Editor's Column
by
Tim Benjamin
Wow, 2008 is here already.
How did that happen? The years seem to be flying by. This year, Access
Press will be 18 years old, and I will be, well, “really old.”
How about those Iowa caucuses?
Three months ago, not many people would have thought Senator Clinton
would take third place among Democrats, and on the Republican side,
who knew then very much about Mike Huckabee? Maybe it is too soon
for me to be nudging you to keep up with what is going on with the
candidates, but I urge you to listen for any of the candidates who
are talking about disability issues.
Access Press will be searching to bring you as much information
available concerning each candidate’s platform on disability
issues. I invite you to send us any disability platform information
you come across.
The Minnesota caucuses are February 5, and I hope you are all planning
to attend. The Iowa caucuses had record numbers of new caucus participants,
and Minnesota can beat those numbers. Although the polls during the
last week were awful close, they (CNN, e.g.) say it was the new participants
who helped push Senator Obama over the top with 38% of the Democratic
Iowa caucus goers’ endorsement. Whoever you decide to vote
for is your decision, but you have to participate to have any influence.
By the way, choosing a candidate is only part of the caucus function.
The fun stuff is introducing resolutions, which ultimately develop
the party’s platform. Go to the web www.mnblue.com/caucus_
guide to get a sample and an explanation of how to draft your own
caucus resolution. Writing a simple resolution is a simple procedure
that can have some astounding results.
My #1 resolution topic: health
care. It is great that the candidates are all talking about the desperate
need for affordable health-care coverage for everyone. Whatever term
they use for revamping our health-care insurance—universal
health care, or socialized medicine, or single-payer coverage—this
time it is vital that people with disabilities are included and involved
in the design and development. The February caucus will be prime
time to make sure that the disability community’s issues are
addressed, including the big issue of livable income for our direct
support professionals (DSP). We need a stable workforce to get many
of us out of bed and ready for the day. Keeping people up, involved,
and active in their communities will not only keep everyone happier
and healthier, it can also save money that can in turn be used to
pay for qualified DSP and other health prevention options.
Need more ideas for caucus
resolutions? We also need available public transportation (and safe
bridges!) for everyone in all parts of the nation, in order to get
everyone out into their communities. Transportation presents even
more challenges with gas prices as high as they are. And, as long
as we’re out in the community, and as long as
we have transportation, we might as well have good-paying jobs with
built-in incentives for employers, so that those who want to work
can find satisfying, gainful employment that won’t disqualify
them from the necessary social services that keep them independent
or interdependent. We desperately need more taxpayers to help support
these services, since if enough people are working we might not need
to raise taxes all that much. (Of course, we still have the war to
pay for.) These things are not too much to ask: health-care, transportation
and jobs. Seems to me like these are all opportunities that everyone
should have.
Finally, the new Twin Cities
chapter of ADAPT is coming together nicely. They’re developing
a local mission and direction, and are also working on plans for
a group training with some veterans of ADAPT. It is a great time
to get in on the ground floor. I am told volunteers are needed at
all levels. For more information contact Galen Smith at adapttc@yahoogroups.com
Happy New Year’s! ![]()
