Sunday, July 27, 2008

Disability Law

I find the last paragraph of the excerpts from the AP article (below) to be a great example of doublespeak.
For more in depth information on the bill referenced below and the issues surrounding it, go here.

McCain vows to back changes to disabilities law
By Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press Writer
Jul 26, 2008

COTTONWOOD, Ariz. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain is pledging support for a proposal to expand protections for disabled people under an 18-year-old landmark civil rights law.

Speaking from Arizona by satellite to a disabilities forum in Columbus, Ohio, McCain said Saturday that revisions to the Americans With Disabilities Act must leave no doubt that it was intended to protect from any discrimination that's based on physical or mental disabilities.

The Supreme Court generally has exempted from the law's protection people with partial physical disabilities, as well as people with physical impairments that can be treated with medication or devices such as hearing aids.

"We must clarify the definition of a disability to assure full protection for those the law is intended to serve," said McCain, who was spending the weekend at his nearby northern Arizona getaway.
...
McCain said blame for the narrowed scope of the law shouldn't be placed on the Supreme Court, but rather on Congress. "In all due respect, I would put the blame right back on us for not writing legislation that is strong enough and specific enough so that the Supreme Court wouldn't even have to consider these cases," McCain said.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

McCain’s record of voting against issues important to people with disabilities speaks for itself. This recent complete reversal on his views is nothing more than typical McCain political pandering.

Hygeian said...

Hi Stephen,
Thanks for the comment! I started writing a response here but have moved it up to a post.