U.S. V.P. Announces Appointment of Special Assistant for Disabilities Policy

[Muttocracy]

(and the DU archives tell me this was part of Howard Dean's platform in 2004)

http://www.specialolympics.org/WGU_VP_WWG_visit.aspx

U.S. Vice President Announces Appointment of Special Assistant for Disabilities Policy

During a visit to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho, on 12 February, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced that Kareem Dale has been named the special assistant to the president for disabilities policy. Dale’s appointment marked the first time a U.S. president has had a special assistant focused exclusively on disability policy.

“The commitment that the President and I have to Special Olympics and people with disabilities is deep and abiding. And we are backing up those words with real action at the White House,” said Biden. “This is our first step to ensure that we have a strong advocate for people with disabilities at the highest levels of our administration.” The nation needs policy changes that will ensure Americans with disabilities can get and keep fulfilling jobs without worrying about losing government-funded health insurance or other assistance, he added. "This is a civil rights movement," Biden said. "There's a need to have changes in policy."

Advocates have long complained that programs like Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and Medicare essentially force disabled workers to leave their jobs or prevent them from working so that they can qualify for the medical care they need.

Dale, who is partially blind, will have direct access to President Obama and will coordinate the administration’s efforts to see that people with disabilities are on a level playing field with all Americans. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Dale previously served as the National Disability Director for the Obama for America campaign. He also served on the Arts Policy Committee and the Disability Policy Committee for then-Senator Obama.

more at the link, http://www.specialolympics.org/WGU_VP_WWG_visit.aspx

and more photos here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8193426&mesg_id=8193426

[Muttocracy]

1. Photo of Mr. Dale

[FrenchieCat]

2. Thank you for electing these men! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

:cry:

[PatSeg]

6. Its still like a dream sometimes

The world is starting to seem sane again, but I have to remind myself every day that it is really true.

[CrispyQ]

22. Our President can speak & our VP doesn't snarl!

I'm still in the habit of muting when I hear them announce that the president is going to be speaking in a few minutes.

[PatSeg]

25. Yeah, I know what you mean

There is that split second when I hear "The president..." and I still picture Bush and cringe. Then I remember. Its interesting, there is actually a physical reaction when I hear "George Bush" or "The President". The muscles in my neck and upper back tighten up. I hadn't noticed that until recently.

[CrispyQ]

27. You just need a good 'ole neck massage from the puppet!

;)

My husband asked when I'm going to retire all my anti-boosh tee shirts. "You don't have to look at him anymore, but when you wear those shirts I have to still look at him!" Hmmmm, I guess I could clean the toilet with them. ;)

[PatSeg]

29. I'd save them

Pack them away and years later you can bring them out to show your grandchildren or wear for Halloween. Mostly as a reminder that we actually survived the worst presidency EVER and that we're never going there again - well at least not in our lifetimes.

[PatSeg]

3. K&R

[Bread and Circus]

4. That's wonderful

[jillan]

5. Here come the tears....

God bless them.

Maybe instead of asking Obama a question, I will just thank him and Joe.

[PatSeg]

7. That's a lovely idea

and if you get all choked up, which I'm sure you will, you will probably show up on TV!

[jillan]

8. Maybe Jenny can hold up a sign thanking them.

That would be cool :)

[PatSeg]

12. Aw now I'm gettng choked up!

That would be too perfect.

[Muttocracy]

11. you could thank him and ask a question too!

:hug:

[jillan]

13. Well - I was going to give him crap for taking Janet Napolitano...

and leaving us with this nutcase as governor.... I just don't trust her with the monies that will be allocated to Az.

Maybe Jenny can thank him, and I can give him crap? :P

[Clio the Leo]

9. Thank you, I have a GOP friend with spina bifida....

.... and she cited that Palin woman waving her special needs child around like the was an American flag (and specifically her mentioning of it in the RNC acceptance speech) as reason alone for her family (who has several special needs members) to make up their previously "undecided" minds in favor of the McCain/Palin ticket.

The fact that she has failed to support THIS President, who time and again made it clear he is interested in helping those with disabilities, is, to put it simply, disgraceful.

[PatSeg]

14. How sad

Republican voters are so easily manipulated. They often are robotic followers and repeatedly vote against their best interests. Just put on a good show and play on their fears and you've got their vote. No thought required, just blind loyalty.

[Clio the Leo]

15. It doesn't matter.....

..... Obama is a "baby killer" .... that's all that matters.

[Jennicut]

21. Obama and Biden will actually do things for people with special needs

Sarah and McLame and the Rethugs are all talk.

[CrispyQ]

23. Didn't Carter say just that the other day?

Something like republicans are robots & do what their leaders tell them to do. He was speaking of some members of Congress, but it applies across the board, from my experience.

