Exceptional People, Exceptional Lifestyles  

After securing research on how the issues surrounding the disability community play into the legislative platforms of  the  upcoming presidential elections, it was clear to me who I needed to vote for. I am not necessarily politically-savvy, not have been particularly interested in election campaigning until this one. However, since this is one of the most important and telling elections of our time,  and since I am a disability advocate with a daughter with mental and physical challenges, I'm delving into the issues like never before.

I understand that a Republican principle is to keep government out of the lives of the people,  to ensure that people step up, and not rely on government financial assistance for too much, because it becomes a burden on the nation's budget. But does that mean that parents of those of special needs family members who can not fend for themselves financially,  be left out in the cold?  Does that mean that issues such as the Community Choice Act of 2007 shouldn't be supported? This proposed legislation would provide equal access and resources for community services for persons eligible for institutional care, but who choose to remain in their homes and communities. Isn't the whole idea to stop certain situations from being a drain and the fiscal budget and to pursue independence?  Well, how is funding institutions in which to place our family members who may have some level of physical and/or mental independence saving the government money, rather than allowing them to stay in their own homes and communities?  Could it possibly be because it is big business to build these institutions as it is  with building jails (a criminal institution) for black men, assuming they will end up there before they hit adulthood anyway?  Is it possible that wealthy Republican businessmen could benefit from such opportunities? Oh, by the way, the Community Choice Act is a proposed legislation for which Sen. McCain voted not to support and which Sen. Obama co-sponsored.

Families with children and/or adults with special needs would like nothing better than the government to stay out of our business, because I've witnessed some incidences where it is more of an intrusion and hurt more than helped. However, in most cases we don't come from wealthy families and need financial help.  Most of us with family members with special needs are hard-working "regular" people, who may not live in a small town, but who are willing to pull up our sleeves and do what's necessary to enhance the quality of life for our special needs children and ourselves. Yet, many of us can't work because there's not adequate and qualified day care for our children.  And what about healthcare, among the many issues in this area that need addressing, one is that many of us have our own health challenges which disabling and are living without insurance.  This is because the waiting period for Medicare coverage is a minimum of two years for persons who become disabled and qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance.  Oh, by the way, McCain had no position on this and Obama co-sponsored this initiative. 

And what about the issue of education?  Once our children become young adults like every other parent we want to see their education continue, because although they might learn a little slower, they are still learning. Well, McCain chose not to vote on the Higher Education Act (S.1642) to expand opportunities and assistance to individuals with disabilities on post secondary and higher education. Again, this is a proposal that was co-sponsored by Obama.

I could go on, but you get the picture. McCain has repeatedly stressed how under his leadership things are going to change, that he would upset the status quo and wouldn not do things the way Bush did them.  Also, I know what was said during her very eloquent speech in which one sentence was devoted to families with special needs, most of her speech was focused on bashing Sen. Obama.  As a result, I am even more dissuaded that the Republican party has my famiy's interest at heart.  I'm also not convinced that because the vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has a child with Downs Syndrome, that if they were to win not too much will change--as promised.  I was curious about how the candidates were going to handle and show support of the disability community, and although I was leaning his way anyway, I'm definitely an Obama supporter now.