Sarah Palin: Advocate?

Sarah Palin is back in the news about special needs, after writing an article about raising a child with Down Syndrome in Newsweek's "The Daily Beast." Read "Life With Trig: Sarah Palin on Raising a Special-Needs Child." Because she writes as a mother and takes no position on any policies affecting people with special needs, it remains unclear how she is fulfilling her pledge to be an advocate in this area.

About a year ago, that same "Daily Beast" column carried the headline "Sarah Palin Snubs Disability Advocates." A few snippets:

Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc: "Since the end of the presidential election, we haven't heard Sarah Palin articulate any specific policy proposals [on disability]. [She] "has unfortunately politicized the issue in ways that are not productive, and it has converted what really are bipartisan issues into partisan ones."

Adam Pockriss, a spokesperson for Autism Speaks, noted that since a fundraising walk in 2009, "Palin hasn’t had any further involvement with Autism Speaks, nor has she taken a position on any autism-related policy items, to our knowledge."

Andrew Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities: "We'd like to see her go back to some of the policy issues, like Medicaid costs at the state level and how that will affect children and adults with disabilities. There are a lot of issues out there that we haven't seen her weigh in on. So the jury's still out on how strong of a disability advocate she wants to be."

Thoughts?

Rating the R-Word Offenses: A Bipartisan Look

I don't comment every time someone is criticized for saying "retard" or "retarded," but so many political and media folks have been dropping the R-word that I have to chime in. Particularly why Rush Limbaugh's and Glen Beck's comments are more offensive than the other people in question -- White House aide Rahm Emanuel and David Carney, a campaign consultant to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Here's a quick summary, with links if you want to read more. My ratings are not intended to excuse any use of this word, but I think there are varying degrees of insensitivity and offensiveness. What do you think? Are all uses of the R-word equally offensive?

RAHM EMANUEL
In a strategy session with liberal groups and other White House, some attendees said they were going to air ads attacking conservative Democrats who were opposing the president's health care plan. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel responded by saying, "F--ing retarded." It was reported in the Wall Street Journal, and Emanuel called Special Olympics head Tim Shriver to apologize to the disabled community. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called for Emanuel's resignation. Emanuel signed a pledge to not say the word again, and the White House planned a meeting with disability advocates.
Offense scale = 6. Insensitive, in a small group, and not directed toward people with disabilities.

DAVID CARNEY
In Texas, David Carney was accused of using the word "retarded" during negotiations over logistics for a Jan. 14 debate. According to Terry Sullivan, campaign manager for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kay Bailey Hutchison, when Carney heard that one of the holding rooms would be in a different building, he said, "That's just retarded. That's the most retarded thing I've ever heard."
Offense scale = 5. Insensitive, in an even smaller group, and not directed toward people with disabilities, or any person in particular.

RUSH LIMBAUGH
Here is a partial transcript from Limbaugh. I challenge any disability advocate, whatever your political leanings, to defend these remarks:

"Folks, there is so much apologizing going on from members of this administration, it’s just amazing. First place, there’s Rahm Emanuel out there who is in big trouble for calling liberals, for calling liberal activists F-ing retards. Sarah Palin demanded that he be fired. Instead, he is apologizing to liberal activists. He was getting mad at them about health care. The liberal activists kept blaming the White House for all this health care debacle not happening and not getting done. Emanuel’s getting ticked off out there saying, (paraphrasing) “What are you blaming us for? We didn’t do anything about it, you F-ing retards.” I think the big news is the crack-up going on. But our politically correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are “retards,” “retards.” I mean these people, these liberal activists are kooks. They are Looney Tunes. I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m just quoting Emanuel. It’s in the news. I think the big news is that he’s out there calling Obama’s number one supporters “F-ing retards.”

