Let's get to work on H.R. 3101

Well, there's another piece of legislation out there that needs our
attention urgently. What is this legislation, you ask? It is H.R. 3101,
the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. Right now it
only has two co-sponsors, something which is abysmal to me. We all,
including me, need to get it in gear if we want to see this legislation
passed. I ask this question; do we want access to the latest internet-based
technology? I know I do. What type of access would this legislation
provide? Let's look at some of what is in the bill.

Some of the provisions include:
1. Full hearing aid compatibility for all devices such as cell phones and
Internet-based devices. No longer will you have to wait for your spouse to
get something so you can try it to make sure you can use it. I've been
there with my current cell phone and don't want to have to go there again.
2. Restoration of the modest requirements for video description but also
requiring this for digital TV.
3. Screens smaller than 13 in would have to provide closed captioning and
this does include content that migrates to the Internet. Video description
is also included here.
4. Accessible menus and user interfaces for devices. How many things can
you not access due to inaccessible menus?
5. Nonvisual information regarding emergency warnings. No longer would you
have to go get your radio or ask someone what is going on and hope that the
tornado doesn't reach you before knowing what is about to take place.
6. $10 million worth of funding a year for people who are deaf-blind so
that they can get the communications equipment they need in order to access
communications services such as text messaging, TY and/or TRS as well as
face-to-face communications. This contributes to less isolation, more
independence and better chances for employment for starters.
7. Establish a process for the provision of real-time text capability. No
longer would you have to worry about which IM service you use.
8. Clarification of Life-link, Link-up and relay to relay requirements to
make sure they are relevant to our needs.

These ;are just some of the things which are contained in this huge bill.
This version also enjoys some support from industry. Companies such as AT&T
and Verizon do support this legislation. It's a chance we cannot squander.

What do we need to do? We need to contact our Representative, especially
since they will be back in the districts in August, and let them know how
much this legislation means to us. We need to tell our stories and
encourage them to co-sponsor this legislation. We want access now. We
don't want to be left behind. For one thing, I want to be able to make use
of Instant Messaging but now am limited by the technology I currently have
due to the fact that these things don't work across platforms. There is no
standard for these things, something which I believe this legislation will
address. It's a problem which needs to be addressed too.

If we want access, we need to get to work and seek co-sponsors. We have
approximately 129 co-sponsors on pedestrian safety legislation in the House.
Let's work to get that number on H.R. 3101. Over 4400 of us say we want
this legislation passed by signing the COAT petition. Let's put our words
into action by seeking co-sponsors. I plan to do my part. What about you?

Obama Care no thanks

When it comes to health care reform, I say no thanks to Obama Care. There
is too much not to like about this piece of garbage that is being crammed
down our collective throats. Cost is but one thing. There is stuff
coming out about some provisions too. Just do a Google search on "mandatory
end of life counseling" and you will come up with a bunch of stuff. This
wasn't possible yesterday apparently but is today. That is referred to as
Section 1233 and does exist. Reading the legislation itself is a dry read
so seek summaries elsewhere. From what I have heard about what is in that
section, I want nothing to do with it. It tells certain people that they
should end their lives for the sake of society. That's wrong and this bill
ought to be dead just for that; but that's not the only reason to kill it.

I have also heard that making more streamlined plans available would be
impossible. In other words, new policies of this type would be next to
impossible to write. Is that a good thing? No it isn't because the
government can't run anything. Just look at what they presently attempt to
run. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the financial sector, not to mention
what they currently run in health care. Bureaucracies are by nature bloated
and inefficient. For example if my husband and I see the same provider, his
claim will process sooner because he is not going through a government
program and I am. Does that tell you anything?

The Republicans say this would lead to socialism and they are right. I
don't want what would amount to rationing of health care in this country.
Section 1233 would make some people expendable and I as a person with a
disability resent that very strongly. You don't put decisions about who
lives and who dies in the hands of low-paid bureaucrats. Even Betsy McCoy,
a Democrat herself, did not think this ought to be in the hands of
government.

This bill would also be a jobs killer as it would tax the crap out of the
rich in order to pay for it. Again it punishes success. In the minds of
the liberals, if you are successful, you are evil. Not true and it's about
time that they figure this out. We didn't get to where we are in this
country by punishing success and we won't remain there if we do punish
success.

