Getting Ahead of the Curve: Let's Make Ukrainian Orphans A Priority in Senate Aid Package

I have learned that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is working on an aid package for Ukraine. I went looking for some information about it on the committee's website and found nothing. Nonetheless, I trust my sources and see this as an opportunity for us to get ahead of the curve. I am sure that Ukraine could use aid for many things. But there's one thing I know from my friend, Eric Rosenthal, Executive Director of Disability Rights International (www.DRIadvocacy.org). There are 200,000 orphans in the Ukraine. They are not in communities. They are not in foster homes. They are in institutions and sometimes these institutions are in unsafe areas. Guess what can happen to these children when they reach 18? They can become trafficking victims, and if they are disabled, they can be placed in another institution for adults. A horrible future for these kids, wouldn't you say?

Believe it or not, the hits on this blog are reaching 20,000. Amazing. Equally amazing is the fact that I have some viewers from Ukraine and Russia, approximating 30 hits a week. My friend Eric and his colleagues have developed a proposal, recommending $19 million in aid to help Ukraine prepare for and integrate orphans, especially those with disabilities, into safe communities. Just think what that would mean to and for those dear, young people.

I am very optimistic about the chances of the proposal making it into the Senate Ukraine aid package. Both Republicans and Democrats endorse U.S. aid for Ukraine, so the proposal should receive bipartisan support. But, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, especially Senator Corker (TN, 202.224.4651, corker@senate. gov), the Chairman, and Senator Cardin (MD, 202.224.4524, cardin@senate.gov), the ranking Democrat on the committee, need  to hear from us about our support for the proposal.

If the text of the proposal makes it into the aid package, then it will be a slam dunk at the committee mark up. Please weigh in and let committee members know of your support. Here's a list of other committee members. If you are from one of their states be assured they will consider your recommendation. And, if many of us contact these Senators, they will heed our advice.

Republicans
Risch (Idaho)
Rubio (FL)
Johnson (WI)
Flake (AZ)
Gardner (CO)
Perdue (GA)
Isakson (GA)
Paul (KY)
Barrasso (WY)

Democrats
Boxer (CA)
Menendez (NJ)
Shaheen (NH)
Coons (DE)
Udall (NM)
Murphy (CN)
Kaine (VA)
Markey (MA)

Opportunities like this do not come along every day. Think about the children, then act.

Thank you.
Common Grounder

Now Is the Time to Shape the Policies of the Next President that will Affect People with Disabilities and Their Families

There are many people out there who are tired of the campaigning for president, want to wait until the dust settles, and we are down to two viable candidates. I understand that. However, the policies of candidates are being shaped right now. As particular candidates become more confident, they will speak about and refine their policies that have traction -- first among their supporters, among independents, and among the general electorate. They are not going to wait till those, who are not engaged, tune in. If each of us does not weigh in with candidates of our choice now, issues we care about may not show up as policy papers on candidates' websites, and worse, policies that are counter to what we want, will. Right now the cement is being mixed, to use a graphic analogy, your hand print won't take, once the concrete hardens.

Read my last post. Tweet your preferred candidate(s). Let them know you care. Let them know about things you know about that work. Let them know about things that need to be fixed, such as the employment rate, access to appropriate health care, effective transition options from school to adult life, safety, affordable housing, and other things related to achieving the American dream. LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION. Democracy is a messing business, but it won't be or become what we want it to be if we wait till the last minute to become engaged. Disability rights, equal opportunity and much more are at stake.

Thank you..

One way to connect with presidential candidates now

I have it on good authority that most campaigns are now working on their disability platform – what they're going to say and do about how to help Americans with with disabilities to achieve the American dream. A quick way to have a direct impact on these platforms is to tweet candidates of your choice with a link to a successful initiative or program that you know about. It could be in the area of employment, healthcare, education, housing, transportation, exercise and nutrition, prison reform, police training, assistive technology, internships or anything else you know about. It doesn't matter what the topic is. The important thing is to contact campaigns and educate them about what is working. And, if they get elected, there is a high likelihood we will see this great idea promoted by the new president. Just think, if you sent your favorite candidate(s) a link a day to a great idea, they would have 15 great ideas to put in their platform and share with us BEFORE the Iowa caucuses on February 1.