"So now there’s going to be a meeting, there’s going to be a “Retard” Summit at the White House....From the Wall Street Journal: “Emanuel Steps Up His Apology — Rahm Emanuel privately apologized last week to the Special Olympics after the Journal reported that he used the word ‘retarded’ in a derogatory manner. But advocates for people with disabilities didn’t think that apology, coming in a phone call to Special Olympics head Tim Shriver, was enough. Now, Emanuel is taking his contrition one step farther — hosting a delegation of advocates, including two people with mental disabilities, at the White House.” They’re going to have a “Retard” Summit just like they had the Beer Summit....You know, here’s the thing. If you want to look at how this is broken down, Emanuel compares Democrat activists to retarded people, then apologizes to retarded people. Not to the Democrats.

"Normally if you call somebody a retard, you apologize to them for calling them a retard. But he has apologized to the retarded people for daring to lump them with Democrats. It’s hilarious. So in an effort, ladies and gentlemen, to quell rising questions about the endless apologies necessary from Democrats, Obama is taking a short bus, little yellow bus full of “retards” — “F-ing retards” — to Las Vegas for the weekend."

Offense scale = 10. He calls people with disabilities "retards," "retarded," and even works in a "joke" about a "short bus." Not satire, not funny -- just cruel.

SARAH PALIN RESPONDS
Palin told Chris Wallace yesterday: "They are kooks, so I agree with Rush Limbaugh. [He] was using satire ... . I didn't hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with 'f-ing retards,' and we did know that Rahm Emanuel, as has been reported, did say that. There is a big difference there."

GLENN BECK
Glenn Beck, the father of a child with special needs, was talking on his radio show last month to actress Mary Lynn Rajskub of "24." Talking by phone, Rajskub mentioned her love of painting, and when she said she enjoys painting "retarded children and paintings of the insane," you could clearly hear laughter on Beck's end of the line. Beck, trying to suppress laughs, asked how much the paintings of the "retarded" children go for. She then asked of there were "people laughing in the background," he said, "We're not laughing, we're just imagining that those would be nice. ... Honestly, I've been looking for one of those, but I haven't seen them."
Offense rating = 7. Upon hearing the word, Beck should have reminded Rajskub that that term can be offensive to many people. Did he really think that was funny to the point of laughing uncontrollably? How would he react if a guest or caller used a racial or ethnic slur?

I encourage you to visit www.r-word.org to learn how to "Spread the word to end the word."

UPDATE: Stephen Colbert on Palin, Limbaugh, and Emanuel, from Patricia E. Bauer's Disability News.

Rhetoric Over Disabilities and Health Care Reform Heats Up

Disability Scoop has a nice summary of some of the disability issues at the heart of the health care reform debate. Read "Disability Issues At Center Of Heated Health Care Debate." Not surprisingly, former Governor Sarah Palin is at the center of some of the controversy -- which started when she seemed to suggest that President Obama would like to kill her son with Down syndrome. Specifically, Palin has said the plan would force people who are either old or disabled "to stand in front of Obama’s 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide...whether they are worthy of health care."

Whatever you think of Palin -- and I know many disability advocates like her a lot -- there is no denying the hypocrisy of suggesting that the president's policies (and, by extension, the president himself) are "evil" and that the president would support kill disabled children, and then calling for restraint and civility in these discussions. On her Facebook page, she wrote:

"There are many disturbing details in the current bill that Washington is trying to rush through Congress, but we must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment. Such tactics diminish our nation's civil discourse which we need now more than ever because the fine print in this outrageous health care proposal must be understood clearly and not get lost in conscientious voters' passion to want to make elected officials hear what we are saying. Let's not give the proponents of nationalized health care any reason to criticize us."

Huh?

I was pleased to see Michael Strautmanis, chief of staff in the White House Office of Public Liaison, step forward as the father of a child with autism. In the video below, Strautmanis says the plan would ensure that individuals won't be denied insurance coverage because of any pre-existing condition and would expand access to Medicaid. I've previously written about Strautmanis's personal connection, and I hope he'll continue his involvement in these and other issues important to people with disabilities.


