Hawaii "In The News Class" - individuals with disabilites discuss campaign on forum!

[abilities!]

Aloha from Hawaii!

This thread is the first post from a profile created for discussion between individuals on this site and participants of an political education class called "In The News" - a group of individuals with developmental disabilities in Hawaii who are studying issues and engaging in dialogue in preparation for the coming election.

As facilitator of the class, I will post questions and answers directly from members of the class.

I hope this will provide a unique opportunity for members of this forum to engage in dialogue with people you might not otherwise talk politics with, and for individuals with disabilities to engage directly in political discussion with people from all around the world.

The only thing I would request is that people very strictly observe the rules already specified in the site's terms of service - especially with regard to profanity and personal attacks (there is no attack more personal than insulting a person's disability!).

Thanks much - I will begin our next class in just under an hour (10:15 Hawaii Time) and will post an introductory question or comment from the class sometome within an hour and a half of that time. In the meantime, feel free to say hello to the Hawaii Abilities In The News class, and we'll greet you shortly.

<<< Mod Edit: Due to circumstances involving this thread, the moderators are proclaiming a ZERO TOLERANCE policy here, regarding the Terms of Service. >>>

[abilities!]

Which candidate do you think supports disability ritghts, and why?

We think that disability rights means:

Affordable public transportation for people with disabilities.

Accessibility to publicly used facilities.

Equal employment oppotunities for people with disabilities.

We are interested in your views on these issues and which candidates you think best support them.

[abilities!]

Aloha again.

I wanted to let the forum know what I just informed ABoyNamedSue about: I'm the facilitator of the "In The News" group, and I also post here under the moniker "muel," though this isn't really a duplicate account, as the management here has been sufficiently understanding and open mided to allow an account that will serve as a medium for a group of 9 individuals with disabilities to interact online.

Every Friday from 10:15 to 11:45 we meet for class, and I use an LCD projector to display the Internet on a white Dry Erase board. We investigate news sites from the farthest left to the farthest right - and will hopefully have some good interaction here.

At first I'm getting class consensus and typing based on votes taken in class, but I will also from time to time bring messages from individuals in the class, and post them by their chosen screen names (they haven't chosen yet!).

On behalf of our service agency and participants, I'm very grateful to the administration of this site for putting the sticky on this thread and for allowing me to try this online experiment.

Mahalo,
Sam Powell

[rascleattop]

Originally Posted by abilities!

Which candidate do you think supports disability ritghts, and why?

We think that disability rights means:

Affordable public transportation for people with disabilities.

Accessibility to publicly used facilities.

Equal employment oppotunities for people with disabilities.

We are interested in your views on these issues and which candidates you think best support them.

Which candidate do you think supports disability rights, and why? I think they both support disability rights, though in different ways. For instance, McCain claims to be a staunch supporter of veterans with disabilities and proposes to offer them disability compensation benefits AND retirement benefits. Obama on the other hand appears to have a much more extensive plan pertaining to those who have disabilities in general, so he probably takes the cake for this question.

Hope everyone is doing well over there in Hawaii and I send my best wishes!

[Mazhi]

This is from a website that compares both candidates on all the most important issues. This is the link:

http://www.politicalcompare.org/disabilities.html

These are Obama's views:

Addressing Domestic And International Disabilities

STATEMENT: His comprehensive agenda to empower individuals with disabilities fits in with the campaign's overarching message of equalizing opportunities for all Americans. In addition to reclaiming America's global leadership on this issue by becoming a signatory to - and having the Senate ratify - the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the plan has four parts, designed to provide lifelong supports and resources to Americans with disabilities.

PLAN: The plan as follows: (i) Provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed. (ii) End discrimination and promote equal opportunity. (iii) Increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities. (iv) Support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities.

Support Americans With Disabilities

STATEMENT: He knows firsthand the importance of strong protections for minority communities in our society. He is committed to strengthening and better enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so that future generations of Americans with disabilities have equal rights and opportunities. He believes we must restore the original legislative intent of the ADA in the wake of court decisions that have restricted the interpretation of this landmark legislation. He is also committed to ensuring that disabled Americans receive Medicaid and Medicare benefits in a low-cost, effective and timely manner.

