Does Terry McAuliffe care for disabled people?

Besides admitting to ditching his wife for politics not a lot of people are aware of how McAuliffe ignored people with disabilities while he was chairman of the DNC back in 2004. 

In a letter written by the Center for Disability Rights to Terry McAuliffe requesting that he publicly apologize for the attitudes of the then Senator John Edward's blithe and uncaring attitude towards people with disabilities like patting on the heads of adults in wheelchairs.

Here's the letter in question:


March 2, 2004

Mr. Terry McAuliffe, Chairman
Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol Street SE
Washington DC, 20003

Re: Disability Issues and the Democratic Party

Dear Mr. McAuliffe:

The disability community is appalled that disability issues have been excluded from the speeches and debates of the Democratic Presidential contenders. We are further outraged at the actions of one candidate in particular, Senator John Edwards.

As you are aware, there have been significant issues with the way that Senator Edwards has interacted with people with disabilities. During a campaign stop in Rochester, NY, Senator Edwards’ staff did not make American Sign Language Interpreters available, despite the fact that Rochester has the largest per capita number of Deaf people in the world. During this same campaign stop, while Senator Edwards was shaking hands with the audience, he actually patted two women who use wheelchairs on the head.

As if this was not enough, on March 1, 2004, the NY Times ran an Op-Ed piece written by Senator Edwards, in which Senator Edwards provides a comparison between a person’s life before the person acquired a disability and after. To illustrate this comparison, Senator Edwards writes, “And the once broad-shouldered man now spent his days hunched in a wheelchair, surrounded by fast-food containers, overflowing ashtrays and plastic bags filled with his own urine. He was forced to communicate by typing words on a keyboard.”

Once again, Senator Edwards has managed to reinforce a deep systemic bias that individuals with disabilities must confront everyday. His description of this person with a disability is actually a perpetuation of a stereotype of our community. The perpetuation of stereotypes about any minority group is simply unacceptable behavior. In addition, his attempt at conjuring sympathy for people with disabilities is equally offensive. Our community does not want sympathy or pity; we deserve the same respect that is afforded to any other group.

That Senator Edwards, and the rest of the Democratic Presidential contenders, refuse to talk about our issues and instead resort to stereotypical depictions of individuals with disabilities is an outrage. Senator Edwards’ actions, and the lack of disability issues in the public discourse, reflect badly on the entire Democratic Party.

Therefore, we are requesting a public apology from the Democratic National Party regarding Senator Edwards’s behavior and the exclusion of disability issues. In addition, we are requesting that you meet with ADAPT and leaders from the disability community by March 31, 2004 to discuss how the Democratic Party will address the issues that are important to voters with disabilities.

Please contact Bruce Darling at 585-370-6690 to arrange for this meeting.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Darling, Center for Disability Rights, Rochester, NY


cc: Becky Ogle, Director Disability Outreach, DNC
Daniel Okrent, Public Editor, NY Times
Senator John Edwards


In all those years did Terry McAuliffe ever issued a public apology from the DNC where he was once the chairman? Would anybody expect an apology from a guy who is very 'me-centric' where he's all about his wining and dining and back-smacking and schmoozing with the rich elite in politics?

Not really.

Civil Rights History in Both Political Parties

A Civil Rights claim:

Civil Rights laws to help blacks have all happened because of Democratic push.

That's factually false. Historically and legislatively false regarding Civil Rights laws. 

Here's a little history lesson for people who do not know. Republicans have championed Civil Rights and supported freedom and liberties for minorities for over a 140 years while Democrats did this for over 50 years.

First, it was the Republicans who brought forth a series of Civil Rights Acts to the forefront beginning in 1866. And then you have the 1870, 1871, 1875, 1957, 1960 and 1964 Civil Rights Acts. A century worth of repression by Democrats who pretty much didn't want to do anything with black people and sought ways to lessen any liberties given to blacks by Republicans in Congress during the late 19th century and early part of the 20th century. This is true during a period of time when you had Democrat controlled Congress in much of the 20th century who sought ways to strike down or restrict previous Civil Rights Acts by passing laws and such that restricted the freedom and liberties of black Americans by reversing what Republicans in Congress have tried to do right beginning in 1866. It was only during the 1960s that Democrats began to progressively do the right thing and to uphold civil rights for minorities.