Many disability groups are expressing support for the president's plan. United Cerebral Palsy has endorsed the health care reform bill, and the Arc is encouraging its members to "dispel the growing number of myths" about health care reform. In addition, the American Association of Disabled People has posted several facts from AARP to refute what it says are myths and lies. They include:
Fact 1: Medicaid not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.
Fact 2: No legislation currently in Congress would mandate the rationing of care. Period.
Fact 3: There is no provision of any piece of legislation that would promote euthanasia of any kind.

AARP goes on to say: "The rumors out there are flat-out lies. Right now Medicare does not cover counseling for end-of-life care. The portion of the bill in question would simply provide coverage for optional end-of-life consultations with doctors, so that the patient can be aware of all of the treatment options on the table. It is not mandatory and it has nothing to do with euthanasia."

Palin Reappears as Special Needs Advocate

After her unsuccessful bid for vice president, I wondered aloud if Gov. Sarah Palin would honor her pledge to be an advocate for people with disabilities. During the campaign, she said if she were elected, people with disabilities would have an advocate in the White House. I pointed out that she didn't have to be vice president to be an advocate.

On Sunday, Gov. Palin participated in a fundraiser in Long Island, N.Y., for Independent Group Home Living, a nonprofit for children and adults with developmental disabilities. She also spoke at a walk for Autism Speaks. With her were her husband, Todd; their 14-year-old daughter Willow; Palin's sister Heather Bruce, and Bruce's 14-year-old son Karcher, who has autism.

I give her credit for publicly showing her support and for taking the time to make public appearances that raised money for two great causes. But as I expressed during the campaign, why did Palin continually say that giving birth to her son Trig (who has Down Syndrome) was the first time she became aware of disabilities? At that point, her own sister had had a son with autism for more than a decade, yet disability advocates in Alaska universally said her policies as governor showed no understanding or special interest in disabilities.

Imagine you're Palin's sister Heather, in a crowd of 1,000 people, and you hear your sister say:
"Having a son being born with Down Syndrome is a whole new chapter of our lives....It's taken a while for us to get to this point where we can say, 'Thank you, God for allowing us to recognize the special needs community.' Without Trig this would be absent from us."

"Absent from us"? Isn't having a nephew with autism reason enough to champion the cause, especially if you're the governor of your state?

Rep. Kline: Fund IDEA Now

Sorry for the delay in postings. Last week I was lying on a beach in Florida and largely took a break from the computer. It wasn't easy, but I highly recommend it.

One piece of news that happened while I was away was an amendment proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Back in 1975, Congress committed to provide 40 percent of the cost, with states and school districts making up the difference. But federal funding has typically been less than 20 percent.

"For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund special education," Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) said in introducing the amendment. "By fully funding special education, we would free up desperately needed funds schools across America could use to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers, or new textbooks."

President Obama and Vice President Biden support fully funding IDEA early in the campaign. Toward the tale end of the campaign, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin also expressed support for IDEA. So I hope that Congress, the White House, and advocates on both political sides can pass this important legislation. What do you think -- is the economic mess an opportunity to make the case for this investment? Or will opponents use the economy as a reason to reject it?

Read more at Rep. Kline's blog. Or let him know what you think on his Facebook page.

Republican, Female, Pro-Life, Disability Champion

Meet a pro-life Republican woman from the Northwest with a child with Down Syndrome who's emerged as a leader in disability policy. No, not Sarah Palin, whose recent actions seem to be aimed at advancing her personal career.

A recent post from Patricia Bauer's great blog linked to an article in the Weekly Standard profiling Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State, a pro-life Republican and a powerful champion for people with disabilites. The mother of a boy with Down Syndrome, Rep. McMorris has launched the bipartisan Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus. Read about her.

Sarah Palin: Remember Her?

In the midst of the historic inauguration of President Obama, there's been little news from the Great White North about Gov. Sarah Palin. But yesterday she gave her state of the state address (full text here) and made several notable comments about special needs issues. I said after the election that I was curious to see what action she'd take on these issues, so it's only fair to report occasionally on what she's up to.

