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Palin Details Policy to Help Disabled Children

AP photo

AP photo

PITTSBURGH—In her first policy speech of her campaign, Sarah Palin detailed how a McCain-Palin administration would help children with disabilities. Citing her personal experiences with her six month old son, Trig who has Down Syndrome and her 13 year old nephew, Karcher afflicted with Autism she said that enacting policy to help people with special needs is “especially close to my heart.”

She mentioned the many families that bring their disabled children to her rallies and whom she meets with on the rope lines, “We have a bond there. We know that children with special needs inspire a special love. You bring your sons and daughters with you, because you are proud of them, as I am of my son.”

She pledged that under their administration, parents of children with special needs would be able to send their children to the public or private school of their choice, “This process should be uncomplicated, quick, and effective — because early education can make all the difference and no barriers of bureaucracy should stand in the way of serving children with special needs.”

The McCain administration would direct the Department of Education to implement their policy and make federal funds full portable, “We’ll make explicit that when state funds are portable, that federal funds are fully portable. And we’re going to make sure parents have choices and children receive the education that they desire and that they deserve for their children.”

She also promised to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is estimated at 26 billion dollars annually compared to the current level of 10.9 billion dollars, according to their plan. Their policy states that they will use a “phased–in increase of 3 billion annually in order to reach the full funding in five years.”

Palin pledged to strengthen the National Institutes of Health and said more funding for the NIH will help parents with early identification of a disability, “For many parents of children with disabilities, the most valuable thing of all is information. Early identification of a cognitive or other disorder, especially autism, can make a life-changing difference.” Palin said, “We’re going to work on long-term cures, and in the short-term, we’re going to work on giving these families better information.”

Another element of their far-reaching plan is to improve services to students with disabilities in high school and community colleges by modernizing the Vocational Rehabilitation Act.

The GOP Vice-Presidential candidate explained the long-term financial planning parents with disabled children are forced to do, “A common practice among these families is to establish financial trust to start taking care of this aspect. These are known as special needs trusts, covering years of medical and other costs. And for parents, they bring invaluable comfort and security.”

The speech was not without politics and after addressing financial planning she quickly went after the top of the Democratic ticket and said that Obama would endanger these trusts that families have set up for their children.

“Understandably then many families with special needs children or dependent adults, they’re concerned about in this race our opponent in this election who plans to raise taxes on precisely these kinds of financial arrangements. They fear that Sen. Obama’s tax increase will have serious and harmful consequences and they’re right because the burden that his plan would pose upon these families is just one more example of how many plans can be disrupted and how many futures can be placed at risk and how many people can suffer when the power to tax is misused.” Palin said, “Our opponent has an ideological commitment to higher taxes, and though he seems to make adjustments daily in his tax plan pronouncements, his commitment to increase taxes remains the same.

Barack Obama has consistently said that he would not raise taxes on any one making less than 250,000 dollars a year – 95 percent of Americans.

She said that her ticket will “lower taxes and promote growth and a healthier economy.”

“And we’ll protect the savings and the earnings of American families and we’ll allow more of that investment and the prioritization via our own families to make the difference here, Palin said.”

After accusing Obama of wanting to raise taxes and jeopardize the financial planning of these families, she reminded the crowd of a visit she made to the Michael T. George Center outside of Cleveland, a home for adults with Down Syndrome and other disabilities. During her remarks then, less than two weeks ago, she was clear that the issue of helping people with special needs should be non-partisan.

“A country where every life matters and every child is cherished and adult is cherished also. I believe this is an area where partisanship needs to just fly out the window.” Palin said, “Who cares what party you are in when you are dealing with issues that truly affect the lives of those who maybe have more challenges than the rest of us. No partisanship at all in these types of issues, please.”

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102 Responses to “Palin Details Policy to Help Disabled Children”

Comment by former gop

Cut funding every where else - EXCEPT WHERE IT BENEFITS YOU, PALIN.

Some Christian.

