Why I Cannot Support Senator McCain's Presidential Bid

August 31, 2008

I'm writing to express the principal reason that I cannot support

Senator McCain and Governor Palin for the offices of

President and Vice President of the United States.

While I believe that Senator McCain is a basically decent man, I do

not believe that he understands the problems confronting Americans

with disabilties or other serious medical conditions.

On Senator McCain's campaign website he states very clearly "

McCain Believes The Key To Health Care Reform Is To Restore Control To

The Patients Themselves. " In reality, he opposes the Community Choice

Act which is based on the concept that the funding follows the

patient, thereby empowering the individual. He is asked this question

directly in this video:

I have come to understand how absolutely flawed the entire healthcare

industry in the United States has become. I believe that ineptitude,

greed and systemic corruption brought us to this state. America can

and must do better. This is not just a healthcare issue. For people

with disabilities, it is a matter of human rights.

The unarticulated public policy of impoverishing people with

disabilities, who might otherwise be a productive part of society,

must be abolished. Many people believe that the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA) levels the playing field. The ADA was flawed

from the start, borne of compromise and tried to impose a

one-size-fits-all solution for the tremendously diverse group of

people with disabilities. To make matters worse, since the ADA was

passed, judicial decisions have weakened it to the point of it

becoming irrelevant.

At the present time many potentially productive members of society are

being warehoused in nursing homes which are funded by Federal dollars,

little of which is spent on quality patient care. This can be changed

by the Community Choice Act. We are in an election year and have two

Presidential candidates who have come down on opposite sides of this

issue. Senator Barack Obama is for the Community Choice Act; Senator

McCain is against it.

I hope that you all will take this into consideration when you cast

your ballot.

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