RECORD: Recognizing that many individuals with disabilities rely on Medicare, he worked with another Senator to urge the department of health and human services to provide clear and reliable information on the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to ensure that the Medicare recipients were protected from fraudulent claims by marketers and drug plan agents.

RECORD: He has been a strong supporter of more than one billion dollar in federal funding for autism research on the root causes and treatments, and he believes that we should increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to truly ensure that no child is left behind.

And these are McCain's:

The Honor To Serve The Cause Of Human Dignity

STATEMENT: There is no greater nobility than to sacrifice for a great cause and no cause greater than protection of human dignity. Decency, human compassion, self-sacrifice and the defense of innocent life are at the core of his value system and will be the guiding principles of his Presidency. He believes to sacrifice for a cause greater than yourself, and to sacrifice your life to the eminence of that cause, is the noblest activity of all.

STATEMENT: He is the son and grandson of military officers. He served as a Navy pilot, honored to live in the company of heroes as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and is a beloved husband and father. He has enjoyed the quiet blessings found in serving others.

RECORD: He has worked to increase Veterans Affairs resources for paralysis research, and spearheaded an effort to establish a Blind Rehabilitation Center in Tucson, Arizona to help the 1,200 vets on waiting lists for rehab services for the blind.

I agree with Rascle. Obama is definitely more envolved in disability issues. But that doesn't mean that McCain doesn't care about this, as can be seen here:

McCAIN ON DISABILITIES: McCain is pledging support for a proposal to expand protections for disabled people under an 18-year-old landmark civil rights law.

Speaking from Arizona by satellite to a disabilities forum in Columbus, Ohio, McCain said Saturday that revisions to the Americans With Disabilities Act must leave no doubt that it was intended to protect from any discrimination that's based on physical or mental disabilities.

The Supreme Court generally has exempted from the law's protection people with partial physical disabilities, as well as people with physical impairments that can be treated with medication or devices such as hearing aids. "We must clarify the definition of a disability to assure full protection for those the law is intended to serve," said McCain, who was spending the weekend at his nearby northern Arizona getaway.

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics...y/1155422.html

[abilities!]

Aloha!

Thank you very much for your input -your posts are exactly the type of dialogue the class is hoping for, and as soon as I have the opportunity to review them with some of our participants you'll receive direct responses individually from members of the class.

Mahalo,
Abilities (just the facilitator for now).

[abilities!]

Aloha all!

You are not forgoten. Last Friday was Admissions Day for the State of Hawaii and there was no class held that day. Consequently it's been a while since we've posted here. Clas meets again in about an hour and 15 minutes, and We'll review comments and post then.

Mahalo,
The facilitator dude.

[abilities!]

In the class, 2 think that McCain has the better disability policy, and 6 think that Obama does.

2 plan to vote for McCain, and 6 for Obama.

We are open to any reasons anyone has for why we should vote for the candidate you support.

One big local issue is whether the City of Honolulu should build rail transport from Waikiki to Kapolei. It is very controversial here. In this class, 1 is against, 1 is undecided, and 6 are for rail. (for the record, the one who opposes rail is an Obama supporter - the class is certainly not partisan!).

[Vincent Varquez]

Originally Posted by abilities!

Which candidate do you think supports disability ritghts, and why?

We think that disability rights means:

Affordable public transportation for people with disabilities.

Accessibility to publicly used facilities.

Equal employment oppotunities for people with disabilities.

We are interested in your views on these issues and which candidates you think best support them.

I believe that Governor Palin will bring up just the type of things you are asking here. With Palin being a mother of a child diagnosed with down syndrome it would most likely be one of her goals as Vice President to help those also diagnosed with disabilities. For the accessibility to publicly used facilities is already being addressed very much so with the incorporation of ramps in almost all stores and public places and even though this is a small step it is a step indeed and hopefully Palin will help these citizens with disabilities and make the United States an even better place to live.

[DuH2]

I really have nothing to say on this but I had a question for you and the class.

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How do they (and you) feel now knowing that McCains Vice Presidential pick has a newborn with Downs Syndrome?

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I would think that would have a large effect but I dunno... Why I ask.