The following is a campaign video from President Barack Obama. I'll admit, I almost passed up on sharing this, but then I realized that helping the disabled is a subject that neither Mitt Romney nor Paul Ryan would even think about much less do anything about. For that alone, I chose to share:
I know first hand how little Republicans think of the disabled. The fact that Obama is even reaching out to them, much less trying to improve their lives ever so slightly, is miles ahead of the Republicans who would only to like to help them out the door so they won't have to bother with them.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
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Yes, I think you are right, that is pretty impressive that he gives people with disabilities credit, admits we all know someone with a disability, and includes them. I think maybe that is the first time I have seen that.
ReplyDeleteSo....anyone who knows anyone with a disability is well aware of the long-standing tradition of people going thru Hell,only to get turned down. Hire a lawyer, then the lawyer tells you NO ONE (it is carved in stone) ever ever gets approved on the first try. If you're lucky you wait, try again, and again and MAYBE on the third try, you might get services. In-home care is unaffordable, nursing home care is disgusting and fraught with abuse/negligence. These are not new areas of cultural failure brought on by Romney/Ryan/Randianism, they are old old failures that have hurt countless people. And as each year passes, quality and options diminish.
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with modern Republicanism (though the threat is that will make it worse), it has been that way a long time. Obama seems to be implying that will change. Or, that Republicans will remove a "kinder, gentler" system that we supposedly have in place now? Not.
He's talking here to people with real experience with family/friends who struggle/suffer and clearly are unable to work. yet they will know from experience that our "big socialist Government" DOES NOT toss money at these people, who then have to rely on family. People know how tough it is.
I think the people who will be moved by this ad are the ones who DO NOT have to deal with the mess of disability. His plan may make some things easier while people are IN the Dr's office (I don't know, it seems to be implied here) but to me it seems likely that it really will mean he is a 'strong advocate for the disabled" in the same way as he has been a "strong advocate for LGBT"
And if you talk to any LGBT they will certainly let you know that's not how THEY perceive him, even if the "straight" population does. Me promised big on LGBT issues and really did not follow thru. Finally he threw a few crumbs, but 'strong advocate" no one would say that. Nor has he been a strong advocate for the environment or for human rights and so on. He's been proven to be the lesser of Evils, hard to get fired up.
And I think when a Politician hauls out a bunch of people with pillows stuffed into wheelchairs, he better be really careful with that. Once you run them past the cameras, you'd better be planning some SERIOUS attendance to those folks, or you are a pretty shameless exploiter. Knowing Politicians, guess which option I'd put MY money on....
And I don't think it's "impressive" to give anyone "credit". How is it impressive to meet standards of basic decency. I say this ad is risky, which is why we've not seen it before. He'd better be offering some serious systemic improvements that are felt by people in real ways in real time. Or this ad will only help alienate those people even further.
I'd also like to add he steers well clear of mentally ill and addicted people in this ad. And we all know them too don't we. How about some credit over there please? No? They probably don't market-test as well as a pillow-in-a-wheelchair image. I guess they don't qualify as "Special" yet.
My final rating - Lip Service.
"He (not "me") promised big" etc. pfft. like it matters :/
ReplyDeleteHaving a disability and being considered for Disabilty income (SS) are 2 different things. I agree it takes too long to approve SS disability claims. I also agree that they always seem to deny benefit the first time (or the second or the third). My husband was disabled for 10 years before he died and it took 1 1/2 years to finally get approval, after 3 rejections. We finally asked for an administrative judge hearing and it didn't take that long. The judge apparently viewed the video we had sent after the second rejection and immediately approved it, without a hearing.
ReplyDeleteThat said, what this video is about , is not what that was about. This was about caring for people who have differences from us and howing empathy towards them. That I can totally agree with. I also agree that the none of this has ever entered most Republicans' minds.
Hopefully, the other travesty of delaying SS Disability benefits will eventually be fixed.
I hope that it doesn't take 3 years for me to get denied again, I suffer from Many Physical and Mental disabilities, to the point that it is hard to function or do daily tasks, I am getting ready to apply again, after working extremely ill for a few years, I can't do it anymore because of Memory Loss, Being on Strong Pain meds, being in extreme pain 24/7 I have Chonic Lyme Disase and it has gone into my brain, what else is their to do, I can't even find a job if I wanted or could work at one. I pray that things start improving.
ReplyDelete