First, she was gracious in her comments about our new president:
"Just two days ago we witnessed a shining moment in the history of our country. Millions of Americans are praying for the success of our new president, and I am one of them. His work is cut out for him, but if President Obama governs with the skill, grace, and greatness of which he is capable, Alaska’s going to be just fine. We congratulate President Obama."

Addressing education, she said:
"...we’ll encourage opportunities for students with special needs. One of the great privileges given to me last year was the chance to be a witness for the truth that every child has value; to say to special needs children that they are beautiful and loved. And needed. We learn more from them than they from us. Across America, a great change is coming in public policy affecting these children, and Alaska can lead the way."

On health care:
"I look forward to working with you on adjustments to kid’s health insurance. We’ll fund more early screening -– for example, for autism -– because early detection makes all the difference."

With a revenue shortfall that could top $1 billion, she announced a hiring freeze, a 7 percent cut in the overall budget, and a spending freeze on all non-essential items. With these challenges, I hope she can deliver on her promises to Alaska's children and families.

Special Needs: The Year in Review

2008 was a notable year for disability policy and awareness. Here are the year's top 10 moments -- politics, policy, and culture -- that show us where we’ve been and where we may be going.


1. Gov. Sarah Palin selected as vice presidential nominee
Say what you want about Gov. Palin’s qualifications and whether her nomination hurt or helped Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid, but her presence on the ticket did more to bring special needs issues than anything else that happened this year. This just barely outranked…


2. Barack Obama elected president
In the long run, the election of Barack Obama will mean much more to the disability community than Gov. Palin’s 15 minutes (or three months) of fame. He will come into office with a clear plan for people with disabilities and a team of people with firsthand experience as both parents and professionals, but also huge budget problems and other challenges. His effectiveness will depend largely on …

3. Arne Duncan nominated to be Secretary of Education
Like many others, I have questioned this decision -– not because Duncan is a terrible choice, but because I (and many opinion leaders who I respect) can find no reassurance that Duncan is the best choice in regard to special education. At this point, it’s too early to tell whether Duncan will be remembered as a champion for the rights of students with special needs.

4. Insurance legislation picks up momentum
This year saw many states require insurance companies to cover the costs for autism diagnosis and treatment -- a big issue that will become even more important with the nation’s economic challenges. Legislation was signed in several states -– most recently in Illinois. Read more.


5. President Bush signs ADA amendments
On Sept. 25, President George W. Bush signed landmark civil rights legislation that extended the reach of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was joined by his father, President George H.W. Bush, who signed the original ADA Act in 1990. Andrew Imparato, the president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, called this “the most important piece of disability legislation since the enactment of the ADA in 1990.”

6. Sen. John McCain raises autism during presidential debate
I’m ranking this a little lower, but it put autism front and center in the presidential campaign. As much of an impact as Gov. Palin made at the Republican convention when she vowed to be an advocate for families raising children with special needs, it wasn’t until Sen. McCain referenced autism during the final presidential debate on Oct. 15 that it became a centerpiece of his campaign. It was too little, too late, as McCain’s rhetoric did not match his campaign platform.

7. President Bush signs bill banning genetic discrimination
You might not have heard about this, but on May 21, President Bush signed a law that may save your job one day. Anticipating advances in DNA testing, the legislation is intended to protect people from losing their jobs or health insurance when genetic testing reveals they are susceptible to costly diseases. The law forbids employers or insurance companies from denying employment, promotions, or health coverage to people based on the results of genetic tests.

8. Court says NCLB trumps special education law
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has its good sides and bad sides. In one discouraging development, a federal appeals court in Chicago in February ruled that mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act “must give way” to the provisions of NCLB since it is a newer law. Two Illinois school districts and four families had claimed that NCLB’s testing requirements conflicted with the mandate for individualized education programs. The districts has missed targets for progress largely because of poor performance by students with disabilities, which NCLB says has be counted in efforts to hold schools accountable. The National Council on Disability released a report in January 2008 saying NCLB has benefited students with special needs.