I love Carter!

[PatSeg]

24. Me too

What a great guy. He really tells it like it is.

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. "This is a civil rights movement," Indeed. Off to the greatest page for you! n/t

[Thrill]

16. Isn't there also money for Special Education in the Stimulus Bill?

[FrenchieCat]

17. Some

will call that pork! :eyes:

[Undercurrent]

18. Thank you Joe!

I'm so proud to have a good man as our Vice President. What a far cry from the black hearted bastard we have endured for eight miserable years.



--typo--

[firedupdem]

19. Absolutely Beautiful!

This is just wonderful!

This is what pisses me off when I read these BS threads moaning about one thing or another and labeling our President Center Right, or Center Center, upside down, ...blah blah blah....

This administration is doing a great job!

[Debi]

20. I love that man!

IDEA was passed in 1974 and Congress has YET to fully fund the program at the 40% intended 35 years ago (last funding % was 17). It is the first to get frozen in hard times and the last to get noticed in good times (and I need to thank Joe Biden for being one of the first co-sponsors of that bill so many years ago)!


To have a President and VP to say 'Enough is Enough' and give people with disabilities a VOICE is AWESOME :loveya:

[Muttocracy]

28. :)

:hug:

[PatSeg]

30. That doesn't speak well of our society

Hard times are when programs like these are needed the most, not swept under the rug.

[Jennicut]

31. Joe was a co-sponser?! How can I not love this man any more then I already do?

We really have a great VP and Prez!

[Debi]

33. That came out during the caucuses

When one candidate was saying that her work outside of Congress is what was used to created the IDEA. I asked JRB's wife and son (Beau) about that and they informed me of his co-sponsorship. :P I already knew it of course!

[tilsammans]

26. So much good is coming out of the new administration!

Here come the happy tears again! :cry: :patriot:

[Honeycombe8]

32. I hate that Biden is being used this way. This is an important issue, of course.

But it's not really in the area of the Vice President. And Biden's expertise is foreign affairs.

I think Biden may have made a mistake when he left the Senate. He would be soooo useful there, now, to sway opinions and make congressional decisions regarding foreign policy.

[Debi]

34. ????

The VP advocating for a specific issue is HUGE for that issue.

FINALLY Congress may pay attention to the millions of Americans who are disabled and can (and want to) be a part of society rather that cast apart from society.

Used? I doubt VP Biden will do anything he doesn't WANT to do.

[Honeycombe8]

35. That's just what I think. Biden doesn't look happy. As he said, ...

this was a big decision, since he was used to being a chairman of the foreign affairs committee, an important senate committee, for years, with influence. To give that up was a big decision.

He is actually less influential now, overall. Biden doesn't have anything to do with disability issues; no history there. The W.H. just sent him out there....let's get Mikey to do it. The Kennedy family has a history with disability issues, lots of other people do. But not the Biden family. His area of expertise is foreign affairs.

[Jennicut]

36. Biden has a history of fighting for people who don't always have a voice

Like with the VAWA. The Vice Presidency is what a person makes of it and it seems like between going overseas to talk in Munich and the middle class task force he has plenty to do.

[Honeycombe8]

37. Did he go to Munich? I think he went somewhere. Hard to know. The media doesn't

pay much attention to him. He has very little influence anymore.

Even Obama is making fun of him publicly. I know it was just a joke, and I laughed, too. Biden has this foot in mouth funny thing about him, which I find endearing. But it doesn't increase a VP's standing to be considered an endearing goofball.

I love Biden. I think he would've made a great President. All I'm saying is.... he has less influence than he had in the Senate, and the WH doesn't appear to be taking full advantage of his expertise at this time. Maybe that will change. I hope so. Once we move off economics a bit and onto the national scene.

Biden wears his heart on his sleeve. You look at Biden, and you know how he feels. He isn't happy.

[Jennicut]

38. I think Obama knew what he was getting into and it was little joke that the media tries to make

into a big thing when its not. The MSM is very manipulative. They want to drive perception a certain way all the time. Cheney was so all powerful therefore they will cover Biden as the opposite in every way. I think Joe is very happy as VP. He IS an endearing goofball but with the serious chops to back it up. He is lovable and most normal people like him. I think influence is a matter of looking at things. On the SFRC it was all about foreign policy and with being VP its many different jobs.

[Debi]

39. I disagree

Biden has a career-long history of fighting for people with disabilities.

Just recently the crime vicitims with disabilities act - or his championing of the HCBS programs w/in Medicaid. His co-sponsoring of the IDEA shortly after he was elected to the U.S. Senate and his own speech disability.

Foreign Affairs is only one part of Joe Biden (and yes, the most spoken about in the news papers on Sunday news shows).