 
Comment by Dave

Wow. So my special needs son will be able to go any public or private school we choose. I wonder what a McCain/Palin admin would have done when a local Catholic school turned away the special needs child (even though his brother was an honor student at the school). Would they force the school to comply? They said they were not required and could not afford to comply with the ADA… Hmm - who would pay for this? The federal government? Let me guess, this is “good” government spending. Will the pandering ever stop???

 
Comment by True Vet

How does she know what it’s like to raise a special needs kid? He’s like 8 months old! More importantly she’s been campaigning for like 4 of those months! Piper the second grader knows more about raising a special needs kid for crying out loud. From the tv coverage, she holds him more than Sara Barracuda!

 
Comment by Raymond R

Palin reiterates that a nation will be judged by how it treats “the most vulnerable” which should include the handicapped and the unborn.

Obama wants to make sure that abortion survivors are not referred to as “persons” since that could lead to overturning Roe v Wade. And the only handicapped people he is interested in are those he can “use” to get elected.

 
Comment by margie

to former gop

I guess you rather have Obama pay for abortions here and abroad. Some christian you are not

 
Comment by Winston

Sarah Spread The Wealth on her family Palin said that she has alaways considered Florida to be “The Hooker State” because of all the immigrants living & passing through. She went on to say the money made there from immigrants are DIRTY & SLEAZY. This woman needs to realize that America is DIVERSE & is made up of all kinds of immigrants & her comment is SLEAZY!!!!!!
Give back the Tax Payers the Funds you stole to SPREAD THE WEALTH ON YOUR FAMILY!!! Pay it back Sarah!!!

 
Comment by Hmmm?

How does she know what it’s like to raise a special needs kid? He’s like 8 months old! More importantly she’s been campaigning for like 4 of those months! Piper the second grader knows more about raising a special needs kid for crying out loud. From the tv coverage, she holds him more than Sara Barracuda!

 
Comment by colonel32

i commend palin on wanting to help special needs kids. i too want to see our government help people in need . however, this sounds like socialism to me if you use the republican definition that has been thrown about this election.i’ll be votiing for obama.

 
Comment by Palin 2012

Sounds like big government to me, is that not what we have had in the last 8 years ???
Lets bring back the balanced budget again…

 
Comment by Tom

It’s a good start. IMO the IDEA should be fully funded to at least have the resources to provide opportunity. If we can waste a trillion dollars on nonsense, I have no problem with bringing the IDEA up to speed over 5 years.

 
Comment by Palin 2012

Palin, can we cut the welfare checks from Main America to Alaska to too ?? would save us billions, more then we spend on the crusade in Iraq..

 
Comment by Palin 2012

Palin, stop over taxing the oil companies !!!!

 
Comment by NCSCHOLAR
 
Comment by Deano

You liberals really need to go back to the Daily Kos so you can be with your own kind.

 
Comment by Chahlie

At least she is recognizing individuals with disabilities and if you have ever worked with any of them, you would be shouting a different tune.

 
Comment by ssharpe

Is she really raising her children???? How many loads of laundry does she do? How many meals does she put on the table? How often does she help them with their homework?
Pathetic using her “special needs” child for campaign publicity. But she totes uses her pregnant daughter around too. Wonder what she would campaign about if she didn’t have children? Speaking of children, maybe she should focus on being a mother an teach them about abstinance before marriage and sex education, so her 17 year old would know better than to get pregnant.

 
Comment by cindy

Give me a break. Because this woman has had a down syndrome child for 6 months now shes an authority on special needs. What about the budget cut she implemented in Alaska for special needs kids?

 
Comment by David MacGruder

Senator McCain is absolutely right when he says that she knows more about special needs children than anyone - she has had a child with special needs for SIX WHOLE MONTHS, after all! The moment she gave birth, she automatically knew more about special needs than any educator, expert, or organization devoted to the cause - (assuming the members don’t have children of their own with special needs). Hear hear, Gov. Palin. Educators are not the people who should be in the forefront of children’s education - it should be parents. Qualifications for expertise come automatically with genetics, not research!

 
Comment by moni79

Caroline Kennedy said it the best and i am paraphrasing! “palin needs to hire somebody in the alaska state government with special needs…. “Caroline kennedy said that her and arnold have been pushing the governor to make an appoinment of this type in her governor administration! it was on Caroline was on Larry King discussing this manner…. Wow Palin thats a nice way to pander on such a sensitive subject….

