Editor:
Regarding the “supernatural innocence” that you perceived in Governor Schwarzenegger (“Town Dandy,” Jan. 21): My work for a non-profit agency has allowed me to meet a great many people in Humboldt County. A large majority of them are people with disabilities and/or seniors and a huge percentage of this group are low-income. The people I’ve talked with are caring, honest, hard-working (if they can work) and contribute much to the community.
I can easily think of several who could not be in Old Town to see the Governor last week. You see, they are people with major disabilities — including paraplegic and quadriplegic individuals — who live in their own homes but are currently without care providers to help them even get out of bed each day. That’s because there’s a shortage of In-Home Support Service (IHSS) workers in this area and this is due to low wages (minimum), no benefits, high stress and a governor who has repeatedly targeted them for cuts, while accusing them of “massive fraud” without providing evidence of that fraud. This is a program that has been shown to save the state money in the long run. He also threw away $26 million in tax dollars in the last budget to fight unsubstantiated “massive fraud” in a program that he was targeting to eliminate anyway.
This governor’s current desire to eliminate IHSS would put hundreds of thousands more out of work in a depressed economy, while leaving approximately 430,000 vulnerable Californians with no options except homelessness and nursing homes (when there are only an estimated 22,000 beds available statewide). It’s no exaggeration to say that many would die as a result.
This governor, when asked in a New York Times article last year if the budget battle bothered him replied, “I don’t walk out of here depressed. I will sit down in my Jacuzzi tonight. I’m going to lay back with a stogie.” In another instance, he displayed his “fun” with being governor while smirking, brandishing a huge knife and talking about budget cuts that are truly hurting and killing people.
This is a governor who has refused to discuss any tax increases or consider other revenue sources that don’t involve smoke and mirrors. Who has sought to circumvent voter initiatives he doesn’t like, then cited others as reason he “can’t” do something. Who has catered to corporate interests (a $2 billion tax break last year … see any jobs yet?) while seeking to gut programs that benefit the common good and the state as a whole. And who recently declared he was “passionate” about education and wanted to provide the quality education he got in Austria (a socialist country with high taxes) even as he has slashed education funding year after year.
I’m sorry, but I will not miss the man at all. Neither will those people who literally couldn’t get out of bed and dressed to go down to Old Town, who have to choose between food and heat this month, who are forced to the St. Joseph emergency room for a tooth infection because of Medi-Cal cuts, who can’t afford to attend school, who have seen their park entrances blocked, etc. They couldn’t ask this elected official why he has consistently made a target of the most vulnerable in the state. They see very little that is “innocent” in this governor.
Let the fun and innocence stay on the big screen where it belongs. Government should not be a Hollywood flick. We’d be a lot better off if we didn’t keep electing celebrities, sports stars, rich lawyers and CEOs who have no clue how the rest of us have to live and no interest in making things better for us.
Glenn Reed, Eureka
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Sweet Spot: Glenn Reed wins a Bon Boniere sundae for sending our favorite letter of the week.
This article appears in Tree Cop.
well said i hope there are not anymore people will vote for a person to help the rich in this country like some who have came out of california
What Glenn said.
Our great leader is choosing to terminate care to the most vulnerable members of our society, AND LOSING MILLIONS TO DO IT! Where’s the downside?
This after handing out 2 Billion dollars in tax cuts to the rich, like candy. But what do you expect from an ex-porn star/male prostitute for the ultra rich at Bohemian Grove? Hey Arnold what was the name of that porno magazine again?
Did I mention his habit of groping women? Suddenly it all fits. Our honorable Governator Cares NOTHING for anyone who isn’t rich, famous, good looking, or connected. In fact he has murderous disdain for most of us, and especially those he sees as easy targets, like people who just need a little help to stay out of the (MORE EXPENSIVE BY FAR) Nursing "Homes" that NOBODY wants to go into.
What’s up Arnold? Weren’t you breast fed?
peace on earth
d
Dear Arnold:
Perhaps I’ve been unfair to you in my above comment.
Maybe you should just ease up on the anti-depressants. They can make you lose track of your behavior and become uncaring and even (In your case) murderous.