While saying no thank you to Obama Care, here are some things I would like
to see in a responsible effort to reform health care:
1. No coverage for illegal aliens. This would get some 12 million mostly
uninsured off the rolls. Yes this would mean showing proof of citizenship
but this is necessary to keep those who have already broken the law off the
rolls. Heck, maybe we can actually catch some of these people and send them
back to their country of origin which might save money elsewhere including
law enforcement.
2. Power under Medicare Part D to negotiate for lower prescription prices.
This should have been done in the original legislation but was not due to
who was involved in the writing of that legislation.
3. Coverage for vision-related services. This includes orientation and
mobility, rehabilitation teaching, etc. for someone who is just losing their
sight. People who have a stroke, for example, have the equipment they need
covered. The services of a physical or occupational therapist are also
covered. Vision services and equipment should be covered at the same rates
as for other professionals and equipment.
4. Requirements for standards for independently accessible prescription
information for people who are blind or visually impaired. This would cut
down on health care costs by cutting the number of mistakes and accidents
with medication that is not identifiable or instructions and other
information that is not known to the patient because they can't identify it
or see the instructions. It's better to have the patient properly taking
their medication rather than the patient ending up in the hospital due to
improper use of that medication.
5. Coverage for hearing aids as these are not cosmetic. They help a person
hear better and increase independence thus saving money on health care. If
cochlear implants are not considered experimental, then coverage might need
to be looked at here as well.

These are just a few things I would like to see in any reform package but
Obama Care can die a merciful death for the sake of the country.

To show an I.D. or not to show an I.D.

There has been a lot of discussion on an E-mail list I am on,
both public and private, regarding the carrying of I.D.s for
guide dog handlers. While some say this is not required under
the ADA, I'm not so sure. However, one of those who is saying
this is someone I respect for his knowledge on the law and this
person even thinks that maybe a change is needed.

I have also advocated on and off this list for standardization of
training for other service dogs, something which won't happen
overnight but certainly needs to happen. It didn't happen
overnight with guide dogs either and it won't happen overnight
with other service animals, particularly dogs, but I think it
will eventually happen and needs to happen. There needs to also
be standards and licensure for private trainers. While there
are some private trainers who might be good, there are others who
are horrible and who use this to take their precious little pets
with them everywhere they go. That's an abuse that must be
stopped for the sake of those who use service animals
legitimately.

Standards and licensure are used for other professions and no
one screams bloody
murder about that
but when it comes to
showing an I.D. to
prove your dog is a
legitimate guide
dog, then people
scream bloody murder
and use the law to
hide their laziness
about showing an
I.D. I would think
that you would have
a better case if,
after showing the
I.D., there is
discrimination. How
come people don't
scream bloody murder
about having to have
an I.D. for
paratransit, yet
they scream bloody
murder about having
to show a stinking
I.D. related to
having a guide dog.
What's the big
freaking deal? You
pull out the I.D.,
show it and put the
freaking thing away.
Is that too much to
ask? How do these
screamers do
anything in today's
society where you
have to have an I.D.
to fly, ride Amtrak
and cash a check,
just to name a few
things one must have
an I.D. in order to
do.

Standards and an I.D. will hopefully come sooner rather than
later so that people cannot use private training to take their
precious little pets everywhere with them. Anyone who is good at
training should not mind having to submit to standards to prove
the creditability of their training. Anyone who screams about
this must know that they cannot qualify for licensure, pure and
simple.

BTW this is one of many reasons why I won't get a dog in the
first place.

The importance of access

Once again, the subject says it all; but does the community get it? I'm not
sure about the answer to the second half of that question though. What
might you ask am I referring to? Well, it's that thing called digital TV,
or should I say don't watch TV independently anymore. The latter name
applies if you must use a converter box to convert analog signal into
digital signal. In this case, it is entirely driven by inaccessible menus
so that one MUST have sighted help just to watch a TV show. This has been
illustrated very plainly to me at work the last couple of days when I have
gone on break. Both days, I have had to call someone to help me with the TV
and that's not a good feeling either. I knew the disappearing remote was
going to be a problem; but I did not realize fully the fact that I would
lose independent access. While I'm angry about this one, I'm not in a
position to file a complaint as my employer would have to agree to it and
this is a place that I just won't go. I want to keep my job, especially in
these tough economic times. BTW this is not an issue at home as we have
cable,thank God.

However, those who were in a position to do so should have been filing
complaints long before the conversion happened. How can the government do
anything about a problem if no one files a complaint, especially when there
is assistance available to help with the filing of such complaints. There
is one individual that I know of who has been urged by more than one person
to file a complaint but for some reason, unknown to this author, will not
file a complaint. How are we supposed to get access when people in a
position to do so won't file complaints? Well, don't come crying to me when
you lose access to TV and more because you can't access the menus. Keep in
mind that this is the same issue with the DVDs, not to mention the players
in that case. In case anyone is asking, I do include myself when it comes
to the DVD comments. Also keep in mind that phone service is going digital
through use of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and the ability to access
it through your cable company; and some of this isn't accessible either.
Then there is the fact that the relay service is going to video as is phone
service for the deaf itself through the use of the video phone (VP). Once
again, this brings up access issues in the deaf-blind community. When will
this community unite and demand access?

