Comments on: Guest commentary on Palin: ‘We need more than a photo-op’

By: jonashpdx

jonashpdx — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:36:03 +0000

As a parent of a child with Down Syndrome AND a proud Democrat, I take some offense at the sweeping generalization Cara makes about abortion in her comment above. There’s no way that the nearly 90% of “terminations” after prenatal testing for DS is purely from the Democratic branch of the tree, no matter how much you might like to believe that. My guess is that it’s more like 50/50 and that those people who would think or say that they were anti-abortion would come up with some justification for not having their child who would be most likely born with Down syndrome.

I love my son more than anything, but I struggle every day with health care costs for myself and health and therapy costs for my boy that he will need for his entire life. The only way to truly be pro-life and pro-child is if a system is built that encourages and helps families to nurture our children not just at home but in society as well.

And for me, that’s not a stand the Republican party appears to want to take, either historically or looking forward, no matter what words Sarah Palin uses in a speech.

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:47:50 +0000

As a sibling of a developmentally-challenged person I was outraged by Sarah Palin’s pandering. Her son is 4 month’s old; hardly enough time to understand what having a challenged child takes. She’s been to no IEPs, she’s not dealt with the teasing in school, she’s never seen the pained expression on a fully-understanding adult’s face after some ignorant jackass refers to him in a derogatory manner. She needs to live it and prove herself before she starts telling us she’ll be our advocate.

By: Elisabeth's Mom

Elisabeth's Mom — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:35:31 +0000

Is she really serious or was this another carefully planted sound bite aimed at niche voters who could make a difference on Nov. 4th?

I’ve seen how this word is misintepreted, redefined, and misused on both sides of that bipartisan line here in Ohio and at the federal level of government.

So before I make my decision, I would like to know exactly what her vision is for this “advocacy” she so passionately professed on Wednesday.

Is there anyway we can force the issue or get a commitment from both candidates?

By: Cara

Cara — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:53:56 +0000

I agree that the Republican party has a long way to go. However, the Democratic party deals with those with disabilities in their own way… abortion.

By: jaz

jaz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:17:09 +0000

Since Arizona ranks #1 and Alaska ranks #4 for taking care of their developmentally disabled, maybe they don’t have to make it a priority, because they already have made people with disabilities a priority.

While Illinois the disgrace of the nation ranks 49th in funding for the developmentally disabled, 49th for the amount of funding that the state provides for education, however with a 44 billion dollar pension debt (1 billion dollars owed to medicaid healthcare providers and others) we do rank #1 for the worst pension debt in the nation, we rank #5 for wealth with some of the highest taxes in the nation.

Senator Obama has earmarked more dollars for chicago museums and parks than for the aged or disabled, check the stats. As a resident of Illinois with a disabled brother and children, I can assure you the last thing you want to do is make the country like Illinois.

By: Misty

Misty — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:09:09 +0000

As a mother of a son with Autism I applaud Sarah Palin for keeping her son & am excited to know that children with disabilities and their parents may finally get the assistance that they need. I’m blessed to live in Arkansas because of all the progress Mike Huckabee had made here but there is so much more that needs to be done & national attention is what we need.

By: Joanne beckish

Joanne beckish — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:51:17 +0000

Well said Jim. You are absolutely right , WE WILL NOT GO BACK! Don’t let the rhetoric fool you, disability issues have never been high on the priority list of John McCain or the Republican party for that matter.