9. “Tropic Thunder” unleashes storms of protest
A coalition of disability groups called for a boycott of the movie “Tropic Thunder” because of its use of the word “retard” and its characterization of Ben Stiller’s character Simple Jack. Read Susan Senator’s column about her own reflections and the numerous comments it provoked.

10. Athletes inspire in the “other” Olympics in Beijing
Though they were overshadowed by Michael Phelps and the other Olympians in Beijing, the athletes of the 2008 Paralympics provided plenty of inspiration themselves. Read about 16-year-old swimmer Yip Pin Xiu, who uses a wheelchair on land but became Singapore’s first-ever gold medalist in the Paralympics.

What did I leave out? Feel free to add a comment.

Palin Does Good -- Really

During the campaign I occasionally (or frequently) criticized Gov. Palin for her past record on many of her key issues. I suspect she will not be a prominent figure in this blog now that she's back in Alaska, but when she (or Sen. McCain) take action related to special needs, I'll weigh in and invite your comments.

And today's one of those times. To her credit, Palin this week unveiled a plan to invest an additional $5 million to support children's health -- including areas like autism screening, Head Start, obesity prevention, a test program of half-day preschool, and expanded insurance under Denali KidCare (which covers low-income children and pregnant women). The proposed increase to Denali KidCare would cover an additional 1,300 children and about 225 pregnant women. Interestingly, last year Palin opposed an increase in the program despite the fact that the state had a large surplus because of high oil prices.

Today, as the price of oil drops, many Alaska officials worry there may be no additional money for programs like these -- and in fact, some services may need to be cut. Her proposed increases would take effect in the next fiscal year -- at which time a balanced budget would depend on oil prices being $20 higher than the current $40 or so.

If you miss seeing Palin on your TV every day, here's a video of her announcement.

Blogging in My Pajamas: How Did Palin Know?

Well, I knew that Gov. Palin wasn't a fan of those wacky mainstream media types. But in an interview with Greta Van Susteren, she referred to bloggers as "kids in pajamas sitting in the basement of their parents' homes" making up rumors and lies about her.

For the record:
1. I am not a kid. (I'm 44.)
2. I don't blog in the basement of my parents' house. (I have my own house, and my parents' house doesn't have a basement.)
3. Sometimes, but not always, I blog in my pajamas.

Watch the full interview if you're interested.

If You Care About Special Needs, Today is the Beginning, Not the End

Now that the election is over, here are 10 ways you can make a difference -- now

The campaigning is over, but now the hard work begins. You can't separate special needs issues from the numerous problems President-elect Barack Obama will inherit -- from a costly war to growing economic concerns. Will the economy allow him to provide middle-class tax relief, reform our health care system, fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the other things he's proposed? I have no doubt he wants to do all of these things and will do his best, but the economic reality is different from when he first developed his policy proposals.

As I've said several times on this blog, I am not a one-issue voter, even though I care deeply about issues related to disabilities. The best thing for families dealing with special needs will be what's best for all families -- including a strong economy, dependable health coverage, and fairness in all government programs.

In writing this blog, I've been impressed with the level of passion and involvement among other parents who are raising special needs children, as well as family members who are supporting adult relatives with disabilities and people who are living with disabilities themselves. Now that the election is over, I hope this level of civic engagement will continue -- and grow.

Regardless of which candidate you supported, here are 10 ways you can stay involved and make a difference:

1. Write a letter to President-elect Obama to congratulate him and remind him of the promises he made to people who are affected by disabilities, of all ages. Tell him to keep these issues in mind as he makes difficult budget decisions.

2. Write a letter to Sen. McCain, reminding him of the positions he took during the campaign. Urge him, as senator, to support full funding of IDEA and ask him to reconsider his opposition to the Community Choice Act, which would support community housing for seniors with disabilities.