 
Comment by Kman

Tough to do with a COMPLETE SPENDING FREEZE…aint’ it Sarah.

 
Comment by heather jilao

This is an excerpt from the Deaf Digest:

Is best interests of the deaf, especially in Alaska, high on Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s priorities as governor of Alaska? Good question!

News surfaced this week that as the state governor, she is planning to slash funds needed to operate the educational programs for the deaf.

Do couple it with McCain walking out of the Gallaudet board of trustees during the turmoil two years ago. Are these what we are seeing if McCain becomes president and Palin becomes vice president?

You, as the voter, will need to decide.

Is she going to select and choose what disabilities are going to be served? BOO…….

 
Comment by Barbie McCullough

Thank you for offering a plan that gives hope to those with disabilities. To increase funding, provide information and help to those families and children with special needs is outstanding. Your policy is a good beginning and will open the door for other possible changes that will provide the money necessary for research to find answers. Thank you Gov Palin for setting forth a plan where life matters, every child is cherished, including special needs adults.

 
Comment by frank burns

Sounds great, but isn’t she the one that is going to take a hatchet to the Federal budget?

 
Comment by Susan Mullins

So why is a vice presidential candidate being positioned to become the spokesperson for special needs children? Isn’t this something a first lady does? Why is Palin not spending more time helping to shape and speak to the details of the plans for not bowing to the needs, desires and wishes of the RNC? I hear them say “I have a plan” and “John McCain can fix this”, but I’ve yet to hear how. I don’t just follow because someone says they can do something. I want facts, I want details. I also don’t agree that special needs kids, i.e., autism, down syndrome, etc., should have any more attention/money/benefits than a non mentally/physically challenged child who can’t seem to get the right education/health care/exposure to life out side of their crime ridden neighborhood. What about these kids? Just like I don’t agree that members of Congress have access to healthcare programs, while most part time workers across this nation have access to none, unless they pay several hundred dollars per month for minimal coverage.

 
Comment by Karen

Sarah, we love you and stand with you!

Well, we only have 10 days left before we chose who will lead our wonderful country. For all of you Obama Kool-Aid drinkers, please see the following and listen carefully. This particular preacher in the video has a very unusual way of bringing his point across, but it leaves NO doubt who should be president of our country. Please choose carefully; the alternative could be disastrous.

http://www.pyrabang.com/contenteditor.php?pd=4057&p...

NOBAMA

McCain/ Palin ‘08

 
Comment by Jenny

This is in response to to “Comment by former gop”.

FYI - Downs Syndrome affects one in every 800 live births (National Association for Downs Syndrome) and Autism affects one in every 150 children (www.autismspeaks.org) born in this country today. Let me write that again, 1 in 150!!! ANYTHING that is done to support the families and children affected by these life-long conditions will be helping a lot more that just Sarah Palin. These are innocent children who, by no choice of their own, live and can thrive but require treatment. This is not the “spreading the wealth” Robin Hood economics of the person to whom I assume you are now supporting. This would be actual grass-roots American support from an advocate in government who is long overdue.

 
Comment by Patrick

She should try that policy first in Alaska , she won’t even hire an disable people on her staff. What a hypocrite.

 
Comment by Dadvocate

In a campaign full of whoppers, another one. Obama is not going to tax special needs trusts. They are set up because ssi disability payments have an asset or means test. If a disabled adult inherits money they can get disqualified for federal programs - even if they wanted to pay out of pocket for them. These trusts are limited by law to paying for things that are beyond basic necessities. What a load, Governor.

Vouchers for schools that won’t accept disabled kids and gutting Public School Special Ed… more garbage. And how about Social Security? Still want to privatize it and buy some stocks, Sarah?

Finally, why do you and McCain oppose the Community Choice Act that will liberate thousands of developmentally disabled adolescents and adults from being warehoused in nursing homes? Do you want continue forcing developmentally disabled people to live in congregate care with the non-developmentally disabled elderly? Sarah? Hello? Fortunately, these panders are all backfiring within the special needs community…Have a safe trip back to the Tundra.

