Topics in the News: Disabled Rights
Ron Paul on Health Care
: Sep 17, 2007
Not government's role to protect people like Terri Schiavo
Q: My name is Bobby Schindler, and I'm with the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation. My beloved sister Terri Schiavo was starved & dehydrated to death, in the land of abundance. The world watched because she was disabled & unable to speak for herself.
Would you support legislation that would protect the cognitively disabled & vulnerable people from having their food & water taken away?- HUCKABEE:Yes.
- TANCREDO:Yes.
- COX:Yes.
- BROWNBACK: Yes.
- PAUL: No.
- HUNTER: Yes.
- KEYES:Yes.
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Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate
John Cox on Health Care
: Sep 17, 2007
Protect disabled and vulnerable people like Terri Schiavo
Q: My name is Bobby Schindler, and I'm with the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation. My beloved sister Terri Schiavo was starved & dehydrated to death, in the land of abundance. The world watched because she was disabled & unable to speak for herself.
Would you support legislation that would protect the cognitively disabled & vulnerable people from having their food & water taken away?- HUCKABEE:Yes.
- TANCREDO:Yes.
- COX:Yes.
- BROWNBACK: Yes.
- PAUL: No.
- HUNTER: Yes.
- KEYES:Yes.
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Source: [Xref Paul] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate
Barack Obama on Civil Rights
: Aug 26, 2007
Strengthen the Americans with Disabilities Act
Obama is committed to strengthening and better enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Obama 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. One of the most devastating aspects of Hurricane Katrina is that most of the stranded victims were society's most vulnerable members, including Americans with disabilities.
Too many states and cities do not have adequate plans in place to care for special-needs populations. Obama passed legislation to require states to properly plan the evacuation of special-needs individuals.
Obama understands that children with special needs require meaningful resources to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Obama is a strong supporter of increased funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
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Source: Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers"
Joe Biden on Jobs
: Aug 9, 2007
No job discrimination by sexual orientation
Q: Currently, there is no federal law protecting individuals from job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. As president, would you support and work for passage of a federal bill that would prohibit job discrimination
based on sexual orientation an gender identity?A: Senator Biden opposes employment discrimination of any kind--including race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. He has consistently supported the Employment Non Discrimination
Act to prohibit employment discrimination on basis of sexual orientation.
Q: Many gay & lesbian people serve in the federal government but do not receive the same health insurance and other employee benefits of married couples. Do you support domestic
partner coverage for gay and lesbian employees of the civilian federal workforce?
A: Senator Biden believes that federal employees in legally recognized, committed relationships should not be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate--written questionnaire
Bill Richardson on Education
: Jul 23, 2007
Scrap No Child Left Behind; it doesn't work
Q: You have had to implement No Child Left Behind in your state. Would you scrap it? Revise it?A: I would scrap it. It doesn't work. It is the law.
It is not just an unfunded mandate, but the one-size-fits-all doesn't work. It doesn't emphasize teacher training. It doesn't emphasize the disabled kids. English-learning kids don't get help.
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Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC
Bill Richardson on Health Care
: Mar 24, 2007
All Americans need same coverage as members of Congress
We, as Americans, are in crisis today. As a governor I have to deal with the health care crisis every day. So what would I do as a president? - All Americans and all businesses should have the same coverage as members of Congress.
- Americans
55 and older should be able to purchase coverage through Medicare. Today it's at 65.
- A trade: the federal government, Medicare, goes to treat seniors and the disabled in exchange for the state dealing and increasing Medicare coverage for children and
families.
- Veterans: We should give our military veterans the access they need anywhere they want, any time they want.
What about costs? I would have a cooperative plan between the employer, businesses, the state and the federal government.
I would propose a refundable tax credit for those Americans that need coverage based on income. I would clamp down on credit card companies that are covering excessive interest rate costs.
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Source: SEIU Democratic Health Care Forum in Las Vegas
Mike Gravel on Health Care
: Mar 24, 2007
Phase out Medicare and Medicaid over time
Q: What is your plan for providing preventative and diagnostic services for health care for our seniors, people with disabilities and all Americans?A: One of the facets of my plan would be to keep in place Medicare and Medicaid and phase them out over
time. Because plans to put everybody on Medicare aren't going to fly financially and just can't be met. We are in deep economic difficulty and in debt. So when you talk about the seniors, this is where you have these health regional boards where in that
region they'll be defining what goes into these various vouchers. And they'll change every year depending upon your personal history as you get older. We know it costs less for young people and it costs more for old people. That's just the nature of the
situation. So I don't have any magic to take care of the seniors. All I can say is I can set up a structure that will have checks and balances where they'll have a better say, they'll have a better say than they have today.
