Why was McCain always talking about autism and Palin?

[JDPriestly]

Palin's son has Downs syndrome, not autism. Autism is also a very serious problem, but it is not of particular interest to Palin as far as I have heard. Was McCain just confused? Or did I miss some story about Palin and autism?

[mcctatas]

1. Because he's a moron?

Apparently he didn't vet Trig either :crazy:

[ReadTomPaine]

2. Autism is a coming wedge issue.

There's money to be made and the IEP system to dismantle. Dennis Leary also had some recent comments. Think privatizing services and bleeding the public school special ed coffers dry the same way they are doing it with general ed.

[JDPriestly]

4. In my opinion, the reason that special ed. is not done in private

schools very often is that it is just too expensive and does not get the prestigious results that come from educating kids for Ivy League and top state schools.

[ReadTomPaine]

5. I'd agree with that assessment. These children are often treated as a budget liability...

and criticized for taking resources away from other students. It's criminal.

But there is money by the boatload to be made and whenever that situation arises, conservatives line up to take advantage of it in whatever cynical, self serving way they can. There's been too much talk about this without prompting from their side. Something's cooking. I could talk at length about this issue, but I'll leave it at that.

[Duer 157099]

3. Yeah I wondered that too, but I had an even bigger issue with it

I had a visceral reaction when McFuck said that Palin "knew better than ANYONE" what it was like to have a special needs child!!

REALLY??? From what I hear, she spends most of her time AWAY from her kids, having farmed their care out to all sorts of family members etc.

Hey McFuck, how about the the poor single mothers who have a special needs kid, I bet you a billion bucks that SHE KNOWS so much better than Palin what a challenge it is!!!!

God that one just really galled me. I hope it galled other people too.

[joop]

6. She knows a lot about special needs (and cutting the funding for it!)

Posted earlier tonight but bears repeating:

~*~*~*~*~


The facts here show Governor Palin cut funding for special needs kids dramatically.

In 2007, before Palin assumed her office of governor, the State of Alaska FY2007 Governor’s Operating Budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools Component Budget Summary (this department provides services---not just school but services---for children with severe disabling conditions) includes approved and necessary budget increases to help special needs children. This budget was released in December, on the 15th to be precise, 2006.

In that budget, the budget actuals are (FY = Fiscal Year):

FY 2005 6945.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 7949.30
FY 2007 Governors 8265.30

Palin was elected governor in November of 2006, and assumed her position in January 2007.

When budget time rolled around in 2007, Sarah Palin---self professed advocate for special needs chldren, mother to a special needs child, aunt to a special needs child, and who promised in her acceptance speech last night that she was there for special needs children---slashed the budget. When she said she would be a "friend and advocate in the White House," I guess she just meant in words, not with actual money for needed services.

Here's what the State of Alaska FY2008 Governor’s Operating Budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools Component Budget Summary shows:

FY 2006 7949.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 3173.70
FY 2008 Governor 3156.00

You see right. Under Governor Palin, funds decreased from a planned budget of 8265.30 to 3156.0. That's a 62% decrease. Actual consumed amount went from 7949.3 to 3156.00, where it lingers to this day. That's a 60% decrease.

*~*~*~*~*~*


Source: http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/09/sarah-pa...

(BTW, I tried posting this during the debate but the site kept hanging up!)