 
Comment by Kman

Tough to do with a COMPLETE SPENDING FREEZE. Ain’t it….Sarah.

 
Comment by Palin 2012

How much of that is to help herself ???

 
Comment by Peoplefirstplease

Sarah Palin “pledged that under their administration, parents of children with special needs would be able to send their children to the public or private school of their choice.”

This differs from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which mandates that decisions regarding both the type of education program, and the school a student with special needs attends, is decided by a team which includes, but is not limited to, the parents, special and general education teachers, school administrators and other educational professionals. The parent’s rights are protected in this process - a program cannot be implemented without the agreement of the parents, and a parent has the right to due process. However, parents do not have the right to unilaterally decide what is best for their child; they are subject to the opinions of professionals.

The fundamental change that Governor Palin seeks to implement must therefore be guided by a belief that the perspective of experienced and trained educational professionals is worthless. As a special education teacher, I find this indictment to be insulting. As a sibling of a young man with Downs Syndrome, whose success in life is largely due to the collaborative efforts between my parents and his wonderful teachers etc., I find this view to be dangerously misguided. Expertise is important, and should be valued.

What next? Joe #3 once broke his leg - so let’s make him Joe the Doctor; and Joe #4 is a fan of Law and Order - so he can be Joe the Judge????

 
Comment by Uncle Sam

At least she see’s the problems we have in the real world!!!
Unlike the ones who grow up in the shadow of the white house, these polices will never touch those people.
Go ahead and cast your vote to the Abortionist and the Homosexual thinker!
Its ok!
And then wonder why we’re in such a mess!!!!
Take a good look at the past few years and then look and see when the Dems took over the house! It all started then!!

 
Comment by Christopher

Dave if they receive any Federal Money they must comply with the ADA or they would lose that funding.

I can’t stand how the Obamaniacs have to personally attack anyone that disagrees with them.

 
Comment by Billy

Isn’t a “safe” issue like this normally given to the First Lady? Why is the VP candidate involved in something as unscrewupable?

 
Comment by Teach

Palin’s “new proposal” to fully fund IDEA is admirable - mainly because it is a page borrowed directly from Obama/Biden.

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/DisabilityPlanFactSheet.pdf

It is refreshing to see her support Obama/Biden’s plan.

 
Comment by MJ it

WASHINGTON – An acclaimed celebrity makeup artist for Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin collected more money from John McCain’s campaign than his foreign policy adviser. Amy Strozzi, who works on the reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and has been Palin’s traveling stylist, was paid $22,800, according to campaign finance reports for the first two weeks in October. In contrast, McCain’s foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was paid $12,500, the report showed.

 
Comment by David

So, socialist programs are good, as long as you need them? Who decides which are the good socialist programs and which are the bad? Personally, I am all for government support for those who suffer from mental retardation, cerebral palsy etc., but I would expect laissez-faire, pure Capitalist, anti-social program Palin to stand for families taking care of their own.

Guess socialist program are great, as long as they benefit her.

 
Comment by MJ it

Let’s change the subject from a $22,800 Palin makeup job for two weeks and $150,000 on clothes to special needs children. What about the special needs of an entire nation - at this point after 8 years of Republican disaster that has run our country into the ground?

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH!!!

God Bless you Sarah.!!!

 
Comment by emcee

Palin never cared squat about disabled kids til she had one of her own. She cut spending in Alaska for disabled kids and special olympics.
She also never cared squat about pregnant teens ( even though she was pregnant before she married Todd) Just months before her own teen daughter became pregnant she slashed by 20% the budget for Covenant House a program that helps teen mothers find housing . She expects pregnant teens to go through with their pregnancies but doesn’t want to help make it any easier for them to keep their babies.
And how about those rape victims being made to pay several hundred dollars for their own rape kit? Maybe they should tip the cop too?
And spending $150 000 of campaign donations on clothes in 2 months and then saying it is sexist to criticize? That is more money tnan most people make in 2 or3 years… Since when does Joe Six Pack shop at Saks Fifth Avenue?
This woman is no friend to Moms or disabled kids or Joe Six Pack or Joe the Plumber.
Wake up!