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Source: SEIU Democratic Health Care Forum in Las Vegas
Bill Richardson on Government Reform
: Nov 7, 2006
Instituted all-paper ballots for all N.M. elections
For our democracy to function, our elections must be fair, our officials must be held accountable, & our citizens must have faith in our government. In 2002, electronic voting machines lost thousands of votes. Untold numbers of New Mexican citizens were
disenfranchised by the click of a button. Concerned citizens, the disabled community, and the legislature teamed up with Gov. Richardson to move New Mexico to an all-paper ballot voting system. From now on, every New Mexican voter will put pen to paper.
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Source: Campaign website, billrichardson2006.com, "Issues"
John Edwards on Health Care
: Jun 2, 2005
America's seniors & children victimized by healthcare cuts
You tell me what it means when you ignore 45 million Americans today, who have no health care coverage. What kind of message does it send to 50 million Americans -- including 25 million children, 8 million disabled, 6 million seniors who depend on
Medicaid for their health care -- that we're going to cut Medicaid by $10 billion? What does it say about our country's values when we cut the help and support for those who are most needy and most vulnerable?
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Source: 2005 Take Back America Conference
John Edwards on Homeland Security
: Aug 10, 2004
Keep our promises to American veterans
There are countless veterans who fought our wars who are now fighting year after year for the benefits they earned. Bush refuses to fully fund veterans' health care. While boasting of cutting waitlists for VA health care, the Bush administration has done
so by excluding nearly 500,000 veterans from enrolling. Bush has strongly opposed granting our nation's veterans full disability and retirement pay. We will end the game of playing politics with funding for veterans health care by making it mandatory. We
will end the "disabled veterans tax," under which military retirees who receive both veteran's pensions and disability compensation must surrender a dollar from their military retirement pay for every dollar they get for military compensation. America
deserves a commander-in-chief who will fight for a constant standard of decency and respect for those who serve their country in our armed forces-on active duty and as veterans. It should be no other way and in our administration, it will be no other way
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Source: [Xref Kerry] Our Plan for America , p. 22
John Edwards on Health Care
: Jan 11, 2004
Cap on damages for personal injuries is discriminatory
Q: What do you think about the cap on damages for personal injuries? A: Bush is proposing about this and what happens in our courtrooms shows his philosophy about everything. He doesn't believe in democracy. He hates the idea that his friends and his
supporters are going to walk into a courtroom and be treated exactly the same way as a child or a family who have been the victims of fraud or abuse. The victim have been disabled for life, I mean, this could not be more discriminatory than it is.
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Source: Iowa Brown and Black Presidential Forum
Newt Gingrich on Health Care
: Sep 22, 2003
Tax credits for developing technology for disabilities
Medical advances are enabling people to live longer than previously possible with such conditions as spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, or Downs Syndrome. In addition, increasing numbers of people are now living into their eighties and beyond.
Beyond the ethical obligation of caring for our country's most vulnerable population, we must address the health of people with disabilities if we are to make any progress in controlling healthcare costs. A basic principle for a 21st Century System of
Health and Healthcare for people with disabilities is to keep these individuals independent for as long as possible.
We should be exploring tax credits and other financial incentives to encourage companies to develop the right technologies for people
with disabilities.
Now, people who can benefit from technologies are often prevented from acquiring them because they are expensive and insurance companies are reluctant to pay for them.
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Source: Saving Lives and Saving Money, by Newt Gingrich, p.196-197
Dennis Kucinich on Jobs
: Aug 1, 2003
Labor protections; not binding employer arbitration
In 2001, the US Supreme Court repealed 100 years of labor and civil rights protections and gave employers the right to require mandatory, binding arbitration as a condition of employment.
This repeal meant that anyone seeking a job in America could be required to sign away their civil rights, disability rights, sex discrimination protections, pension rights, and whistleblower rights.
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Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues"
Tommy Thompson on Health Care
: Feb 2, 2001
Vows to protect Medicare, add drug benefit
We will modernize Medicare so it is effective and financially sound for today’s seniors and for tomorrow’s. And, we must find a way to provide seniors and the disabled affordable access to prescription drugs. In the next few weeks,
we will craft a Patient’s Bill of Rights. We will aggressively act to provide access to affordable health insurance for the more than 43 million Americans who are uninsured.
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Source: Introductory speech to HHS Employees
Al Gore on Civil Rights
: Oct 30, 2000
Civil rights & Supreme Court are at stake in this election
“The Supreme Court is at risk here. Equal rights and women’s rights and civil rights and disability rights and the basic interpretation of our constitution for the next 30-40 years is very much on the ballot this fall.”
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Source: Katharine Q. Seelye, NY Times
Al Gore on Education
: Oct 3, 2000
$176B over 10 years for pre-school, special ed, & more
Gore’s education spending plan is $176 billion over ten years, including: - $50 billion for universal preschool.
- $20 billion for special education programs for the disabled.
- $12 billion to build new, smaller schools.
- $12 billion for
after-school programs and to lower drop-out rates.
- $8 billion to raise teacher salaries.
- $8 billion in bonuses to hire 1 million teachers.
- $8 billion in tax-free bonds for school construction.
- $1.8 billion to develop charter schools.