3. Write a letter to Gov. Palin -- this is important. Thank her for raising awareness of special needs issues during her campaign. Encourage her to fulfill her pledge to be an advocate for people with special needs. She doesn't have to be vice president to be an advocate -- the campaign has given her a national profile, and what better way to use that visibility than to advocate for IDEA funding and other needed support? And as governor, she can set an example for other states by eliminating Alaska's waiting list of people who need disability services.

4. While you're at it, contact all of your elected officials about the issues you care about. Get their names and contact information at congress.org. You can even use an online form there if you don't want to send a paper letter.

5. Don't forget that "all politics is local." If you're not already active, get involved with your local schools, community organizations, and government agencies that provide and advocate for disability programs. A great place to start is The Arc of the United States, which has chapters in every state and the District of Columbia. Find your chapter.

6. Connect with others, online and in person. Attend meetings, talk with other parents, share your experiences and challenges, and support each other.

7. Can't we all get along? The weeks and months after an election should be a time of reconciliation. Many people who are passionate about the issues you care about -- family members, neighbors, professional colleagues, and others -- supported the other candidate. If your candidate won, don't gloat. Reach out, reconnect, and focus on what you have in common.

8. Stay informed. There is no shortage of news and commentary. Some of the blogs and websites I recommend are Disability News by Patricia Bauer, Autism Vox by Kristina Chew, Education Week's blog on special education by Christina Samuels, and Disability Scoop.

9. Walk the Walk(s). Get out and publicly show your support for disability services and research. There are plenty of walks and runs, including Autism Speaks' Walk Now for Autism and the National Down Syndrome Society's Buddy Walk.

10. Don't feel guilty if you don't have time to do these things. Remember that advocating for your own child, family member, or any other person in your life can have an impact on many other lives. Do what's best for them, and you'll be helping others as well.

Do you have other suggestions? Post them here. And please share this with others -- you can forward the URL for this abbreviated summary.

Obama-McCain Positions on Special Needs Change Pennsylvania Woman's Vote

The Palin Factor will definitely have an impact on this election -- but maybe not the type of impact Palin and McCain would like. An article from The Australian leads with the story of a woman who has a child with autism -- she was a strong McCain supporter who has become an Obama backer after examining their positions on special needs.

Reporter Geoff Elliott had talked to Pennsylvania resident Cindy Sowers, 48, during the Democratic primary, when Sowers was angered by Obama's clumsy comments about rural Pennsylvanians being "bitter." She called Obama an idiot and supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries. When Elliott contacted her again after Obama defeated Clinton in the primary, Sowers said she would vote for McCain.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the voting booth. On Friday, Sowers sent Elliott an email with the subject "I changed my mind." She wrote: "Thought you might be interested on why I changed my vote to Obama. After going to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia to get my grandson tested for autism (waiting list was 1 1/2 years), I thought I would look into how politics would affect disabled children and who would help the most! (Not just talk about it.) My husband is still voting for McCain. But I am not."

One thing that swayed her opinion was this essay from Paul Longmore, director of the Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University. Elliott says: "From Clinton to McCain and now, just days out from the election, a vote for Obama: Sowers' decision is based purely on his policy prescriptions. Like so many others, Sowers is finding that the economic crisis in the U.S. is grinding out whatever sense of security she felt she had left, and she is now attracted to a candidate offering what she considers a life raft on core family concerns, namely health care and education. In this climate it appears to be a winning ticket."

And here's Longmore's most recent essay, reacting to Palin's speech on special needs policy.

Disability Coalition Objects to McCain-Palin Mocking of Disability Rights

"The National Coalition for Disability Rights pushed back today against the McCain-Palin campaign for ridiculing the legal rights of people with disabilities. News reports describe McCain-Palin campaign representative Senator Kit Bond (R-Mo), joining vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin at a rally in Missouri, mocking presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama for stating that he’s looking to nominate judges who empathize with 'the disabled.'"

Jim Ward, the founder and president of the coalition, said "It’s Halloween, and it seems that Sarah Palin’s mask of support for people with 'special needs' is slipping. Despite past pandering to people with disabilities, McCain-Palin are actually opposed to vital disability legislation like the Community Choice Act and they want to appoint judges who will further roll back the civil rights protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act."

