DeMented doesn't want you to be able to swim in a public pool

[KamaAina]

if you have a disability.

From the American Association of Persons with Disabilities (http://www.aapd.com):

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) is calling for the Senate to vote at 5:30 today to pass legislation (S. 2186 and/or S. 2191) that would exclude public pools from the ADA's requirement that public accommodations are accessible.

That's right-21 years after the ADA we could see our rights rolled back.

We need to act today.

Contact your U.S. senators today!!

[abelenkpe]

1. That is so wrong

Everyday I see this group of ladies inch their way up to the pool at the Y with their walkers and personal helpers. Once they are in the water they move like pros freed from gravity. They are so happy in the water. Why on earth would anyone want to take that away from them?

[niyad]

4. because that person is hateful, cruel, and without one iota of human empathy?

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. The very definition of most repugs.

[xxqqqzme]

16. A traumatic brain injury

paralyzed the left side of my body. I was in PT for almost 2 years, the last 16 months in a pool. It was the best rehab for my left arm, hand, leg and foot. I was able to work up to running laps for 30 minutes. The water's resistance helped loosen my shoulder and free the movement in my arm. The pool where I had my therapy was not ADA. I had to sit on the edge, swivel around and use my good arm to lower myself into the pool by hanging onto the pool's ladder. It was my own invention.

It figures some nasty piece of work like dementer would seek to hinder some person's recovery or exclude the arthritis participants. The pool next to where I worked was full 3 days a week w/ arthritis therapy classes.

[niyad]

2. does he have any sort of explanation for this latest piece of nuttery?

[BlueDemKev]

5. Sure he does....."FREEDOM"

Fuck having to accomodate anybody. It's every person for themselves. That's "freedom."

[Xithras]

7. Hotels have been fighting hard against it.

In a nutshell: About a year ago the Access Board began requiring that all "commercial" pools be handicap accessible. Those pool owners were given a year to get their pools compliant, and that year is just about up. That includes everything from the pool at your local school and park, to the pool at your gym or YMCA, to the pools found in apartment complexes, motels, and hotels. Commercial pool owners have the choice of either redesigning their pools with ramps, or installing elevators that will lower people into the pools. Both generally cost between $5,000 and $10,000 per pool, depending on the pools configuration and size.

Many smaller communities are simply ignoring the law, and hotels and motels are fighting hard against it. My own city has already closed most of its public pools on a temporary basis due to budget cuts, and has indicated that it will just make the closures permanent (and probably close the remaining pools) because the money isn't there for the upgrades. For now, they're unofficially in the "ignoring it" group.

[niyad]

10. thank you for the explanation.

one wonders how many of these pools have been constructed since the passage of the ADA, and how many were built in compliance and how many were not.

[KamaAina]

11. The ADA already provides an "undue burden" exemption.

Access modifications are only required if they are "readily achievable" (for instance, the necessary equipment is available) and do not place an "undue burden" upon the entity (hotel, parks dept., whatever).

[BiggJawn]

25. Sure, his "donors" want it.

Send him a $20,000 "donation" so they don't have to spend $10,000 becoming ADA compliant.
Why do the Right Thing when it's easier to buy a butt leech?

[BlueDemKev]

3. Get used to this type of legislation....

...being introduced and SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED if the Republicans win the Senate and the White House in November.

[KamaAina]

12. Rand Paul (R-Ugly Rug) wants to repeal the ADA entirely.

[BlueDemKev]

14. So does every single elected Republican in Congress

[freshwest]

17. +1

[GoCubsGo]

6. I'm willing to bet that he doesn't want anyone to swim in a public pool.

Remember, this clown comes from a state/region where, until a few decades ago, most pools were at private clubs. That way, they could refuse blacks.

[freshwest]

18. I'm seeing funding cut for pools that serve the disabled. Then the next trick is always that since..

They're being underutilized, they should be closed. Then the property is sold off to their pals.

This is the destruction of the commons on a scale never seen before. By doing so, they are going to restrict people from doing almost anything on a physical level at any common facility or piece of land.

