Do Politicians Take the Disabled Vote Seriously?

Part I
By Javier Robles

Am I invisible?  Is the group of people that I belong too a mere mirage?  Are we as people with disabilities only good for photo ops and feel-good stories?  How can it be that we do not seem to count when counting votes.  We as a group become non-existent.  So much so that when Barack Obama won the Presidency and mentioned people with disabilities in his speech; it caused a stir with people with disabilities. Amazing! Yet, not surprising.  Why?

Here is what I think.  There are two simultaneous issues going on between politicians and people with disabilities.  The first issue, concerns a historical struggle for survival by individuals who to this day are second class citizens.  The second issue,  surrounds political strategist and their clients (politicians) who are unable or unwilling to realize the potential of this group.  Let me explain.

Historically, the “struggle” has been about housing, institutionalization, discrimination, access and more recently jobs.  While this list is not exhaustive it offers a glimpse of some major struggles. The point is that we as a group are in a constant battle with society to maintain our independence. We push for laws to de-institutionalize (Olmstead) and laws for greater Access (Americans with Disabilities Act) and we fight for every dollar.  We are in an eternal state of chaos.  Fighting so hard to be free that we forgot all about the politicians we put in office.  Not that politicians have done nothing.  There has been progress in the last 100 years for people with disabilities.  However, as a group we progressed with  small victories, and many times specific to our particular disability. Like the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936 which was passed to allow blind vendors access to Federal buildings.  There have been numerous registry laws state to state on Autism, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, etc.  But at the end of the day we continue to be ignored on a global scale.  Our power is reduced to statistics which point to one thing; people with disabilities do not vote.  Therefore, their overall needs are unimportant during election time.  Or are they?

Part II Next Week

Texas Study Confirms Lower Autism Rate in Hispanics

Texas Study Confirms Lower Autism Rate in Hispanics

Author: john willow

Hispanic kids are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to be diagnosed with autism, and socioeconomic factors don’t seem to explain the difference, according to a new study in Texas schoolchildren.

“These findings raise questions: Is autism under diagnosed among Hispanics? Are there protective factors associated with Hispanic ethnicity?” Dr. Raymond F. Palmer of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and his colleagues write in the American Journal of Public Health.

Other research has shown a lower risk of autism among Hispanic individuals, while one study found that Hispanics with autism were typically diagnosed later than autistic children of other ethnic backgrounds. Autism could be under diagnosed among Hispanics, Palmer and his team note, given that these children are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to have trouble accessing medical care.

To investigate the factors behind the difference in prevalence, the researchers looked at data on 1,184 schools in 254 Texas counties, calculating the number of children in kindergarten through 12th grade in each district who had been diagnosed with autism.

For every 10 percent increase in Hispanic schoolchildren in a given district, the researchers found, the prevalence of autism decreased by 11 percent, while the prevalence of kids with intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities increased by 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

The reverse was seen as the percentage of non-Hispanic white children in a district increased, with the prevalence of autism rising by 9 percent and the prevalence of intellectual and learning disabilities falling by 11 percent and 2 percent.

The observed relationships remained for Hispanic children after the researchers accounted for key socioeconomic and health care provider factors, although “urbanicity” of a district, median household income, and number of health care professionals did explain the increased percentage of autism among districts with more non-Hispanic white kids — a finding the researchers call “curious.”Whether lower autism prevalence in Hispanics is attributable to other, still-unexamined socioeconomic, health care delivery or biological factors “remains a crucial area for further research,” Palmer and colleagues conclude.

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Here Comes 2010 By Javier Robles

What a year!

It seems that once again I managed to experience just about everything I could handle.  I am thankful for every moment, good and bad.  Regardless of the situation it seems like I really learned from others and myself.  More importantly I realize each year that passes how grateful I am to family, friends, colleagues and our wonderful readers here on Thisabled.

This year we changed our websites look and picked up a few new Bloggers, people who really believe in the message of independence.  Individuals who prove trough their daily words and deeds that they will help us see a better day for others with disabilities.  Part of the changes we are making involve the inclusion of more substantive stories on issues of deep importance to our community.  Such as, health care, employment, community inclusion, relationships, poverty, and wealth development.