I have a question for everyone who reads this. That question is how long
will it take for us to realize the importance of access? Then how long will
it take for us to demand such access? Or, will we continue to be left
behind in this brave new digital world? I'll let the reader decide.

Mobility options cane vs. dog guide

Recently, there has been a discussion of an incident in Texas regarding a
woman and her guide dog. She fussed over the use of the term "seeing eye"
to describe the dog and got into a tussle with the police when she tried to
correct them. She pointed to the harness and tried to show them a book
which had all of the laws in it. It is questionable whether she showed the
actual ID or not.

It has been said that the ADA does not require these IDs and that they are
required only for guide dogs. I hope I am understanding this correctly but
that could be faulty as that has been known to happen. In any case, this
whole thing has led me to some thoughts. Regarding mobility options. I use
a cane and am quite content with it as I don't have the major hassles that a
dog guide team has, the above story being but one of those hassles.

I call it a hassle. Others might call it a responsibility; but either way,
it is a problem or situation I don't want to deal with. There are other
responsibilities or hassles with using a guide dog. You have to take care
of them, feed them, relieve them, make sure their vet records are up to
date, etc. With a cane, you don't have any of these problems and you avoid
the fights in restaurants such as I opened this entry with. You can just
put your cane in a corner and forget about it when you come home, not so
with a dog.

Guide dogs can be a wonderful option for those who are willing and able to
take on that responsibility; but too many think that once they get a dog,
they can just go and go anywhere. Well, you still have to have the mobility
skills necessary to travel well and some of us, myself included, just don't
have the skills for whatever reason. One needs to think about their
lifestyle and whether having a dog would fit into that lifestyle. Quite
frankly, it would not for me as we travel quite a bit. We also live in a
condo which is not fair to a dog.

With regard to the issue of IDs, I think this should be mandatory for all
types of service dogs. This is one way of knowing which ones are legitimate
and which ones are not; and also which people are trying to use this
designation to have their pets ride with them in the cabin of a plane rather
than in the cargo holds where pets ride. We have lisences for drivers. Is
it too much to ask to have official IDs for dog guide and other service dog
teams. I speak of dogs as I believe these are the only legitimate service
animals which will put me at odds with some people for sure. I, however,
can't see letting many other types of animals into public facilities under
the guise of "service animal". I know this is a sensitive issue and just
another reason why I won't have a dog.

In the opening story, I don't have any doubt that the woman's rights were
violated but maybe an ID could have quickly diffused the situation. Only
time and a thorough investigation will tell us for sure whether this is the
case. I don't know whether we have heard the last of this story; and the
issues are certainly ones we have not heard the last of by a long shot.

Politics and nominations

Once again we have a nomination for Supreme Court justice. This
means that the fighting and nastiness will begin. There will be
a fight based on ideology over this nomination. However, the
Republicans need to be careful due to the double standard
employed in politics in this country. There are things that the
Democrats, which usually means liberals, can say and not suffer
any consequences. However, if the Republicans, which usually
means conservatives, say the same thing, then all hell breaks
loose. There is one big reason for this and it has to do with
the fact that the "mainstream media" is biased toward the
liberals or Democrats.

Let me illustrate what I mean. When Robert Bork was nominated to
the Supreme Court, Sen. Edward Kenedy set out to destroy him and
succeeded in doing just that without suffering any consequences
for his actions. Then you had the contentious nomination of
Clarence Thomas. Did the Democrats suffer any consequences for
this one? No they didn't but we sure haven't heard from Anita
Hill thank God.

You have the nomination of Miguel Esttrada to the Appellate Court
and there was a major filibuster in the Senate. Finally Estrada
said enough and withdrew. We haven't heard from him since. He
has the same compelling story that Sotamayor does with a big
difference. Estrada is conservative and Sotamayor is liberal.
which made Estrada "the wrong kind of Hispanic". Alberto
Gonzalez for Attorney General under President George W. Bush is
another example of a Hispanic being destroyed because he was "the
wrong kind of Hispanic".

The Democrats, however, have never suffered any consequences for
trashing these fine people. However, if Republicans did the same
thing, there would have been hell to pay, not to mention
consequences for the actions.