 
Comment by Jon

Talk about tax and spend! Yes, it is a good cause, but so are so many others. We need to start living within our means. McCain/Palin is pushing a socialst agenda.

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH!!!

God bless our pretty Sarah!!!

 
Comment by Hm.

It’s nice. But with federal funds ? Didn’t her running mate say there will be a spending cut ?
Our public schools just had to lay off Teachers, my daughter has to share a classroom with 40 non partisan kids that are challenged every day.
Maybe it’s different in Alaska, but I can’t see why this shouldn’t be a matter of donations like we rely on every day for school supply.

 
Comment by bwhit

For the first time she sounded like she knew what she was talking about, was knowledgeable, knew the lingo, and seemed to have a genuine passion for the topic. I must admit, I was impressed. I used to think she was unqualified for public office. I see now that I was wrong. I’m voting for Sarah Palin . . . for a position with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families!

 
Comment by Palin 2012

Sounds like she is fixing herself a welfare check

 
Comment by Theresa

That would seem heartwarming except for the fact that we all know that this is just to benefit her own personal situation as well as benefit the sham campaign that they are running. I have a special needs child and would no more put my career ahead of my child’s needs than fly to the moon. She is a fake.

 
Comment by MarkThisDown

Is there any way to help a SPECIAL NEEDS VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FROM ALASKA?

 
Comment by bwhit

For the first time Palin sounded like she knew what she was talking about; was knowledgeable, knew the lingo, and seemed to have a genuine passion for the topic. I must admit, I was impressed. I used to think she was unqualified for public office. I see now that I was wrong. I’m voting for Sarah Palin . . . for a position with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families!

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH

God bless Sarah!!

 
Comment by lizlock

Dave, I would guess education vouchers may help in instances such as you are talking about.

 
Comment by Mary

You really must read this. This is the same thing I was thinking, but Charles Krauthammer put it in much better word. This was posted on The Washington Post today.

McCain for President
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, October 24, 2008; Page A19
Contrarian that I am, I’m voting for John McCain. I’m not talking about bucking the polls or the media consensus that it’s over before it’s over. I’m talking about bucking the rush of wet-fingered conservatives leaping to Barack Obama before they’re left out in the cold without a single state dinner for the next four years. I stand athwart the rush of conservative ship-jumpers of every stripe — neo (Ken Adelman), moderate (Colin Powell), genetic/ironic (Christopher Buckley) and socialist/atheist (Christopher Hitchens) — yelling “Stop!” I shall have no part of this motley crew. I will go down with the McCain ship. I’d rather lose an election than lose my bearings.
First, I’ll have no truck with the phony case ginned up to rationalize voting for the most liberal and inexperienced presidential nominee in living memory. The “erratic” temperament issue, for example. As if McCain’s risky and unsuccessful but in no way irrational attempt to tactically maneuver his way through the economic tsunami that came crashing down a month ago renders unfit for office a man who demonstrated the most admirable equanimity and courage in the face of unimaginable pressures as a prisoner of war, and who later steadily navigated innumerable challenges and setbacks, not the least of which was the collapse of his campaign just a year ago.
McCain the “erratic” is a cheap Obama talking point. The 40-year record testifies to McCain the stalwart. Nor will I countenance the “dirty campaign” pretense. The double standard here is stunning. Obama ran a scurrilous Spanish-language ad falsely associating McCain with anti-Hispanic slurs. Another ad falsely claimed that McCain supports “cutting Social Security benefits in half.” And for months Democrats insisted that McCain sought 100 years of war in Iraq.
McCain’s critics are offended that he raised the issue of William Ayers. What’s astonishing is that Obama was himself not offended by William Ayers.
Moreover, the most remarkable of all tactical choices of this election season is the attack that never was. Out of extreme (and unnecessary) conscientiousness, McCain refused to raise the legitimate issue of Obama’s most egregious association — with the race-baiting Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Dirty campaigning, indeed.
The case for McCain is straightforward. The financial crisis has made us forget, or just blindly deny, how dangerous the world out there is. We have a generations-long struggle with Islamic jihadism. An apocalyptic soon-to-be-nuclear Iran. A nuclear-armed Pakistan in danger of fragmentation. A rising Russia pushing the limits of revanchism. Plus the sure-to-come Falklands-like surprise popping out of nowhere.
Who do you want answering that phone at 3 a.m.? A man who’s been cramming on these issues for the past year, who’s never had to make an executive decision affecting so much as a city, let alone the world? A foreign policy novice instinctively inclined to the flabbiest, most vaporous multilateralism (e.g., the Berlin Wall came down because of “a world that stands as one”), and who refers to the most deliberate act of war since Pearl Harbor as “the tragedy of 9/11,” a term more appropriate for a bus accident?
Or do you want a man who is the most prepared, most knowledgeable, most serious foreign policy thinker in the United States Senate? A man who not only has the best instincts but has the honor and the courage to, yes, put country first, as when he carried the lonely fight for the surge that turned Iraq from catastrophic defeat into achievable strategic victory?
There’s just no comparison. Obama’s own running mate warned this week that Obama’s youth and inexperience will invite a crisis — indeed a crisis “generated” precisely to test him. Can you be serious about national security and vote on Nov. 4 to invite that test?
And how will he pass it? Well, how has he fared on the only two significant foreign policy tests he has faced since he’s been in the Senate? The first was the surge. Obama failed spectacularly. He not only opposed it. He tried to denigrate it, stop it and, finally, deny its success.
The second test was Georgia, to which Obama responded instinctively with evenhanded moral equivalence, urging restraint on both sides. McCain did not have to consult his advisers to instantly identify the aggressor.
Today’s economic crisis, like every other in our history, will in time pass. But the barbarians will still be at the gates. Whom do you want on the parapet? I’m for the guy who can tell the lion from the lamb.

