July 29, 2008
WASHINGTON— Presidential candidate John McCain (R-Arizona) DOES NOT support the Community Choice Act (CCA), legislation allowing people with disabilities to choose home-based or community care with in-home services by increasing the percentage of Medicaid that goes toward in-home care. Past Chair of the National Council on Disability (NDC; http://www.ncd.gov/) Marca Bristo says McCain has a long history of opposing the CCA. However, McCain may be preparing to “flip-flop” on the issue. Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of the Act (http://obama.senate.gov/press/080115-statement_of_se_14/).
COMMENT
Bristo says the disability community can’t afford more failed policies or eight more years of the status quo, and so do we. Bob Kafka, President of the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT; http://www.adapt.org/) says McCain should be aware of the influence the disability community has in the up-coming election. Should we trust McCain if he changes his stand on the CCA? Will he simply flip back again if he wins the election? Most importantly, can people with disabilities afford to take the chance? McCain supports the VA and veterans with disabilities, but does not offer the same support for other people with disabilities. His personal experiences may be a factor but a President should not run a country based on personal interests alone—we have seen enough of that already.
SOURCES
· http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/audio-conference-national-disability-rights-leaders-dubious-john-mccains/
· http://talkradionews.com/2008/07/disabled-community-deserves-better/
RELATED
Track the Community Choice Act:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-799
Downloadable audio of McCain’s anti-CCA comments:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/09/john-mccain-blows-off-supporting-the-community-choice-act-at-town-hall-meeting/
Audio and video of the Bristo & Kafka conference call regarding CCA/McCain:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/audio-conference-national-disability-rights-leaders-dubious-john-mccains/
Video of McCain speaking about the Community Choice Act:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0lBN14rTeQ
Background on the Act from the National Council on Independent Living:
http://www.ncil.org/news/communitychoiceact.html
CCA talking points from ADAPT:http://www.adapt.org/casa/talkingpts.html
COMMENT
Bristo says the disability community can’t afford more failed policies or eight more years of the status quo, and so do we. Bob Kafka, President of the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT; http://www.adapt.org/) says McCain should be aware of the influence the disability community has in the up-coming election. Should we trust McCain if he changes his stand on the CCA? Will he simply flip back again if he wins the election? Most importantly, can people with disabilities afford to take the chance? McCain supports the VA and veterans with disabilities, but does not offer the same support for other people with disabilities. His personal experiences may be a factor but a President should not run a country based on personal interests alone—we have seen enough of that already.
SOURCES
· http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/audio-conference-national-disability-rights-leaders-dubious-john-mccains/
· http://talkradionews.com/2008/07/disabled-community-deserves-better/
RELATED
Track the Community Choice Act:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-799
Downloadable audio of McCain’s anti-CCA comments:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/09/john-mccain-blows-off-supporting-the-community-choice-act-at-town-hall-meeting/
Audio and video of the Bristo & Kafka conference call regarding CCA/McCain:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/audio-conference-national-disability-rights-leaders-dubious-john-mccains/
Video of McCain speaking about the Community Choice Act:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0lBN14rTeQ
Background on the Act from the National Council on Independent Living:
http://www.ncil.org/news/communitychoiceact.html
CCA talking points from ADAPT:http://www.adapt.org/casa/talkingpts.html
4 comments:
This is an interesting article especially after the fact of his VP choice, Palin. Obviously this article appeared before his choice but I wonder how Governor Palin feels about his decision not to support the CCA act.
Of course most of us do not know the details of the proposed act. And we all know that sometimes other legislative proposals are tagged on bigger proposals. This is the first time I personally hear about this proposal or McCain's stance on it. I am sure by know he has clarified his reason for his choice.
I hope this topic came up when Palin was being groomed for the VP nomination. I do not think I have heard her comment on it but then again it has only been a few days since the formal announcement was made.
I just hope that McCain is a only a few of legislators that turned this proposal down.
MarilynC
Although I had not heard that John McCain did not support the Community Choice Act (CCA), and I really don't know all the facts that he based his decision on either, but now more than ever I can hardly wait for the delivery of tonight's speech by his running mate Sarah Palin.
As most of us know now, she didn't even give a second thought to end her pregnancy after her early diagnosis of the chromosal difference. From what little I've read about her, I can see her take a strong stand on this, given the opportunity ofcourse. It is going to be interesting to see if she will touch the topic and how these two will come to concensus on this matter.
NorfyG
I recently attended a conference on the coalition for texans with disability in san antonio and a representative of both parties spoke on the issue of supporting CCA, the representative party of McCain, could not give responses to the aduience question on this issue he simply went on say that he did support in different ways, but he himself was not aware of the comment that McCain say on this topic. On the other had, the representative from the other party simple mentioned her views on this issue and was not speaking the actual support itself. I beleive that each candidate has there underline issue on support for individuals with disability, in all seens many changes need to happen and more advocacy need to be there in support. I strongly believe that we are making a difference but we still have a long way to go.
Jenny G.
I think that it is absurd the John McCain does not support the Community Choice Act (CCA). The act, which is intended to provide individuals with disabilities and older Americans with equal access to community-based attendant services and supports, and for other purposes, was introduced on March 7, 2007 and is still being debated on. I also think it is pretty distressing that the past Chair of the National Council on Disability (NCD), Marca Bristo, states that McCain has had a long history of opposing the CCA, and it is fairly childish of McCain, if in fact he does “flip-flop” on the issue, to do so just because Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of the act. I completely agree with what Bob Kafka mentions about McCain; “McCain should be aware of the influence the disability community has in the up-coming election.” I also feel that the fact that McCain may change his stance on the act does not really make him trustworthy.
Matthew V
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