 As an American living with a disability, I have listened intently during this campaign season for the candidate who would best address the needs and concerns of our community. It didn’t take me long to find that candidate in John McCain.
We are 54 million strong and we know all too well the reality of life with inadequate healthcare, inaccessible communities, transportation that is not adapted to persons with disabilities, or open employment opportunities. The time has come for us to lend our support and our voting power to the candidate who understands the needs of our community. We deserve a president who believes that we want to be active members of society, who will support our efforts to join the workforce, and who will set a policy agenda that gives us choice and access to the same services as all Americans so that we too can be part of the American dream.
John McCain was instrumental in crafting key sections of the landmark 1990 ADA legislation, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in hiring and promotions, extending that same protection to disabled people employed by state and local governments.
Today we have the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which helps state and local governments make polling places accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the path of travel, entrances, exits, and voting areas of each polling facility. It affords the disability community the same opportunities for access and participation as all other voters by guaranteeing privacy and independence, providing accessibility information, and training election and polling officials and volunteers on how best to ensure the rights of voters with disabilities are met. Thanks to HAVA, Americans with Disabilities have better access to polling places than ever before.
Thank you for joining this cross-disability coalition, and for visiting and contributing often. My hope is to use this site to empower people with disabilities to vote for John McCain, voice opinions, discuss policy, and help set an agenda that works to benefit all Americans with disabilities.
Individuals with disabilities will be a part of this great nation’s workforce, living in every community, participating in activities, using public transportation and we will vote, not next year, now.
John McCain is the best choice for Americans with disabilities. I believe in him. I support him. With your help our community will elect him as our next president!
Sincerely,
Donna Jones
Coordinator, Americans with Disabilities for McCain
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