They're closing parks and facilities, and giving what generations of Americans paid for with tax dollar to their cronies so that they will no longer have access to them.

Add this to UT going after the national parks, fracking contracts, all of it. They are taking every inch of ground away. If they succeed, they will divide this land up into small fiefdoms to ruled like the Dark Ages.

Stay at home and don't participate at your own peril, folks.

[spanone]

8. nothing is sacred to the neanderthals aka republicans

[KamaAina]

13. Sen. Harkin speaking against it now (~6PM EDT)

http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/

[trof]

15. Yeah, you could get polio.

Oh...wait...nevermind.

[sakabatou]

19. Fuck job! Let's go after public pools!

[2Design]

20. The cost to upgrade them for entry is astronomical - the result will be they will all be closed

The cost to upgrade them for entry is astronomical - the result will be they will all be closed

[KamaAina]

21. The cost to build a ramp is astronomical?

Entry may be by means of a pool lift, or a device that's been around since about 2 million B.C. known as a "ramp".

And if the cost actually were astronomical, the retrofit wouldn't be reuired, under the "undue burden" clause.

[SATIRical]

28. Do you know what a ramp in a pool is called?

A slide.

Ramps do not work in pools unless they are VERY gradual. Putting ramp in like a wheel chair ramp will take a LOT of space and not be safe at all.

Killing people is not a better option than expecting them to get assistance to get into the pool.

[KamaAina]

29. Hardy har har.

That was so funny I forgot to laugh.

[SATIRical]

30. And that is a huge pool

And the ramp takes up a lot of room (as I pointed out).

That ramp is larger than the pool in many hotels.

[Occulus]

35. Are you high?

[SATIRical]

36. Nope

Have you ever been to a hotel pool? Apparently not.

On edit: The max slope for a pool ramp is 1:12. So for your typical 4' pool, you would need a 48 ft ramp plus area to turn so let's call it 54'.

Do you realize how many hotel pools are not 54' long? A lot.

[niyad]

27. define "astronomical", please. and tell me why all the pools that have been built since the ADA

went into effect were NOT built with the necessary access.

[provis99]

22. it's bad...

when Lindsay Graham looks like the less loony South Carolina senator...

[Dokkie]

38. I am sorry

but nothing and I mean nothing DeMint can do in his lifetime to surpass the loonyness of Lindsey Graham. Graham

[Odin2005]

23. DeMented can go jump off a cliff!

[KamaAina]

24. But then he'd be paralyzed

and wouldn't be able to get into a hotel pool.

[EFerrari]

26. I swear these guys sit up nights thinking up new ways to screw the people over. nt

[2Design]

31. Deadlines are approaching and the stories are finally hitting the paper - towns are already closing

libraries, this added expensive will close a lot of pools because in this economy no one has the money to do this
Small apartment communities or homes will find this a burden

I see pools closing rather than doing the need upgrade

Some have gone to zero entry pools to get around this but at great expense

Yes it would be nice to have but to require it of pools already installed is a burden
Should be applied to all new pools

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-01/health/fl-allen-west-pool-rules-20120401_1_pool-rule-sloped-entry-hotel-managers

[KamaAina]

32. You're agreeing with Allen West??!!

Once again, retrofits of existing pools, like all ADA modifications, are only required if they are "readily achievable" AND do not pose an "undue burden" on the operator. Clearly a situation in which a pool would have to close falls under the "undue burden" clause.

[2Design]

33. sorry Now I realize this is a pet issue of yours - good luck with it

hope the hotels, public pools, community pools, etc can meet your needs without going bankrupt or giving up other services to the many to satisfy the few. Already was told groups will go to hotels not in compliance to force the issue and sue hotels for non-complaince. I expect many hotels will just do away with the pool Or like some apartment complexes - fill it in and make a garden because the liabilities and requirements become to expensive.

Yes I realize you are worth every penny they spend

[KamaAina]

34. "Already was told groups will go to hotels not in compliance"

By who? Faux News*?

[joeybee12]

37. He's an ignorant POS...knr

[opihimoimoi]

39. DeMented is a POS KnR