ACTION ALERT: Help Support The National Presidential Forum on Disability Issues

[Guest guest]

*The presidential campaigns have not yet committed to their candidates'

attendance at the National Forum on Disability

Issues<http://www.aapd.com/News/election/080423aapd.htm>,

scheduled to take place in Columbus, Ohio, on July 26, 2008.** Sending

e-mails or otherwise contacting the campaigns will help to show that there

is substantial community interest in this event. The following grassroots

alert, distributed by the American Association of People with Disabilities,

provides contact information. Please write to the campaigns and urge the

candidates to participate in the forum in person.*

**

*The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and The Autism Acceptance Project are

co-sponsors of this event.* Click

here<http://www.aapd.com/News/election/080423aapd.htm>for a complete

list of co-sponsors

*~~~~~~~~~~GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT~~~~~~~~~~*

People with disabilities are 50 million + strong in America, 37 million of

whom are voting age. Add to that figure our families, friends, caregivers,

and advocates, and we're a force to be reckoned with.

On July 26, 2008, in Columbus, Ohio, the disability community wants to hear

from the presidential candidates - Do they have specific policy objectives

for Americans with disabilities? How will their existing policy platforms

affect us? How will they include us in the new administration, if elected?

You can make sure that happens. Ask the candidates to participate in our

forum. Let them feel the power of the disability vote!

*WHEN:* Start today! The forum isn't until July 26, and we need daily,

every-day pressure on the campaigns all the way until the event.

*WHAT TO DO:*

*1. Call, fax, email the campaigns.*

Help us to create some friendly pressure on the McCain and Obama campaigns

by calling, emailing, and faxing the campaign offices, urging the candidates

to participate in person at The National Forum on Disability Issues on July

26, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio.

*Sen. Barack Obama*

Obama for America

P.O. Box 8102

Chicago, IL 60680

Call:

Fax:

Email: Alyssa Mastromonaco, amastro@... (Chief Scheduler);

Higginbottom, hhigginbottom@... (Policy Director);

Plouffe, dplouffe@... (Campaign Manager)

*Sen. McCain*

McCain 2008

P.O. Box 16118

Arlington, VA 22215

Call:

Faxes: ,

Email: Steve Schmidt, sschmidt@... (day-to-day operations); Carla

Eudy, ceudy@... (National Scheduler); Doug Holtz-Eakin,

dholtz-eakin@... (Deputy Policy Director); Donna ,

djones@...<mhtml:%7BF40DD801-F308-4508-A677-01FF054BD4E9%7Dmid://0000\

0145/%21x-usc:mailto:djonesmccain08hq>(National

Coordinator, Americans with Disabilities for McCain Coalition)

*2. Show up with signs at their events.*

We know the campaigns are likely to make stop-offs in or near where you

live. If they do, go out to the rallies they hold and hold up a sign that

says, " SEE YOU IN COLUMBUS, OHIO ON JULY 26! " Decorate the signs however you

like, or print and paste a copy of the " Feel the Power of the Disability

Vote " logo. We want the candidates and their staff to see these signs

EVERYWHERE they go!

--

Ari Ne'eman

President

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network

1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212

Washington, DC 20005

http://www.autisticadvocacy.org