Voting info ~ in their own words

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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.â€)

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

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