While Democrats are perceived as being more sympathetic to the concerns of people with disabilities, the occasional Republican elected official manages to earn the respect of their local disability community.  Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont, who was a longtime Republican before becoming an independent, has won accolades from disability advocates for his support of key legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, another Republican, is using his disability rights to court voters with disabilities.  Ehrlich’s efforts to woo the disability community seem to go beyond the typical (sometimes halfhearted and condescending) overtures that most politicians make to various demographic groups during election season; his running mate, Kristen Cox, is blind and is head of the cabinet-level department devoted to disability issues.  He has also provided full funding to Maryland’s Medicaid buy-in program. 

I don’t know enough about Ehrlich to opine about his worthiness for reelection.  I do know that if our own governor suddenly created a cabinet-level position devoted to disability issues, I would start searching for the alien pod containing the body of the real Pawlenty.  Perhaps some Democratic governors will realize that we deserve more than rhetoric. 

Thanks to Howard Renesland for the tip.

My sister, the budding attorney, is looking for a part-time job that will give her the opportunity to acquire some practical legal skills.  Being the good brother that I am, I volunteered to e-mail an inquiry to some of my colleagues and friends in an effort to scare up some leads for her.  No luck so far, but on the off-chance that someone reading this blog needs a legal intern or clerk, drop me a line and I’ll share her resume with you.  I can personally attest that she responds quite well to be being bossed around. 

Today’s NY Times features a front-page profile of Woodland Hills, an evangelical church located here in the Twin Cities.  The article discusses the lead pastor’s efforts to disentangle his congregation from political ties to the Republican Party and conservative social causes such as opposing abortion and gay marriage.  The pastor also deplores using the pulpit to glorify military campaigns such as the one in Iraq.

I know enough evangelicals, including a couple friends who attend Woodland Hills, to understand that they are not necessarily a monolithic force.  Many do not toe the GOP party line and do not fit the stereotypical caricature of a shrill, dour, judgmental, gay-bashing, science-hating, book-banning killjoy that is common currency among those of us on the left.  It’s good to see the mainstream media recognizing this as well and taking the time to point out that, like any other broadly identified demographic in America, the political sympathies of evangelicals cannot always be easily identified. 

However, it’s difficult to deny that Republicans have been extremely successful at co-opting and mobilizing the vast majority of Christian evangelicals.  Bush makes no effort to hide the fact that his political fortunes are tied to the support of his religiously conservative base.  And the America envisioned by most evangelicals is vastly different than the one for which I hope and strive.  Despite the dissent of some within their ranks, the GOP and Christian conservatives have inextricably linked their fates, at least in this world.