Organizing for America | Kareem Dale's Blog: Obama vs. McCain

Obama vs. McCain

By Kareem Dale, National Disability Vote Director, Obama for America - Oct 16th, 2008 at 11:09 am EDT

Also listed in: Americans with Disabilities for Obama

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Doug Rogers, Deputy Disability Vote Director for Obama for America, recently spoke at a Candidates’ Forum in Ohio on October 12-13. He filed this amazing report:

October 12: Athens, Ohio

I appeared at a Disability Forum in Athens, Ohio before around 30 individuals. McCain did not send a representative, but Donna M. Jones, National Coordinator, Americans with Disabilities for McCain Coalition, sent an e-mail to Margaret Demko, one of the organizers for the event, explaining why the McCain campaign did not send a representative. Her e-mail, which was read to the entire gathering and made public, stated, among other things:

"[T]he McCain Campaign does not have a vetted disability policy to release at this time. I also do not have any further information on when we might be releasing a platform discussing the Senator's stance on issues that relate to people with disabilities. I understand that in this contentious political season, the needs of people with disabilities must be addressed as part of the policy conversation. It is my hope that we will be able to release a vetted policy from Senator McCain in the near future. That being said, I will not be able to send a surrogate to discuss a policy Senator McCain has not approved."

This statement by the McCain campaign reflects one important reason I support Senator Obama. Over a year ago in 2007, Senator Obama released his comprehensive Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities. And, over a year later, Senator McCain still has not set forth any plan for Americans with disabilities. We are 23 days from electing the next President who will have a significant impact on Americans with disabilities in terms of health care, employment, education, independent living and many other important supports and services. I want a President who took the time to care enough and recognized the importance of setting forth detailed policies for our community of steps the federal government should take to empower Americans with disabilities. I do not want a President who 23 days before the election still has not released a plan for the disability community.

Their respective records are consistent with the Obama Plan and the McCain lack of plan. Senator Obama voted to extend the SCHIP program to provide health insurance to millions of currently uninsured children, many with disabilities, whereas Senator McCain voted against extending the SCHIP program. Senator Obama voted for full funding for IDEA, whereas Senator McCain has voted against full funding at least three times. Senator Obama is a co-sponsor of the Community Choice Act, whereas Senator McCain opposes the Community Choice Act.

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McCain also silent on special needs children | Report to Admin

By rocketboy76 Oct 16th 2008 at 1:30 pm EDT (Updated Oct 16th 2008 at 1:30 pm EDT)

I was also surprised to see the utter lack of policy statements by the McCain campaign about disabilities in my research for a blog post about special needs children:
Link
As a parent of a special needs child, I was moved to write about this after last night's debate. I didn't find your blog until after making my post, otherwise I would have quoted this incredible statement about their lack of interest in policies for the disabled. You would think that with all their talk of supporting special needs families, they might have written a policy statement about what they think should be done to help us. Doing this research made me even more proud to support Obama!

from a good friend and edited/ funding autism | Report to Admin

By Kristie from Rancho Cucamonga, CA Oct 16th 2008 at 7:47 pm EDT (Updated Oct 16th 2008 at 7:47 pm EDT)

What causes autism and Downs in the family?

1. Methylation defects

2. Iron problems (familial hereditary or non hereditary iron overload)/Zinc deficiency/Copper overload

3. Metallothionein deficiency, sulfation problems, b-12 disorders

4. Exposed to Mercury/other pollutants, if they eat fish from streams in Alaska..to be sure... (I would include in that pollutant list, FLUORIDE IN WATER, which causes IQ collapse, immune collapse, thyroid dysfunction, cancers (such in adolescent boys known to many) and autism and DOWNS in children.

5. Immune dysfunction/autoimmunity in the family

6. Family carriers of Lyme Disease/familial infection-if they are avid hunters, they are probably exposed to deer meat that is infected or are being infected while hunting. Possibly infections of mycoplasma, if any returned from Gulf War especially.

7. Problems with Cholesterol/Vit and Mineral deficiencies, especially low selenium, which Alaska is the hallmark for. Low selenium soils, high autism in state. Why? Low selenium people don't handle infections well.

8. Low Vit D, Aka Alaska, high level of mercury in soils (volcanoes), just like Oregon has one of the highest rates in the US...

9. Undiagnosed familial X linked mitochondrial problem, familial thyroid deficiency, familial gluten intolerances (these can be caused by polluting the body), the LARGE MSG industry, the LARGE High Fructose Corn Syrup industry, the LARGE GMO food industry. Aka, the sickeners/poisoners of Americans-mostly their children.

Don't send money to NIH and CDC send it to INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS. I conclude the transparency with CDC and NIH does not exist and never has and is a large money wasting operation. Tighten their powerful reigns, freeze their assets, not give them more. Ask them for their "research" by FOIA and see how many of their scientist are tied at the hip to pharma/health insurance and other industries-display their large conflicts of interests! Ask yourself, what disease have they cured or found the etiology of lately, answer? NONE. There is no profit if all are healthy?

Invariably these agencies are tied to the pharmaceutical/chemical/indust rial/food corporations/insurance industry (the gross national product industries) which wants no part in divulging that vaccines or other medicines, procedures (birth process), vector infections, or toxic buildup of modern day chemicals in foods, water, air, everyday material in homes, can cause autism. If, via vaccines, by toxic buildup of aluminum and mercury, MSG and the like, which causes microvascular strokes and inflammation (ongoing) in the brain, damages the Blood Brain Barrier which allows other toxins

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