It was the Republicans in Congress and even Republican presidents who have done the right thing in the 19th and 20th century but only to see Democrats reverse their efforts in order to limit any freedom given to blacks and minorities.

Party In Power - Congress and Presidency - A Visual Guide To The Balance of Power In Congress, 1945-2008

File:Control of the U.S. Senate.PNG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And then you then have more Democrats joining with Republicans who helped contribute to the 1964 and 1968 Civil Rights Acts. Before any of this was possible Congress had to abolish slavery first by passing the 13th Amendment on April 8, 1865. 100% of the Republicans in Congress voted for the Amendment while 63% of the Democrats were against it in the Senate vote. This Amendment set the stage for future Civil Rights Acts and other Amendments.
13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)

1866 - the first Civil Rights Act passed by most Republicans (67%) while most of the Democrats (90%) voted against Senate bill #61.
TO PASS S. 61. -- GovTrack.us
Slavery and the Making of America . The Slave Experience: Legal Rights; Gov't | PBS

The Senate passed the 14th Amendment on June 8, 1866, by a vote of 33 to 11 (33 Republicans voted yes, while 3 Republicans and 8 Democrats voted no).
14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)

TO PASS H. J. RES. 127. (P. 3042-2) -- GovTrack.us

Then in 1869 in a Republican-controlled 40th Congress voted for the 15th Amendment giving blacks the right to vote. Nearly all Republicans in Congress voted in favor, though a few abstained, saying it did not go far enough. Nearly all Democrats in Congress voted against the 15th Amendment.

The House of Representatives passed the 15th Amendment on February 25, 1869, by a vote of 144 to 44, and the Senate passed the 15th Amendment on February 26, 1869, by a vote of 39 to 13. On March 30, 1870, Secretary of State Hamilton Fish issued a proclamation certifying the ratification of the 15th Amendment by the states.

15th Amendment to the Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)

1870, 1871, and 1875 Civil Rights Act - All passed mostly by Republicans in Congress. Special note on the 1871 Civil Rights Act:

Quote:

1871- Republicans Outlawed the Ku Klux Klan. In 1871, the Republican-controlled 42nd Congress passed a Civil Rights Act aimed at the Ku Klux Klan. Guilty of murdering hundreds of African-Americans, this terrorist organization had also eradicated the Republican Party throughout most of the South. The law empowered the Republican administration of Ulysses Grant to protect the civil rights of the former slaves in federal court, bypassing the Democrat-controlled state courts. The 1871 Civil Rights Act, along with the GOP’s 1870 Civil Rights Act, effectively banned the Klan and enabled Republican officials to arrest hundreds of Klansmen. Though the U.S. Supreme Court would eventually strike down most of the 1871 Civil Rights Act, the Ku Klux Klan was crushed. The KKK did not rise again until the Democratic administration of President Woodrow Wilson.

Black History « It is time to wake up America !

In 1957 Democrats decided to join in on the push with Republicans to help enact a new 1957 Civil Right Acts.  It wasn't until 1991 when the Democrat party took the lead on the percentage number of votes over the Republican party when they voted for the 1991 Civil Rights Act.

1957 Civil Rights Act - passed with 93% of the Republican votes and 59% of the Democrats votes in the Senate.  Republican President Dwight Eisenhower sign the first Civil Rights Act in 82 years. 
HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. PASSED. -- GovTrack.us

1960 Civil Rights Act - 83% of the Republicans in the Senate voted for it while 64% of the Democrats voted for the HR #8601 bill. And this was a Democratically controlled Congress (65 Democrats vs 35 Republicans).
HR. 8601. PASSAGE OF AMENDED BILL. -- GovTrack.us

1964 Civil Rights Act - 81% of the Senate Republicans voted for the bill while 64% of the Democrats voted for the bill. This was during a Democratically controlled Congress with 64 Democrats vs 32 at the time of the vote (4 Senate seats were vacant).
HR. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. MANSFIELD MOTION THAT THE SENATE TAKE UP THE BILL. -- GovTrack.us

