his backing of an initiative to legalize the use of prison inmates for reality TV shows (i.e. The Running Man) and his support of integrating undercover police officers into kindergarten classes in an attempt to hit crime where it starts -- during nap time.
