Guest guest Posted November 3, 2008 Report Share Posted November 3, 2008 TODAY, 11/4/08, is indeed a Very Important Day. I had noticed that the major candidates have been tossing around the phrases " special needs " , " autism " and " disabilities " over the past several weeks. It's not surprising that candidates are finally paying attention, and perhaps pandering, to a voting segment inclusive of special needs, especially when you consider that Autism now afflicts 1 out of every 150 children here in the US, and more in some areas of the country. However I admit it’s heartening a bit to finally have heard all of the major candidates, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton, acknowledge the importance of confronting the needs of our special needs children, and adults. As a father of a 9yr old with Autism, and as a dad who’s been involved now in the special needs community for over seven years, and as a concerned citizen that has actively followed the electoral process and watched every debate over the past 20 months, I’d still been a bit confounded about who to trust in regards to making the decisions NOW that will impact my son's future well-being, in regards to education, housing, employment and confronting discrimination. Thus, I decided tonight to sit down and analyze where the McCain and Obama campaigns stand on the issues by evaluating their POSITIONS rather than relying on speeches and feel- good statements that are the essence of today's 'politics'. I've decided to share the information I've reviewed for anyone out there that might be confused on this issue, as this is of course the most important election in our lifetime it would seem, and the directions that the two parties would lead us seems to be diametrically opposed in most areas of policy-making. IN THEIR OWN WORDS The best source of information to find out about a candidate's position is arguably to go straight to the candidate and see what they have to say about it via their policy statements, press releases, public remarks and speeches. Regarding the McCain and Obama websites, I've found that the McCain website does not address disabilities in great detail but does state its support for greater funding for " autism research and treatment " . McCain’s VP pick Palin did deliver a recent policy statement on the topic however. Obama's website offers a detailed nine-page " Plan to Empower Americans With Disabilities " and has supplemental information as well. Here is a summary of the MCCAIN PLAN: McCain highlights his support / co-sponsorship of the Combating Autism Act (which funds autism research and education). He also calls for increased federal research into the causes of autism, in addition to detection and treatment. McCain co-sponsored the original Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and per remarks made in July at the National Forum on Disability Issues (in Ohio) he supports amendments to the ADA to make it easier for the disabled to access community care. However, McCain (at same forum) also discussed how spending on programs for people with disabilities would have to be cut / streamlined unless government could provide adequate funds to properly pay for the services. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: The red is my emphasis. Remember that as far as I know, the Government has NEVER fully funded the IDEA, so if this could not have been funded over the past several decades, our kids might be waiting a long time for programs to benefit them by this yardstick, just a thought.) MCCAIN’S PLAN (from www.johnmccain.com): http://www.johnmccain.com/ content/?guid=24dc9c37-e739-4aa3-8a88-ebae650a2f11 Remarks by Palin on McCain/Palin Commitment to Children with Special Needs (10/24/08): http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/ 3d5fc0cf-8229-490f-879b-91f6f4bb9eb2.htm Remarks by McCain to the Americans with Disabilities Conference (7/26/08): http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/ Read.aspx?guid=7a7d4e10-8907-4ff6-b4f2-8662b2d978a6 McCain Letter to Autism Society of America (7/9/08): http://www.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/ASA_-_McCain_Letter.pdf? docID=9641 Here is a summary of the OBAMA PLAN: Obama outlines a 4-part plan for helping those with disabilities. The first part of the plan focuses on providing the disabled greater access to educational opportunities. Obama supports fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and studying ways to improve transition to work programs. The second part of Obama's plan addresses discrimination against people with disabilities, and includes, among other proposals, support of legislation to overturn recent court cases limiting the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and increased funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Obama plan's third part seeks to increase the employment rate for people with disabilities. Obama sets the goal of 100,000 federal employees with disabilities, and calls for the creation of educational and incentive programs for employers who hire people with disabilities and a national Commission on People with Disabilities, Employment, and Social Security. The fourth and final part of the Obama plan supports independent community living for people with disabilities. Obama proposes enforcement of court decisions granting greater access to community living, and also supports an increase in funding for the Social Security Administration to process applications for benefits in a timely manner. OBAMA’S PLAN (from www.barackobama.com): http://www.barackobama.com/ issues/disabilities/ Obama's Full Plan: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ DisabilityPlanFactSheet.pdf Obama's Plan on Autism Spectrum Disorders: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/AutismSpectrumDisorders.pdf Citation dated 1/29/08 of Conference Call with Obama’s Disability Policy Committee: http://obama.3cdn.net/058b3f4cb01249c4fd_v6smvyni2.pdf Citation dated 7/17/08 on Funding Education for Children with Disabilities by Obama’s National Disability Vote Director: http:// my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/kareemdale/gGxPkG Obama Statement on 18th Anniversary of the ADA (7/26/08): http:// my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGxyMl Obama Campaign Hires New Disability Vote Director Kareem Dale (7/21/08): http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2008/07/obama- campaign.html Obama Letter to Autism Society of America / National Health Council (7/10/08): http://www.