 
Comment by nancy sabet

Why Hussien Obama does not release the following:

1. Occidental College records — Not released
2. Columbia College records — Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper — “Not available”
4. Harvard College records — Not released
5. Selective Service Registration — Not released
6. Medical records — Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule — Not available
8. His Illinois State Senate records — Not available
9. Law practice client list — Not released
10. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate — Not released
11. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth — Not released
12. Record of your baptism — Not available

 
Comment by T

The state or county is require to pay for any need of the child! One parents took the county to court for not providing interpreter at a christain church. The court said the county pay for the interpreter and not the church. So if you want your special needs child in Catholic church, take the county to court to provide special need teacher, Speech therapy, or/and Physical Therapy.

 
Comment by Kelly

My Daughter has several kinds of learning disabilities the primary one being that she is severely dyslexic. Our school district has no one trained to teach children with dyslexia. There is a school in the nearest city that teaches children with learning disabilites primarily children with dyslexia. We have requested for our school district to send our daughter there and provide her with the appropiate education that is required by law under IDEA 2004 we have been denied. My daughter is in fifth grade and reads and spells at a beginner first grade level. My biggest fear is that as an adult she will still be totally dependant on her father and I because she can not read or write. How will she get her learners permit, a job etc? I feel Governor Palin’s plan for education would be very beneficial to many children. It should be up to the parents not the school districts as to where their child be educated. We all pay school taxes and we should have a choice as to what school gets our money, I would rather have my taxes spent on educating my child instead of a new football field or new uniforms for the marching band.

 
Comment by Al

There already exists a federal law that does all that called IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), which forces local school districts to accomodate special need children with the proper resouces for special education and transportation. Fully funding the Act with more money is a great idea. Who in their right minds would want to cut that funding. There are plenty of wasteful government expenses that can be trimmed or slashed.

 
Comment by andrewdschwartz

A question to the mainstream media? W.I.P.S.I.? What If Palin Said It?

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35591162133

See the Obama/Biden gaffes and ask the MSM, W.I.P.S.I.?

 
Comment by Star

The voucher program works fairly well in Florida, Dave. Not a perfect system, but better than any other I’ve dealt with. It certainly proves that parent directed education works.

