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.
“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.” Agreed.