Read "Disability Organizations Outraged by McCain-Palin Rally Attacks on the Disabled."

Looking at the Candidates' Records

From the Buffalo News, an op-ed by Jacqualine Berger, a member of the Disability Rights & Concerns Committee of United University Professions, titled "Voters Should Keep in Mind Policies on Disability." Berger takes a look at the candidates' positions and records, concluding with this:

"The nonpartisan group Disabled American Veterans monitors legislators’ voting records on issues relating to disabled veterans. Obama supported 80 percent of the legislative priorities of DAV, while McCain supported 20 percent. Biden and Obama each earned a 'B' rating from the nonpartisan group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; McCain received a D."

The Obama Campaign Responds

In response to Gov. Palin's speech on special needs, Kareem Dale from the Obama campaign circulated this letter from leaders in the disability community.

The letter links to this side-by-side comparison of McCain's and Obama's plans and records.

The Secret Life of Fruit Flies

Read "Palin Wants to Help Special Needs Kids By Doing Away With Science." In Palin's recent speech, she mocked research on fruit flies and said that money could be spent on autism research. Turns out, fruit fly research has been instrumental in helping improve our understanding of autism. In fact, research on fruit flies is no more unusual than research on mice and rats. Oops.

On Countdown, Newsweek senior White House correspondent Richard Wolfe called this the "most mindless, ignorant, uninformed comment we've seen from Gov. Palin so far....If you give your first major policy speech of the campaign and make this kind of basic error, you either don't have a scientific advisor or you don't have a speechwriter who knows what they're saying." Watch the video here.

Palin Speech Fails to Impress

Fact checking Gov. Palin's speech on special needs, Igor Valsy at the Wonk Room says, "Palin is a confident and compelling spokesperson for special needs children. But what the campaign gains in charisma, it loses in credibility." For example, she talked about "reprioritizing" spending in order to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) -- ignoring the fact (or not knowing) that achieving that goal by redistributing the budget would require a 6.4 percent cut in ALL OTHER DOMESTIC PROGRAMS. That means Pell grants, Section 8 housing, low-income energy assistance, WIC, clean energy research, and "dozens and dozens of other programs." Not to mention the fact that McCain has opposed funding IDEA numerous times.

How did the speech go over with people who know about disability firsthand? Becky Blitch, who I've quoted here before and who lives with spinal muscular atrophy type II, says she was infuriated by Gov. Palin's speech. "By going off on impassioned tangents about earmarks and Obama's tax plan, Gov. Palin gave the impression that this speech was merely cover for stump-speech attacks, belittling the importance of the topic at hand....It's worth noting that absolutely no new territory regarding disability policy was covered in this speech....Let's face it: John McCain and Sarah Palin are losing this election. The governor could have used this moment to 'pull a Bullworth' and make some bold statements about where this country really needs to go in terms of disability policy. She didn't. She stuck to a couple politically safe proposals, she attacked Barack Obama, and she got misty-eyed over the special-ness of special needs kids. That, my friends, is called pandering. Nothing new about it."

In a post titled "The Fantasy of Palin's Plan for Special Needs Children," blogger "Writes Like She Talks" says Palin "either has no idea what she is talking about or is purposely presenting false impressions about what the federal government currently does for special needs kids, who is responsible for taking care of special needs kids, and what impact she, as VP, could possibly have on any of that....Either way, or both ways, nothing that she suggests as a promise for what she would do or be able to accomplish as VP is, in reality, achievable."

Over at Daily Kos, "Critical Dune" writes: "As a special needs parent and advocate, it's killing me to hear this garbage because she is fooling some of the people some of the time with this pander." His post includes a good link to a Wall Street Journal summary of what a special needs trust is.

Do Lies + Fear = Votes? Special Needs Trusts and Taxes

Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin today started a new misleading attack against Sen. Obama -- that his tax plan would somehow harm "special needs trusts," which are long-term savings accounts for people with disabilities. Let's check the facts:

- Obama's plan will not raise taxes on any family earning less than $250,000 per year.