Go to http://www.ssristories.com Honorable Governor and read all about the side effects that can occur from taking anti-depressants. Good news! You can use that as a defense in your crimes against humanity trial! Don’t believe me? Google "Prozac Defense" Results 1 – 10
of about 846,000 for Prozac Defense.
Or maybe you’re just trying to one up your dear old (Nazi) daddy? Isn’t that where you got that SS belt buckle you so proudly displayed in national magazines? Feast your eyes yet again on your own magnificence!
http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2007/1101070625_400.jpg
http://www.jonesreport.com/image/02_08/210208_arnold_deathshead.jpg
Or maybe you’re trying to one up Kurt Waldheim (Your Hero UN/Nazi Officer). "We love you Kurt!" Yeah boy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/world/europe/14iht-waldheim.3.6141106.html
Or is it that you’re just trying to "Make your bones" by killing a lot of disabled people so that you can run for President?
Eugenics creds would go far with your Bilderberg and Bohemian Grove buddies! They all love to write about how they want to cull down the population to 500 million worldwide (Give or take a Billion or 2). Hey what a great place to start! Go after those who are least able to defend themselves! And it’s so Hitler like!
Adolph Alois Hitler went after the disabled and the elderly and mentally infirm Germans before he started in on the Poles, Jews and the Gypsy’s. So it’s right up your alley! Go Arnold! And HEY! ALOIS IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME! Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger Wow what a coincidence! And so convenient!
Give em a…..K
Give em an…I
Give em an…L
Give em an…L
WHAT’S THAT SPELL?
WHAT’S THAT SPELL?
WHAT’S THAT SPELL?
peace freedom truth justice
d
Here’s what I find interesting.
"We" "Let" Haiti become one of the worst hell pits in the entire world. MANY OF THEM EAT MUD PIES! THEY PAY 3 CENTS A PIECE FOR THEM! BON APPETITE!
Then "We" (Obama) and the UN etc. . tries to enforce WORLDWIDE carbon credit laws that will make it too expensive to afford the MUD PIES. 6 Cents instead of 3. So prior to the quake "We" were going to take away their dinner. Obama, a real man of the people of the world. Did you hear about it? NO.
And now "WE" are all shook up over the people dying there. This is a function of all the incredible media attention being paid Haiti in the wake of this horrible quake. And rightly so.
BUT THEN:
"WE" in the State of California, are allowing our Governor to cut the In Home Supportive Services budget so severely that people (many of whom only need part time help to live a safe, normal, productive and happy life in the community) will be FORCED to either enter a Convalescent "Care" Facility that most of them are terrified of entering.
To make matters much worse, there are only about 22,000 beds available, that are MUCH more expensive, and there are over 1/2 MILLION people utilizing IHSS services RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN DAMN STATE. (I’ll get more accurate figures and post them soon) But it’s bad.
GOOD, SMART, LOVING PRODUCTIVE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE RIGHT HERE!!! AND SOON TOO. IN APARTMENT FIRES TRYING TO COOK. IN THE STREETS, RUN OVER TRYING TO GET OUT FOR A LOAF OF BREAD. OF EASILY CONTROLLED INFECTIONS. OF EASILY TREATABLE DIABETIC CONDITIONS. OF BED SORES BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO ASSISTANCE TO BE MOVED AROUND DAILY. ALONE, BECAUSE OUR GREAT MEDIA CHOOSES TO IGNORE THIS SLOW SILENT EARTHQUAKE HAPPENING RIGHT BEFORE OUR DAMN EYES!!!
ARNOLD IS SHRUGGING ABOUT IT!!! HE’S BEEN AFTER THEM SINCE HE GOT INTO OFFICE. THEY’VE BEEN NUMBER ONE ON HIS CUTTING AGENDA FROM DAY ONE.
SENATOR ARNISTAD HAS ALREADY COME OUT AND ADMITTED THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE AND BASICALLY SAID "JUST GET USED TO IT"!!!
WHERE ARE THE PREACHERS YELLING AND PROSELYTIZING ABOUT THIS?
WHERE ARE THE CONCERNED CITIZENS?
WHERE ARE THE ADVERTISEMENTS BEGGING FOR MONEY ON EVERY TV CHANNEL?
WHERE IS THE RED CROSS?
WHERE ARE THE CHURCHES, THE TELEVISED FREE CONCERTS, THE MOVIE STARS?