I hope for a great year and look forward to working with many of you in forming a better future for people with disabilities.  It is our position at Thisabled, that we all have a responsibility to push for betterment of our fellow citizens.  Let Us Make 2010, The Year of Progress!

Five percent-No Excuses!

ThisAbled.com is calling on President Obama to employee people with disabilities at all levels of the Federal Government.  Currently, people with disabilities make-up less than 1 percent of the Federal workforce, this is unacceptable.  We can longer afford to keep the most vulnerable in poverty by denying them jobs and promotions.  America is better than that and we will prove it!

Together, we will send Washington a clear and unequivocal mandate to fix the unemployment problem which faces 54 million people with disabilities.  We will not, we cannot and we must not take the same lame excuses that we have for decades.  The Clinton Era promise of 100,000 new jobs for people with disabilities was a cruel hoax perpetrated on a community of people who have no choice but to believe in promises made by government.   During the rolling economic times of the Clinton Presidency, Executive Order 13163 went into effect.  It called for 100,000 new hires by the year 2005 today Disabled employees represent 0.92 percent of the federal workforce, a decrease of nearly 15 percent since 1997.  

The Ticket to Work Act of 1999, also signed by President Clinton has been a serious disappointment to people with disabilities wishing to work.  The saving grace of the Act may be the Medicaid Buy-In program which has allowed thousands of people with disabilities, to receive medical benefits while working.  These, programs are run through a States’ Medicaid Agency and may go by different names in different States.  For a list of Buy-In States go to http://www.nchsd.org/links/index.asp?c=39 and click on your State.

One would suppose that the unfulfilled promise of 100,000 jobs by Uncle Sam was a kick in the gut.  However, what really leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of many Americans is the money and effort expended by the Federal and State government to “get people employed”.  For example, in 2001 “The Social Security Administration (SSA) awarded MAXIMUS a $56.4 million nationwide contract to provide Program Management services for the Ticket-to-Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. (Maximus Website).

The five-year contract would make MAXIMUS the Program Manager for the Ticket-to-Work Program. They would be responsible for recruitment and management of nationwide employment networks anticipated to be in excess of 4,500.  In addition, they would coordinate services to 13 million Ticket recipients over the next five years; assistance to SSA in processing payments to employment networks; and operation of a national call center.  In reality, more people with disabilities were working before this contract than after it.  MAXIMUS, like most huge conglomerates never got it.   Therefore, no jobs were really ever created.  Here is a thought, contract someone to get 100,000 people hired into the Federal system, then move on from there.

Everyone has heard of all the new jobs that will be created under an Obama Administration; well we want 5 percent of at least the Federal workforce to be people with disabilities.  The Federal workforce is under the direct control of the President.  54 million people with disabilities have waited too long and cannot afford to wait another year.

What can we do this year?

Sign and Share our Petition to President Obama.  Simply copy the text below and email it to friends, family, colleagues or post it on websites and social network sites, Facebook and My Space.

Five percent-No Excuses!

The Second part of 2009 efforts on behalf of people with disabilities has begun. Here is the www.thisabled.com petition to President Obama to increase the number of Federal employees with disabilities by five percent. We ask that you sign it and forward to others as well as share.

http://www.petitiononline.com/Thisable/petition.html

Petition Text

We call on President of the United States Barrack Obama to employee people with disabilities at all levels of the Federal Government.  Currently people with disabilities make-up less than 1 percent of the Federal workforce, this is unacceptable.  We can longer afford to keep the most vulnerable in poverty by denying them jobs.  America is better than that and we will prove it!

Five percent of Federal workforce to be people with disabilities by 2013, no excuses!

Together, we will send Washington a clear and unequivocal mandate to fix the unemployment problem which faces 54 million people with disabilities.  We will not, we cannot and we must not take the same lame excuses, we have for decades.  Five percent-No Excuses!

Sign the petition at:  http://www.petitiononline.com/Thisable/petition.html