- A special needs trust earns interest, just like a savings account does. So if a person had a special needs trust of $5 million, that account could produce annual income of $250,000 and may in fact lead to higher taxes under Obama's plan. Do you have a family member with special needs who has $5 million in a special needs trust? If not, the Obama tax plan would have no impact on that account.

- What economic impact will the McCain-Palin plan have on children and adults with disabilities? To answer that question, consider the impact of freezing, reducing, or eliminating every federally supported benefit they currently receive -- Social Security, housing, education, and other support. Consider the impact of a health plan that does not require providers to cover pre-existing conditions like autism and Down Syndrome. Some analysts have predicted that as many as 20 million Americans could LOSE their existing health coverage under the McCain-Palin plan.

You will be hearing more McCain-Palin lies over the next 11 days -- their campaign has officially announced a new strategy to try to win votes by scaring parents with special needs kids. Are you more likely to vote for presidential candidates who turn away from visions and plans in order to try to scare you into voting for them? Apparently they think families dealing with special needs are so (a) stupid or (b) vulnerable they can be manipulated into believing outright lies.

11 Days Before Election, Palin Endorses Obama's Call to Fully Fund IDEA

In Pittsburgh this morning, Gov. Palin gave a speech on special needs. A big focus of her speech was fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It took a long time, but I'm pleased that 11 days before the election, Palin has endorsed a position that Sen. Obama took more than a year ago, when he issued his policy position on disabilities. His first recommendation is to fund IDEA, a position he has advocated since he was first elected to Congress.

Here's what she didn't say:

In no part of her speech did Palin criticize the Obama-Biden plan for children and adults with special needs, or even draw contrasts between the positions.

She neglected to mention that the McCain-Palin health plan would tax employer-provided health benefits and allow people with special needs to be denied health coverage. Down Syndrome, autism, and other conditions would considered pre-existing conditions that insurers could refuse to provide coverage for.

She didn't explain why -- in all of her speeches and interviews about special needs, even when pressed for details -- she hasn't mentioned IDEA in the two months since she was nominated.

She chose not to mention the government-wide spending freeze she and McCain support, which will make it nearly impossible to fill the huge gap needed to fund IDEA. And she contradicted McCain's comment in the last debate, that no more funds are needed to meet the needs of families raising children with autism and special needs. McCain's solution was not funding, but "transparency, accountability, and reform" of government agencies.

Despite the fact that Palin has had a nephew with autism for 13 years, and claimed today that she and her sister Heather Bruce talk regularly about these issues, this Alaskan parent says, "The only 'special school' that received significant increases to its budget this year is the Alaska Youth Challenge Academy, which is a military youth academy for youth with behavioral challenges. There have been no significant increases to early intervention services (children have to wait for months to get therapy, clearly violating IDEA)."

The campaign has added a policy position to its website. As I promised the day I started this blog, now that they have created a position (11 days before the election), I will add it to my links.

Heather Bruce, Palin's Sis, Speaks

Gov. Palin's big sister, Heather Bruce, spoke with Autism One Radio, about raising her 13-year-old son with autism. What she said doesn't reassure me about her sister's understanding or commitment to autism. Here's what she had to say:

"She [Sarah] wants to help. She wants to help so badly, but she has a lot to learn, and she knows it. She’s fresh into this, being an advocate for autism, for Down syndrome. People expect her to know everything about everything. [She has said] We need to sit down Heather, tell me what your needs are, what do you wish you could see, what do you think would help the state. And that was just the time she was the governor."

So after Sarah has been an aunt to a child with autism for 13 years and governor for nearly two, the best endorsement her sister can give her is "she has a lot to learn, and she knows it"? Interestingly, she also gives credit to the Democratic candidates for also raising the issue of autism during the campaign. How strongly does she support her sister's candidacy? I can't tell after listening to this nearly hour-long interview.

Read other highlights or listen to her interview.