Disability groups, councils flex political muscle

Sponsors of the first-ever national convention for people with disabilities and their supporters are organizing a national call-in day on Aug. 27 to the Bush and Kerry campaigns, urging them to attend the Sept. 18 event in Atlantic City.

Both presidential campaigns have expressed serious interest in participating in the convention, organized by the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and co-sponsored by dozens of national, state and local disability organizations. The campaigns have acknowledged that letters and petitions from thousands of people from more than 30 states have significantly moved the event up on their priority list.

Convention sponsors have designated Aug. 27 as National Call-In Day to clinch the candidates’ attendance. They ask all people interested in disability issues to call, fax or email the campaigns urging their participation at the convention.

“It is time to take people with disabilities seriously as a voting bloc. We make up 20 percent of America’s citizens,” says Ethan Ellis, executive director of the council. “We represent all parties and ideologies, but we all agree on many issues—accessible public accommodations and transportation, health care, employment, education. The campaigns can acknowledge the importance of these issues and our constituency by joining us in Atlantic City.”

With the population aging, people with disabilities are the fastest growing group in the country. Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drugs, accessibility and the ADA, long-term care, transportation, Social Security—all are issues this segment of the population watches closely. The success or failure of long-range policy decisions in these areas will significantly effect the health and stability of the country.

This is New Jersey’s fifth convention but the first open to the rest of the nation. Thousands of people with disabilities, their families and friends have come to the previous statewide conventions—the first of their kind as well. Past conventions have attracted major candidates for senator and governor in New Jersey elections.

“People with disabilities across this country know that our futures depend on our active involvement in the political process,” Ellis says. “As the late Justin Dart, father of the Americans with disabilities Act, often said, ‘Vote as if your life depends on it, because it does.’ We are honored that so many around the country have chosen to join us in Atlantic City on September 18 to make their voices heard. We are especially honored that Justin’s wife Yoshiko will continue his leadership there.”

Be heard on August 27th. Contact the campaigns:

BUSH-CHENEY ’04, Inc.
Phone: 703.647.2700
Fax: 703.647.2993
Email: BushCheney04@GeorgeWBush.com
(If you e-mail, please have “Attend 2004 Americans with Disabilities Convention” in the subject line).

Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.
202-712-3000
202-712-3001 (fax)
202-336-6950 (TTY)
E-mail: www.johnkerry.com/contact/
(If you e-mail, please have “Attend 2004 Americans with Disabilities Convention” in the subject line).

More information about the convention and how to be part of it can be found at: www.disabilitiesconvention.com or www.njddc.org