■ 06 September 2008 | 7:56 AM
rightful place for Disability
Until Sarah Palin's acceptance speech Thursday night, America's largest minority has been almost completely ignored across the election cycle. The 50 million people with disabilities and their advocates have watched Democrats and Republicans alike tailoring and refining messages to a bewildering array of special interests, hoping to milk just one more vote for their ticket.
Women? Both parties have a slew of talking points. The same goes for minority groups, environmentalists and religious groups. The list is almost endless.
But nothing about disabilities. After decades of work to be included in every aspect of civic life, the disability community, by and large, has been completely invisible in the run-up to Nov. 4.
It's unlikely that either party has missed what's been discussed on disability blogs, where the mood swings between incredulousness and genuine anger.
Palin has singlehandedly changed all that. For her, disability is front and center. She refused to genetically discriminate against her unborn son, Trig, after the Down syndrome diagnosis surfaced. She refused to hide Trig from the public. In fact, she delights in showing him off just about every time she appears in public. Just like she does with her other four kids. A proud mom, through and through.
Palin did what every other politician in this election cycle did not have the courage or conviction to do: She put the country on notice that persons with disabilities would not be invisible.
Palin made it plain that the disability community had a rightful and equal place at the national table.
They would not be ignored. They would not be taken for granted. They would be seen for what they are: American citizens.
Mark Mostert
Virginia Beach
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Line items
If anyone is so inclined, someone on another list I am on analyzed the Alaska budget and noted that a lot of the money went into different line items from year to year (so it is easy to say that spec ed suffered, but harder to do the analysis that shows that there were more spec ed categories in later years, therefore more money was spread out differently). I have not done this myself, but it is, indeed, the only fair way to do it, before we make statements that the money dried up when it may not have. Cheers, MGM
I am lookng
Let's resolve this. Are you all stating that the mother of a a baby w/ Down Syndrome is in favor, and has in the past unfairly taken money that would assist them?
Ira, Alaska is gets so much money from the feds,
at a rate of 10 times the national average per capita ($506 to $50). Plus they get oil revenue checks from the state government for our oil. You'd think they could have squeezed a little of that unused, but still kept in Alaska, bridge money for education.
Mr. Bailey
I looked it up. How did Alaska's overall budget change within those three years?
Could it have been similiar to VA's this year and Mr. Kaines warning to cut services? Please be fair. Again, critique of all is needed but offering misleading numbers is disingenious.
Special Needs Cuts by Palin
For those of you who seem so enamored with Gov. Sarah Palin, it might be worth noting that she oversees the budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools in Alaska.
The following programs are included within this component:
Special Education Service Agency (SESA)
The Annual budget for 2007, which preceded Gov. Palin was $8,265,300.
The Annual budget for 2008, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
The Annual budget for 2009, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
This is a cut in special needs services to children in Alaska of 5,109,300, or 62%.
So, as the Alaska State Budget description states, "Without the supplementary services the child’s needs would not be met by the local school district in most cases."
Did 62% of all of the special needs children in Alaska stop having needs once Gov. Palin took office?
Yep she claims to support "special needs kids and parents" if she gets to Washington but like McCain, they don't back it up with real money.
I am glad that Palin provided some inspiration
regarding people with disabilities. Democrats have been trying to set a place at the table for the disabled for decades. Obama's plan for the disabled is readily available at: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/disabilities/
It is about time that the Republicans addressed this issue also. Many disabilities are just out of reach for marketplace solutions. They are too expensive, don't have a powerful constituency or, perhaps, there is not a "cure", but just long term care. Charities are nice, but hardly enough.