To save you time, here are the Twitter account names for current candidates:

Bush. @JebBush
Carson. @RealBenCarson
Christie.  @ChrisChristie
Clinton.  @HillaryClinton
Cruz.  @TedCruz
Fiorina.  @CarlyFiorina
Huckabee.  @GovMikeHuckabee
Kasich.  @JohnKasich
O'Malley @MartinOMalley
Paul.  @RandPaul
Rubio.  @marcorubio
Sanders.  @BernieSanders
Santorum. @RickSantorum
Trump.  @realDonaldTrump

So let's get tweeting, shall we?

Thank you.
Common Grounder

Accessibility at Iowa Caucuses: A Time-Sensitive Matter

Iowa and 14 other states use caucuses to nominate people it recommends to the rest of the nation as presidential candidates. My only exposure to how caucuses operate was the last episode of A Good Wife. It seems like a wild and wooly process, with a lot of back-and-forth, and a mix of rules, some of which may not be followed. As I understand it, any place, including a private home, can be designated as a caucus site in Iowa.

This approach may present people with disabilities, who want to be caucus goers, with real challenges -- can they get in, can they know what is going on and how things work, can they participate and be heard, can they use the watercloset and get a drink of water? In other words, does their desire to be part of a caucus matter?

I suspect the state political parties, and not the state election commission, have control over what locations are designated as caucus sites. Was any effort made to pick accessible sites and to develop disability-sensitive procedures? If so, were methods developed to let the public know about them? If people in a particular area are required to use a specific caucus site, if not accessible, does a caucus goer with a disability have other options -- an alternative site, joining the caucus by phone, Skype, FaceTime, or some other means?

Caucus night is February 1, so the state parties and the campaigns have a limited time to fix things if they are not right. The Democrat race has tightened up and the Republican race has a large field of candidates. So everyone has a vested interest in getting their supporters to the caucuses. The outcome of the caucuses affect the momentum of the contest going forward.

Raise the questions here with appropriate people in Iowa. Make sure any caucus goer with a disability gets to participate fully.

Thank you.
Common Grounder

Hillary Clinton’s Policy Paper on Autism Is FINALLY Bringing Disability Issues Up a Notch in the Presidential Campaign

There are seven presidential debates left on the Republican side and two on the Democrat side. We need to use them to our advantage.

I am disappointed that disability-related issues have not received much attention by candidates and media during this presidential campaign cycle. Perhaps this is about to change. My hat’s off to Hillary Clinton for unveiling a plan to help people with autism and their families (http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/10/opinions/perry-autism-hillary-clinton-plan/index.html). Her website (http://www.hilaryclinton.com) gives details about four initiatives related to – a screening program for the poor, health insurance coverage, employment opportunities, and an adult prevalence study.

From early on, on his website (http://www.jeb2016.com) and in interactions on the campaign trail Jeb Bush addresses his connection to a family with a child with a developmental disability and how that helped him improve and expand services in Florida when he was governor. He plans to use this experience to help him shape what he does for people with disabilities when he becomes president.

Chris Christy comments briefly on the need to reform disability insurance programs on his website (http://www.chrischristie.com). One of my sources indicates that John Kasich (http://www.johnkasich.com) is working on a plan to lessen the disincentives to employment in the Social Security programs. Ben Carson and Ted Cruz have made statements that they know people with disabilities want to work. And, Trump has said that he will work on a plan to help people with autism get jobs and they will like it.

Underlying these several examples are two stone-cold implications – (1) people who represent and advocate for people with autism have been working harder than the rest of us and (2) tackling employment challenges and solutions related to people with disabilities may be the best way to beginning engaging candidates. I think candidates are generally more comfortable with that topic and may be receptive to our ideas.

The next Republican debate is tomorrow night on the Fox Business Network. Its focus is the economy. The moderators are Neil Cavuto (@neilcavuto) and Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiroma). Why not tweet them this question to ask candidates – What would you do specifically to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities? Who knows, it might be asked!

Thank you.

Common Grounder

What do we want?

