Obama's ups and downs

One year into his presidency, the jury’s still out on Barack Obama, says Oregon-based journalist Dan Lawton, though hopes remain high for a better deal for disabled Americans

A year after galvanizing the support of the disability community during his historic election, US President Barack Obama has received mixed reviews on how he has handled disability policy.

Critics say the Obama administration has done little beyond an effort to increase employment of individuals with disabilities in the public sector.

Meanwhile, the administration has raised the ire of Americans with disabilities on two occasions with insensitive comments made by Obama and his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel.

Yet other disability advocates report that the White House has shown a commitment to disability reform that has been, at least in spirit, impressive. They paint a picture in which the administration is responsive to approaches from a wide range of organisations and shows a genuine desire to promote social change.

With a number of critical legislative measures pending, most disability advocates are cautiously optimistic that significant reform is on the horizon. But even before a vote was polled, disabled Americans had high expectations.

While on the campaign trail, Obama impressed the disability community by laying out a comprehensive and much-lauded plan for disability reform. As a result, he was championed as a stronger leader on disability issues than his opponent, Senator John McCain.

The President also sparked excitement when he named the disability community in his election night speech.

“It was a stunning acknowledgement of power to a community that has been historically disenfranchised,” said Jelena Woehr, a journalist and disability advocate who wrote extensively about disability issues during the campaign.

“He didn’t address Americans with disabilities in a pitying way but recognised them as the powerful constituency they are.”

Advocates also felt Obama’s election was a watershed moment that might expedite reform. “A lot of us thought disability issues would immediately become a higher priority than before,” said Barb Trader, executive director of TASH, an organisation that lobbies for disability rights.

However, due to the lack of reform in the first year, some in the disability community have become disillusioned. While Trader understands, she thinks the stagnancy is primarily due to the legislative morass of healthcare reform and not a lack of commitment.

Proposed healthcare reform has recently found itself bogged down in a political quagmire.

The healthcare reform bill passed both the House and Senate in different forms in the winter, but has been temporarily derailed by the election of Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, which stripped Democrats of the supermajority they need to pass the bill. A source of heated controversy throughout the nation, it also sparked some of the most biting criticisms of Obama’s disability policy.

In April, 91 activists from direct action organisation ADAPT were arrested in Washington, DC after chain­ing themselves to the White House fence in protest at the legislation’s not contain­ing the Community Choice Act, which would provide funds for community-based care.

President Obama had voiced support for the legislation during his campaign and ADAPT believed he had reneged on his promise.

“We were promised change but we’re just getting more of the same thing,” said ADAPT member Bruce Darling.

However, in later versions of the healthcare bill, the Community First Option (CFO) was included. The CFO allocates a modest increase in federal funds to states that emphasise community-based services and is applauded by most advocates.

Some of the shine may have worn off early when the President used what was seen as insensitive language.

It is widely suggested that the administration’s biggest mistakes on disability issues came not from a lack of ambitious policymaking but a series of rather unfortunate faux pas, one of which was made by the President himself. In March, during an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, President Obama said his poor bowling skills were “like the Special Olympics”. Obama apologised for the gaffe to Special Olympics President Tim Shriver immediately.

Just as damaging was a comment made by Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel during a meeting with Congress­ional Democrats, in which he used the word “retarded” to describe a media strategy he disagreed with.

“Such a term is outdated, hurtful and an impediment to people with disabilities moving forward, because it suggests they aren’t competent,“ said Madeleine Will, the Vice President of Public Policy for the National Down Syndrome Society. Emanuel also issued an apology after disability groups strongly condemned his comments.

Looking forward, in general, hopes for positive change remain fairly high.

One of the positives highlighted by disability advocates is the permanent appointment of Kareem Dale as the first Special Assistant to the President on Disability Policy. Advocates report that Mr Dale has done an admirable job facilitating dialogue between the disability community and the President.

Dale’s position will become crucial in the next year as disability groups have a variety of legislation on their agenda, most of which was put on the backburner because of healthcare reform. A consortium of groups is lobbying for a bill prohibiting restraint and seclusion from being used on children with disabilities in public schools, while the recently proposed ABLE Act would create tax-free savings accounts to provide community-based supports to those with disabilities.

Also, major reforms of No Child Left Behind and the IDEA Act have the potential to strengthen educational options for children with disabilities.

The prevailing feeling among disability advocates is that reform is coming and that patience is crucial .

“I’ve seen a new interest in taking disability issues seriously and thinking creatively,” said TASH Executive Director Barb Trader. “I think we may just have to give the administration some time.”