Instead of shelling out eighty grand a year for education, I’m down to about twelve thousand dollars a year, and my children are finally making up for lost time. Considering I have two children with autism, and with one of them nearly on grade level in every subject now, that’s a miracle. None of those gains came until I got them out of public schools. Not for lack of the school’s trying, but for lack of adequate funding to cover the requirements of existing laws.

As for a church sanctioned school, there is little the government can do to force compliance UNLESS that school accepts federal/state funds. Some do, some don’t. If this happened to your child, I’d look there first. You may have room for recourse through the Office of Civil Rights. (Not to be mistaken with the ACLU who does nothing for the devlepmentally disabled.)

As a disability rights advocate, Sarah Palin made a lot of good, sound sense. She certainly earned my respect today. And she’s right that until IDEA 2004 is fully funded, there is little schools or families can do to appropriately educate disabled school children. She’s also right that there are hundreds of thousand of parents out here swimming in debt to make up for an underfunded law.

 
Comment by Mike

This campaign is getting sad. I actually feel bad for these Republican candidates — the only people who still support them are either extraordinarily wealthy, are ignorant, or are overtly racist. And Sen. McCain’s campaign managers know it, so they’re playing to these demographics even though I’m pretty sure they didn’t expect it to go this way. I’m sure Sen. McCain knew something was wrong with his support base when he first had to begin explaining that Sen. Obama is not a terrorist (something which, incidently, Gov. Palin is not willing to do). I’m sure many more people are becoming aware of it now, with news that a supporter who worked on his behalf was psychologically ill enough to carve a (backwards) “B” in her cheek and blame it on a (totally nonexistent, yet somehow real enough to many McCain supporters) black man who disagreed with her political stance.

This country does need to spend more money on education. But not just for people with developmental and/or learning disabilities. The people who still support McCain after it has become clearer and clearer that he’s not the better choice for chief executive are living proof that everyone could benefit from reading a book or a newspaper now and then.

 
Comment by jesse

Does McCain know about this? What happened to the spending freeze?

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH

My area helps Catholic schools by provinding bus transportation. Of course, it has to be requested.

 
Comment by Advocate

This was Palin’s revolutionary plan we all waited for with bated breath? Obama/Biden already support fully funding IDEA. McCain has only made the wishy-washy statement that he supports increased efforts for federal funding, but of course, we know that he hasn’t tried very hard in all the years he has been in the Senate. Once again, McCain and Palin are off message.

And there is nothing new about funding pre-school special ed, either. That already happens in my state, and I suspect many others.

There are no new ideas here. This is merely the latest knee jerk attempt at damage control - something else to save Palin’s image (if that is possible) and deflect attention from her $150,000 wardrobe.

 
Comment by mitch

Latest News HeadlinesAn Integrated News Blog (Beta)
Doctors Say Obama In Excellent Health: Reuters
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CHICAGO - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is in excellent health and fit to serve as U.S. president, his doctors said on Thursday.

Reuters Politics: read latest news

Obama’s doctor said the 46-year-old senator from Illinois had no major medical complaints. He was a cigarette smoker but has quit several times and is currently using Nicorette gum to break the habit.

“Senator Barack Obama is in overall good physical and mental health needed to maintain the resiliency required in the office of President,” Obama’s doctor, David L. Scheiner, said in a statement.

The campaign released the medical report one week after his Republican rival John McCain gave reporters access to 1,173 pages of health records which detailed the 71-year-old Arizona senator’s struggle with skin cancer but said he in good enough health to serve as U.S. president.

(Reporting by Deborah Charles, Editing by Sandra Maler)

http://latestnewsheadlines.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/doctors-say-obama-in-excellent-health/

 
Comment by mitch

Comment by nancy sabet
October 24th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Why Hussien Obama does not release the following:

1. Occidental College records — Not released
2. Columbia College records — Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper — “Not available”
4. Harvard College records — Not released
5. Selective Service Registration — Not released
6. Medical records — Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule — Not available
8. His Illinois State Senate records — Not available
9. Law practice client list — Not released
10. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate — Not released
11. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth — Not released
12. Record of your baptism — Not available

++++++++++++++++++

Is Mr McCain going to release his transcript from the US Naval Academy??…you know he graduated in the bottom 1% of his class.