IT’S CALIFORNIA DAMN IT!!!
SO, I GUESS IF THERE’S NO EARTHQUAKE INVOLVED, AND THE MEDIA HASN’T GOT LOTS OF AWFUL PICTURES TO SHOW US 24/7, THE DISABLED PEOPLE OF THIS STATE ARE JUST LIKE THE HAITIANS BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE….
DYING. SILENTLY. IGNORED. OUT OF SIGHT AND MIND.
I GUESS WE CAN PRAY FOR THE BIG ONE SO THAT THE MEDIA CAN GET INVOLVED AND EVERYONE CAN START TEXTING MONEY TO THEM AND THEY CAN AT LEAST HAVE A CHANCE TO SURVIVE.
See the "Governor Terminator" story and thread in this forum for more information. I’ll repost this there as well.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
Peace freedom truth justice
Dave Short
One front on the fight for disability rights that are written into Federal Law but being ignored by the States:
HEY JOURNAL, TAKE NOTE THERE’S A LIFE AND DEATH STORY GOING ON HERE! PLEASE REPORT ON IT!
DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM: ADAPT’s Call to Action for Home and Community in America. (2/2010)
We The People hold our government accountable for enforcing our rights.
As the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act draws near, the disability community is not busy celebrating because we are literally in a fight for our lives and our most basic freedoms.
Eleven years ago, in the Olmstead decision, the Supreme Court said that Americans with disabilities have the right to live in the most integrated setting. Yet today, states are responding to budget shortfalls by drastically cutting home and community-based services. These draconian cuts are forcing seniors and people with disabilities into nursing facilities and other institutional settings because they don’t have the services they need in the community to remain independent.
As states cut vital services, the federal government, which is charged with protecting our civil rights and enforcing the law, is simply standing by – silent – while Americans with disabilities have their most basic freedoms taken away by the states.
The disability community cannot sit by as our freedom is negotiated away in back room budget deals. We must take action!
DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM is a three-prong national campaign initiated by ADAPT to organize the disability community to:
I. DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM: Demanding action by the Obama administration The federal government is responsible for enforcing federal law and assuring that states comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act/Olmstead decision. ADAPT is demanding that the federal government affirmatively and aggressively enforce the Olmstead decision. To do this,the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice, must:
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THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MUST:
1. Accept, investigate and resolve individual and systemic complaints which document state policies and budget cuts that threaten the freedom of Americans with disabilities;
ACTION TO TAKE: ADAPT is urging organizations across the country to sign
on in support of these demands. If your organization would like to support this campaign, email
DOF.signon@gmail.com
II. DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM: Filing complaints to protect our freedom
The Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and Department of Justice are charged with protecting the civil rights of Americans with disabilities who want to live in the most integrated setting. Although they are able to affirmatively enforce the law without specific complaints, these agencies typically take action only when complaints are filed. We need to file complaints that document the violation of rights of individuals who have been forced into institutional settings, denied community services, or have had their community services reduced. We must also file complaints that document the state policies and budget cuts that steal the freedom to we are entitled under the Olmstead decision.
ACTION TO TAKE: ADAPT has prepared a form you can download and fax to us
toll free at 1-888-324-0787. We will forward your complaint to the Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights, the appropriate HHS/OCR Regional office, and the Department of Justice. If you choose to file your complaint yourself, please notify us at
DOF.complaint@gmail.com
that you have filed a complaint and, if possible, send ADAPT a copy.
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PART 3 CONTINUED FROM ABOVE:
III. DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM: Fighting back and sharing our stories
Even though there are different battles in individual states, we are fighting the same fight. To strengthen these efforts across the country, our campaign will collect personal and state stories about the effects of budget cuts and the efforts to fight back against them. ADAPT has created a website
http://www.defendingourfreedom2010.blogspot.com
where we can post information and pictures of your advocacy. This will create a public record of the disability community’s efforts to stop cuts and hopefully inspire others across the country to speak up and speak out, too. State advocates can also submit individual calls to action so that we can support each other’s efforts.
ACTION TO TAKE: Send submissions to defendingourfreedom@gmail.com . And remember to keep up on what groups are doing by reading the blog:
http://www.defendingourfreedom2010.blogspot.com .
Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues
344thBrother / Dave Short we are watching every move you make.