I'm not a cynic. I take public figures seriously, including the words they utter. The people attracted to Donald Trump are charged up, their numbers are growing, and they seem to endorse his exclusionary approach to and negative characterization of segments of humanity -- immigrants from the south of the U.S., a war hero (John McCain) who spent time in a prison of our enemy during the Vietnam war, a reporter with a disability (Serge Kovaleski), and all foreign Muslims. Every time he adds a person or group to those who should be excluded, ridiculed, or dismissed he gets free media attention. His latest pronouncement – excluding anyone who is a Muslim from the U.S. -- was no exception. Thank heaven this pronouncement has been summarily denounced by many people within and outside of the Republican Party. I hope these denouncements begin to wither Trump's poll numbers.

The U.S. became a great nation because it welcomed people from across the globe. The U.S. remains a great nation because it respects individual freedom and free speech. The U.S. Constitution, if put up against Donald Trump's rhetoric, should cause his supporters to hit the pause button and look at alternative presidential candidates.

The only way that Donald Trump would succeed, if elected president, would be if he declared a dictatorship. Principles on which this country was founded and the laws which govern us would not permit him to do things that he says he would do if elected president. I think it is time that we, including the media, shift our attention away from Donald Trump, to people with government-related executive experience and sound judgement. Donald Trump has generated two things -- great enthusiasm among his supporters and shock and horror from the rest of us. Yes, we have been entertained. Yes, we have been amazed. But now it is time to get serious and make the choice for whom we are going to work. Now is the time to decide who we want as our next president. Yes, a president, elected by the people and guided by our Constitution and laws, not a celebrity who would be very comfortable transforming the U.S. into a dictatorship -- a reality show replicating the rawness of the Apprentice. We don't want that, do we?

Thank you.
Common Grounder

Some things just don't make sense

I am traveling today, but wanted to share with everyone immediately, especially people who use customized wheelchairs. A recent change in regulations by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will really impact on the cost of such chairs.  Please see the details below.They were forwarded to me by Paul Galonsky of RESNA.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Common Grounder



Message November 25, 2015

Late Monday, CMS published the 2016 Medicare fee schedule. As feared, the new payment rates include major reductions (as high as 30% to 40% or more) to complex rehab wheelchair accessories.

These cuts are being implemented by CMS in violation of prior Congressional legislation. They will dramatically reduce or outright eliminate access for people with disabilities who rely on individually configured complex rehab wheelchairs and critical components such as seating equipment, positioning systems, and specialty controls.

There is one last chance to stop this and protect access. We need to use the next 7 to 10 days to get Congress to add our complex rehab wheelchair accessory legislation, HR-3229/S-2196, to a larger bill and pass it before they adjourn in mid-December.

We have had discussions with our Congressional champions. The good news is they remain committed to working to getting our bill passed. But they can't do it alone. They have indicated that constituents must generate more support by connecting with their own representatives and telling them this is a priority.

Now is the time to contact or re-contact your Members via phone. The message is simple: "I need you to attach HR-3229/S-2196 to larger legislation and pass it before you adjourn in December".

Please go to www.protectmymobility.org<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001z9a6z-R30Tfcg44gwu6AdAFN4Lh-OME0oEMPey-WjyvxkAwGIRarFXCuigy4ypGsh5aVz_5--U6t3HCRDC99W-IQAyjERy81couVxsUFGXWCb4n3tFVbFI4nnsAEVcyuOIMqchsDNa1n3lYbFv43bQ9a_qXKknYGvPY9vwEPJRsCmDVMghV4Yw==&c=zwIp8hOBzE0kT4_o9LSpMi-oylpyOeQgSz339lx0F_A4eP7yyQHq-g==&ch=Dhcu1WMlbHCNvUhsQMll89iQSgClxednS48j_-tceH6tF-tFY1s-mA==> and use the links to make your contacts. Be persistent until you get a commitment and let us know if you need any assistance.

We can make this happen if enough people make the time to contact Congress. We will be providing further updates as we move ahead. Thanks for making this a priority!


Regards,

Don
Donald E. Clayback
Executive Director | NCART
Office 716-839-9728 | Cell 716-913-4754

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