Civil Rights Act of 1968 - 68% of Democrats voted for the H.R. 2516 bill while 91% of Republicans voted for the same bill in the Senate with Democrats in control the seats.
Y=71 N=20 TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING, AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. -- GovTrack.us

House of Representatives with 86% of the votes being Republicans and 71% of the votes being Democrats.
TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES. -- GovTrack.us

Civil Rights Act of 1991 - 96% of Democrats voted for the S 1745 bill while 88% of the Republicans voted for the same bill in the Senate.
S. 1745 (102nd): Civil Rights Act of ... (On Passage of the Bill) -- GovTrack.us

95% of Democrats in the Senate voted for the bill while 77% of Republicans voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1991 bill.
S. 1745 (102nd): Civil Rights Act of ... (On Passage of the Bill) -- GovTrack.us


So, now you know the legislative history on Civil Rights where one or both parties sought ways to help blacks and minorities attain their freedom and Civil Rights as would be granted for any human beings.

Governor Palin signs "Thank You" at end of RNC Speech

At approximately 39:14 into the video you can see her sign exactly the same signing motion as in the Gratitude Campaign by signing "Thank you" which matched with what she was saying to the crowd (or perhaps to troops or deaf people?). But at 39:19 she signs "Thank you" as one would sign in ASL and you can briefly see her mouth the words "Thank you" right before the camera pulled away from her. It sure does look like she signed "Thank you."


Governor Sarah Palin's RNC Speech.



Short clip version of the "Gratitude Campaign." Of course, some in the Deaf community raised a needless big stink over this style of gesture saying it was "wrong" when it wasn't really at all.

Its....Governor Palin for Veep!

McCain chooses Governor Palin for his vice president pick!


P A L I N!

What does she bring for the Republican party?


Palin is open to ANWR drilling.

She visits our wounded troops in Germany while Obama does not.

Palin is against earmark spending.

She's has 5 years of executive experience which is way more than "O"bama which he has 0 (zero) experience and plus many more years in political office than "O"bama.

Sarah Palin began serving in political office in 1992. Barack Obama began serving in 1997. (For the benefit of our resident hippie trolls, I'll do the math for you: Palin's been in public office FIVE years longer than the Messiah.) Joe Biden has been in the U.S. Senate forever. So, in terms of total years of public service, the three stack up as follows:

1. Biden
2. Palin
3. Obama

In terms of executive experience, there's not even a contest. Sarah Palin first served in an executive capacity in 1997, and took over her first state-level executive branch position in 2003. From what I can determine, Barack Obama has never served in an executive capacity at any level, and Joe Biden has never served in an executive capacity at any level. So, in terms of executive experience, the three stack up as follows:

1. Palin
2. Biden and Obama (tied, with zero each.)

She voted NO to the bridge to no where.

Several staunch Hillary supporters who refuse to vote Obama do like her

She had done so much to cut wasteful spending in Alaska. Her approval rating in the 90s and is the most popular governor in Alaska (probably in any state), when she took office in 2006.

She is a conservative.

She is a lifetime NRA member.

She is a mother.

She gave birth to a son last year with Down Syndrome and while she was pregnant she took a genetic screening test of her fetus and found out her unborn son has D.S. The doctor suggested to her three times on aborting her son. She refused! A staunch pro-life supporter, obviously.

She fiscally conservative and has proven it over the last two years since 2006 as governor of Alaska by curtailing wasteful government spending. Even reducing her own salary and getting rid of a corporate jet that cost tax-payers too much money.

She is certainly NOT a protectionist.

Palin's son is about to go to Iraq. He's in the Army.

She's an athlete.

Snow mobiler champion, I believe.

Loves hockey.

A solid, fiscally responsible, conservative Republican. A reformer on spending. And just an all around smart and classy lady. Even James Dobson today said that he'd pull that lever and vote

Her nick name given to her while in high school? "Baracuda." Her nickname is apt now if you read this story about her. And more stuff on her here.

Now, I feel much better on voting for McCain than I did before. No nose plug for me on this one. I will now throw my full support behind McCain and Palin for 2008.

McCain/Palin for 2008!