Thursday, October 30, 2008

Barack Obama/Joseph Biden on Disabilities: Policy Notes

The information below is taken from the DeafNation's collaboration with NAD for the Deaf ViewPoints Debate. It's important to note the two presidential candidates' records on disabilities and this has been the best information I've found on the internet.


Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
  • Both men are not disabled; the same goes for their immediate families.
  • Obama’s Americans with Disabilities for Obama page is more significant than McCain, with entries about his remarks on disabilities, and comments from his people such as his National Disability Vote Director. The full link can be found here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/dahome/
  • The Obama/Biden website has a specific page on disabilities. A captioned video is posted, with Obama speaking about his disabilities plan.
  • Obama pledges, it is noted on the page, to have the Senate ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
  • After the discussion of his plan, a link for a transcript from a January 29 call on his disability policy conference is posted.
  • As for his plan, a link to his plan is provided. The page points out the four parts of his plan:
    • First, provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed.
    • Second, end discrimination and promote equal opportunity.
    • Third, increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities.
    • And fourth, support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities.
Citation: http://deafnation.com/news/mccainpalin-and-obamabiden-their-policy-on-disabilities

1 comment:

Andrea Shettle, MSW said...

Another aspect of Obama's disability plan that I like is that he was the ONLY candidate, from the primaries onwards, to pledge to signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). As you probably know, the CRPD is the first international, legally-binding human rights treaty to protect the rights of people with disabilities (and Deaf people), including things such as the right to access to information; access to education; and so forth.

More info on the CRPD (for people new to it) at ratifynow.org/ratifynow-faq

Andrea Shettle, MSW
wecando.wordpress.com