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/ASA_-_Obama_letter.pdf? docID=9642 Obama Statement on House Passage of ADA Restoration Act (7/2/08): http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2008/07/obama-statement.html Obama Statement in Support of World Autism Awareness Day (4/2/08): http://www.aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ ObamaAutism.html Obama Statement on the Community Choice Act (1/15/08): http:// www.aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ObamaStatement.html Obama Statement on Intl Day of Disabled Persons (12/4/07): http:// www.aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ DisabledPeopleStatement.html Obama Statement on 17th Anniversary of the ADA (7/26/07): http:// www.aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ SeventeenthAnniversary.html SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS The other way to gauge a Presidential Candidate’s view on supporting stakeholders like ourselves who are part of special needs families, is to take a look at how the Candidates answer questionnaires submitted to them by special interest groups, like the AAPD (American Association of People with Disabilities). McCain’s Response to AAPD Questionnaire: NO RESPONSE as of 11/3/08 see: http://aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/McCain2.html Obama’s Response to AAPD Questionnaire: http://www.aapddc.org/ AAPDRedesign/DVP/obama.html (NOTE: this is an extremely long and comprehensive response to questions raised by AAPD; I should also note that Obama was the very FIRST candidate of either party to respond to the questionnaire during the Primaries) Joe Biden’s Response to AAPD Questionnaire: http://aapddc.org/AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ Bidenondisabilities.html PRINT AND ONLINE MEDIA Here are some recent media articles about Special Needs & the Election; I tried to limit the articles to only those relevant from between summer and Election Day, and not surprisingly you’ll find that the majority of these articles feature Palin, due to her personal experience of having a newborn with Downs Syndrome. NYT “In Palin, Families of Disabled Children See a Potential White House Friend” (11/2/08): http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/us/ politics/03families.html?scp=2 & sq=palin%20special%20needs & st=cse BUFFALO NEWS OPINION “Voters Should Keep In Mind Policies on Disability” (10/30/08): http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/ 478448.html (NOTE: I found the following particularly interesting: “The nonpartisan group Disabled American Veterans monitors legislators’ voting records on issues relating to disabled veterans. Obama supported 80 percent of the legislative priorities of DAV, while McCain supported 20 percent. Biden and Obama each earned a “B” rating from the nonpartisan group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; McCain received a D.”) FOX NEWS “Palin Touts Plan For Special-Needs Children” (10/24/08): http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/24/candidates-unveil-new-plans- attacks-campaign-trail/ WASHINGTON POST “Palin Details Special Needs Policies” (10/24/08): http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/24/ palin_details_special_needs_po.html?hpid=topnews NYT “Palin Promises Choice for Disabled Students” (10/24/08): http:// www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/us/politics/25palin.html?sq=palin%20special %20needs & st=cse & adxnnl=1 & scp=8 & adxnnlx=1225775480-gI33x0z3xnEQ3OXcD7xuwg USA TODAY “Palin Raises Hope for Parents of Disabled Kids” (9/8/08): http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-09-08-3833286571_x.htm WSJ “Palin’s Pitch to Parents of Disabled Raises Some Doubts” (9/8/08): http://online.wsj.com/article/ SB122083992345509015.html?mod=googlenews_wsj NYT " Parents of Special-Needs Children Divided Over Palin's Promise to Help " (9/6/08): http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/us/politics/07needs.html? pagewanted=1 & _r=1 & sq=special-needs%20children & st=cse & scp=1 NEWSWEEK “Trig’s Promise” (9/5/08): http://www.newsweek.com/id/157341 LA TIMES “ Palin’s Newborn Puts Down Syndromes in Spotlight” (9/2/08): http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/ 2008/09/palins-son-with.html NYT “With Palin, Special Needs Get Spotlight” (9/2/08): http:// www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/nyregion/03about.html?scp=1 & sq=palin% 20special%20needs & st=cse MSNBC “McCain Backs Changes to Disabilities Law” (7/26/08): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25865260/ OTHER PARENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS If you’re wondering what OTHER parents of special needs kids think, take a look at some popular blogs by some of our most civically engaged community members: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/10/obama-team-on-d.html http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/10/mccain-senior-p.html#more http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A1RWDODLLOJU3T http://autismbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-this-parent-of-special- needs-child.html http://www.autismvox.com/mccain-palin-and-obama-biden-on-disability/ http://www.autismvox.com/john-mccain-and-barack-obama-on-autism-and- disability/ http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1258807/ Special_needs_and_the_election STILL NEED MORE INFORMATION? Other excellent resources include the following, which helped me gather the above research: American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD): http://www.aapd.com/ AAPD 2008 Presidential Election Action Center: http://aapddc.org/ AAPDRedesign/2008PresidentialElection/ 2008PresidentialElectionActionCenterhome.html Specialneedsanswers.com: http://www.specialneedsanswers.com/resources/ article.asp?id=5917 Based on the facts, I've decided to endorse Obama. No matter who you decide to vote for, remember to Exercise Your Right to Vote for Yourself and Your Loved Ones. Cheers, A. Shamsi shamsia@... = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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