An editorial ran last week in The Buffalo News by Jacqualine Berger, a faculty member at Empire State College and a member of the DIsability Rights and Concerns Committie of United University Professions, speaking about the way each presidential candidate would address disability in this country. According to Ms. Berger, the Obama-Biden ticket went a long way into exploring and addressing disability issues in their platform while the McCain-Palin camp did not. Senior partner Jeffrey Lichtman sees clients every day who are fighting disability matters, and had these comments to add to the opinion column:
Following the result of the 2008 Presidential Election, many Americans are hoping for policy changes for disabled citizens and their families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s "Plan to Empower People with Disabilities" is one that we can expect will enhance the lives of those living and coping with disabilities on a daily basis. The most important component of this plan is the Community Choice Act, which will end the current institutional biases and instead provide disabled individuals and their families the opportunity to choose how and where their care is administered.
The significance of reform for disabled people is that now, many of the people I represent will receive adequate and appropriate care. All too often I see people of all ages come into my office who have been poorly treated, mis-diagnosed, and suffering unnecessarily. If the president elect keeps these promises, the hope is that the rights of the disabled will be ensured and protected.