I hope that Republicans will use Sotamayor's words against her in
this process. Obama wanted someone with "empathy" which is a
liberal code word for judicial activism or making law from the
bench. Republicans tend to be what are called strict
constructionists which means they tend to interpret the
Constitution rather than make law from the bench; and tend to
nominate judicial candidates who fit this philosophy. The
Democrats feel the need to make law from the bench because they
can't always get their liberal ideas through the legislative
branch which is where laws are properly made.

We don't need judges making law from the bench and this is an
appointment that will affect the country for decades to come as
it is a lifetime appointment. Let's put someone on the Court who
understands the proper role of the judiciary. That will serve
the country much better than having essentially two legislative
branches. Only time will tell how contentious this one will get.

The change I did not vote for

President Obama has brought change to this country all right; but it wasn't the type of change I voted for.  This is one voter who was not hoodwincked by the mystique that is Obama.  I voted for John McCain and I am proud of that vote.  Many people say they voted for hope and change.  However, is what we are getting right now the hope and change they voted for?  Only they can answer that question but I would venture to say that the answer is probably no in the eyes of some of them.

 

Let's go through the changes that we have seen and decide if they are hope and change or fear, desperation and demogogery.

 

First we have the bailout of the auto industry which is turning out to be more trouble, not to mention a mes, than was first envision before the One Big Almighty Mistake America (OBAMA took office.  We now have government ownership of two automobile companies. Is this what America voted for?  I certainly didn't.  Does anyone think that this will succeed?  I don't because the government and the union each don't know how to run anything.  That not withstanding, we the taxpayers own 70% of GM which I will now call Government Motors as the name fits.  The One Big Almighty Mistake America has seen fit to ride roughshod over the bankruptcy laws; and fortunately, the GM bond holers were not fooled.  They saw what happened to Chrysler and did not want to play the game.  For this reason General Motors is almost certainly headed for bankruptcy and should have been allowed to fail.  The One Big Almighty Mistake America rode roughshod over the bankruptcy laws in the Chrysler bailout and they will do it again if they can get away with it.  What makes anyone think that the government won't meddle in the business of these companies such as firing executives, mandating what materials are used and more.  There is nothing stopping them andyou know they will do it.  Hell,they have already fired Rick Wagner, former CEO at General Motors.  This whole mes falls in the fear, desperation and demogery category.

 

The next change not to be voted for was the huge budget deficits brought on by such proposals as porkulus, spendulus which is better known as the Economic Stimulus bill which only serves to stimulate the spending of taxpayer dollars and not much more.  With this money comes mandates and the heavy hand of the Washington liberals.  The administration is telling states how to spend the money or threatening them with the loss of that money if they do things that the left does not like.  California is a case in point.  They were forced to rescind a pay cut to home health care workers or risk losing their stimulus money.  I thinkyou know what happened there.  Again,, this falls in the category of fear, desperation and demogogery; not to mention intimidation and control, with this administration being one big control freak.

 

Another change that the One Big Almighty Mistake America wants is national health care which is code for rationed health care.    One of the ways that is proposed to pay for this mistake is through a tax on employer health benefits with the claim being made that this will even the playing field as these plans are not currently taxed.  If you believe that one, I have ocean front property in Minesota to sell you.    Once again, we are talking about fear, desperation and demegogery, not to mention intimidation and control as they want to control what you eat through taxes.  The disability community better be real careful here because rationed health care has huge dire implications for our community.  Once again, not much good comes from the Democrats to our community; but this is a subject for another day.

 

Then there's cap and trade which the One Big Almighty Mistake America has already admitted will necessarily jack up your electricity rates.  How does he intend to pay for this?  My answer is he intends to bankrupt the country to pay for all of the unwanted change.

 

This unwanted change comprises three cars on the train wreck that is the Obama administration.  The other car on this train is the ill-thought-out credit card legislation which I spoke of earlier today.  Maybe the massive deficit that this out-of-control administration will run up should be the fifh car on this train wreck that is moving much too fast for my liking. 

 

It is bitterly ironic that some in the foreign pres are asking if we know what we are doing, especially considering how liberal those countries are.  is this administration going further than some of these countries?  Who knows but that's a scary thought that I don't think American voters bargained for.  I haven't even mentioned the weak foreign policy and the dangers posed by both North Korea and Iran.  Can we add three more cars to the train wreck?  I sure can and just did.

 

Will 2010 be too late?  I fear ever more that it could be.  Remember the scale of 0-100 for hope and change, with 100 being all hope and change and 0 being scared to death.  The last time I mentioned this scale, I was at about a 10 from a 60.  Well I aminching ever closer to that 0 mark, placing myself at about a 2 right now.  What a real scary thought.  Can it get any worse?  I think it can and we won't recognize this great country either by the time it's over if we even survive.