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Source: Boston Globe, p. A24
Al Gore on Health Care
: Sep 25, 2000
Stronger penalties for HMOs who drop seniors
“I won’t go along with plans that would force (seniors) into HMOs. The other side has called Medicare a ‘government HMO.’ We will no longer just accept the rising wave of HMOs dropping seniors and denying them coverage, all to enhance their bottom
line.’’ He proposed doubling the minimum requirement for HMOs contracting with the government to provide health care to the elderly and disabled in Medicare. He also would double the penalty for HMOs who drop patients.
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Source: AP Story, NY Times
Al Gore on Civil Rights
: Jul 25, 2000
Commitment to helping disabled reach their potential
Al Gore today announced new initiatives as part of his comprehensive agenda to expand independence and opportunity for people with disabilities. “I’m running for president to fight for the people -- all the people. There are millions of Americans who are
held back, not because they have a disability, but because that disability is misunderstood -- because they are not recognized for the abilities they have. That’s wrong, and together, we are going to change it.”
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Source: Press Release, “More Opportunities for the Disabled”
Al Gore on Civil Rights
: Jul 25, 2000
Invest in independent living & enforce disabled rights
Gore’s plan to provide more opportunities for the disabled includes:- Help Independent Living Centers (ILC) provide assistance to people with disabilities by increasing funding for these centers to $75 million per year.
- Increase the
availability of personal assistance by establishing the Fund for Independence to help develop home- and community-based support services.
- Invest in assistive technology in order to help people with disabilities Invest in independent living & enforce
find work, by increasing investments for new technologies to $70 million per year.
- Increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- Enforce
laws protecting people with disabilities by increasing funding for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights.
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Source: Press Release, “More Opportunities for the Disabled”
Al Gore on Crime
: Mar 1, 2000
Hate crimes are fundamentally different than other crimes
BRADLEY [to Gore]: There is an anti-hate crime bill pending before the Texas Legislature. It was a hate crime bill in the wake of the James Byrd murder and the Matthew Shepard murder and it said that there will be additional penalties for hate crimes
based on race, gender, sexual orientation and disability. And the governor of Texas let it be known he did not want to see that bill come forward. I told the governor’s press corps that if I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party and he’s the nominee of
the Republican Party, and he has failed to support this legislation, that I would make it an issue in the presidential campaign and I will. GORE: I think it will be an issue in the presidential campaign and it should be. I met two weeks ago with Judy
Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard. What suffering that family went through when that young man was crucified on a split-rail fence by bigots. Yes, we need hate crimes legislation. Those crimes are fundamentally different.
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Source: Democrat debate in Los Angeles
Al Gore on Civil Rights
: May 16, 1999
End discrimination based on mental illnesses
Gore has been a leader in [opposing] discrimination against people with disabilities in housing, schools, workplaces and public areas across the nation. [Gore has worked] to expand home- and community-based care, and to protect the crucial Medicaid
guarantee for people with disabilities. Through Tipper’s leadership, the administration took landmark steps to end discrimination based on mental illnesses. Gore [supports] increasing accessibility through sound transportation and infrastructure policies
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Source: www.AlGore2000.com/issues/disabled.html 5/16/99
Al Gore on Civil Rights
: May 16, 1999
Fund and enforce the Disabilities Act
As President, I promise to advocate for increased support and funding... for the Americans with Disabilities Act. We need not have such a high unemployment rate for our fellow citizens with disabilities. I will advocate for the Disability and
Civil Rights section of the Justice Department to increase enforcement of the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. No citizen needs to be denied access to every day activities.
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Source: http://www.disabledforgore.org 5/16/99
Hillary Clinton on Social Security
: Feb 17, 1999
Social Security protects families, not just retirees
Like many Americans, I got my Social Security card when I was a teenager and applied for my first job. Then, of course, I didn’t understand that my wallet-sized card represented a commitment that every American could grow old with dignity. I also didn’t
understand that Social Security is not just for the elderly-and not just for retirement. Nearly 1/3 of its beneficiaries are either disabled, widows, widowers or surviving dependents. Social Security is a family protection system.
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Source: “Talking It Over” column
Hillary Clinton on Families & Children
: Jan 6, 1999
Help “sandwiched” parents care for elderly plus kids
Millions of Americans take care of aged or disabled loved ones every day. Record numbers remain at home with family and friends, putting more and more working adults in the position of nurturing their children while, at the same time, nursing their aging
parents. We call this group the “sandwiched” generation.
There is no simple solution to the problem of caring for our aging and disabled loved ones. These initiatives offer a solid first step, and I am gratified by the support they
have received from diverse advocacy groups and members of both political parties.
The senior boom is one of the most important challenges our generation and our children will face in the coming century. It is up to us to prove that the infirmities of
age need not be the indignities of age. It is up to us to protect our children and grandchildren from the unsustainable burden of caring for us. It is up to us to do everything in our power now to lift the quality of life for every American family.
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Source: “Talking It Over” column