Is Gov. Palin going to release her transcript from one of the 5 colleges she attend in 6 years to get her B.A. degree??

Obama’s birth certificate has been verified. He was born in Hawaii
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

 
Comment by BetteR

Good for you Fox News. Not only did you carry Palin’s major policy address on special needs children live this morning but you have it on your website.

When I changed over to CNN just to see, they were in Honolulu and as of 1:30 pm they have not put anything on their website. However, they have Michelle Obama’s speech this morning on video and advertised on their masthead. No bias is pure bull.

 
Comment by DgoSally

Shame on Palin AGAIN for talking about something she has no idea about…funding for special needs children. She can barely keep up with her own parties stance let alone the Democratic stance!
She is a liar and a phoney and a disgrace to women voters!

 

[...] From CBS News ‘From the Road’ blog, MSNBC ‘Firstread’, and Fox News ‘Embed’ blog: [...]

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH

I am glad to pay School Taxes, we have good schools around here any more help for our children is a bless. I do not understand how people complains when somebody wants to help our children in their education. We help Catholic Schools because they do not have so much resources to provide comparing with our public schools around this area. The help that Sarah is talking about is more for Low Income Families. Please think in those families or all of you think that Low income Familes do not have children with disabilities. Please!!!

 
Comment by connie

WHY? WHY? DOESN’T ANYONE CARE THAT OBAMA HAD SEX WITH A MAN (THIS MAN HAS
TAKEN A LIE DETECTOR TEST) AND USED CRACK COCAINE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT THE NEWS WILL CHECK ON HOW MUCH PALIN CLOTHES COST AND
WON’T CHECK THE DRUG USE OUT. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY???

 
Comment by camilla

When you have a child with a learning disability you become aware how disabled we are. Sara Palin did great today. I am a mother of an Autistic Child and I praise her for bring my son’s disability to the forefront of this election. We need awareness and she is giving us that. Why is it that she is being attacked for having given a speech as an advocate for our children. Weather you agree politically or not how can anyone deny that bringing in up the issues relating to disabilities in the election is not just benefiting her but it’s bringing attention to the need. If this is the least she does, it’s still more than the Obama/Biden ticket has brought forth for us. I want choice, the public school system has been nothing butting a hinderance for me. The only ones that get a choice is the ones that can afford to higher a lawyer. And most often they win. We would save millions on the lawsuits. Obama will just make it harder for us with more red tape than the schools all ready have. NO OBAMA He want’s to put us all in a box and teach us his way the OBAMA WAY….. NO WAY!!!

 

[...] She summarized many of the details she unveiled this morning in her speech devoted to a policy rollo…She again pledged her advocacy for those children and their parents. [...]

 
Comment by GOD BLESS SARAH

Connie, DOESN’T ANYONE CARE THAT OBAMA HAD SEX WITH A MAN. This is very good!!!!! I think is true!!! What can you expect of a Democrat!!! They are bad!!!!

 
Comment by Mike

You know, I can actually go along with that plan with minor changes of course. But the problem lies in JM putting a spending freeze as soon as he gets into office. Kind of hard to allocate funds when you are not allowed to spend.

 
Comment by SC_MOM

This is worst argument EVER for this ticket…look at McCain/Palin Healthcare plan and…then…
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_considered_a_preexisting_condition

 
 
Comment by Peoplefirstplease

Camilla

I have inordinate respect for parent advocates. I believe that they are the driving force of progress in obtaining equitable rights for people with disabilities. I am interested in two points that you make; firstly you saw that by bringing up issues relating to disabilities, Sarah Palin is doing “more than the Obama/Biden ticket has brought forth for us.” Also, you assert that “Obama will just make it harder for us with more red tape than the schools all ready have”.

I have read his position paper on autism, that is posted on http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/AutismSpectrumDisorders.pdf , and am interested in understanding how your concerns relate to his stated position.

 
Comment by God Bless our Pretty Sarah

Terrorist Obama should cut welfare checks for them. Obama’s supporters that are always expecting welfare checks.