Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Thinking of Sharron Angle, those who thing Autism isn't real, and people with disabilities shouldn't be brought into this world...




About the eight minute mark, please...

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Sharron Angle Redux: Autism Excuse Still Not Making Any Sense

Okay, she tried to clarify:


"KRNV News 4 asked Sharron Angle's campaign for comment yesterday, and her spokesperson Jerry Stacy sent us the following in an email just before noon today:

"Sharron believes that anyone affected with autism deserves the best medical coverage and treatment, and she speaks out against these expensive government mandates which falsely label other symptoms as autism because it creates this huge cottage industry that drives up health insurance cost while diluting the needed coverage for those patients affected by autism...and nobody is buying Senator Reid's latest despicable attempt of trying to distract voters from his failed record."

Vice-Chair for the Commission on Autism in Nevada Ralph Toddre released this statement today:

"What Ms. Angle claims about AB 162 is false. The bill is very specific that the coverage is for autism spectrum disorders. It does not create a "cottage industry." It covers medically necessary treatment and evidence-based therapy, as well as the screening and diagnosis. It is autism specific. Legislators and advocates made sure of that. Read the bill! You don't condemn a bill that provides for medical coverage and treatment because you think it will become diluted! One in 110 children in this country is affected by autism. That is more than juvenile diabetes, HIV, and childhood cancers combined. All of those are covered by insurance. Why should autism be discriminated against by insurance companies?""



I guess the other symptom was what... pregnancy.  Still doesn't make any sense.  If this was coming from Reid, I would still be screaming.  This is just insane.  


Why indeed shouldn't autism be in line with diabetes, HIV, and cancers?  Heck, Jimmy has seizures as a comorbidity now.  Tell me this is not medical.  


Not too long ago, I was out with the boys (it was over the summer, one of the rare occasions I ventured out both.)  A man asked me what was "wrong" with Jimmy.  I said he was autistic.  He said that I was irresponsible, asking if I had prenatal testing, that I should have "taken care of it" before I created a burden for society.  I was stunned, but didn't respond the way I would have liked because I didn't want Jacob to notice.  I am still sick about.  It isn't the first unkind thing I have ever said to me, but it was the worst by far.  When I hear people like Sharron Angle, it is comments like that echo in like my mind.  Heartless people that see my son as less than human, soulless insurance companies (who often buy people like Sharron Angle and, yes, even Senator Reid in Washington to spout crap like this for them - though Reid has a better record on autism than Angle at the moment) that see him not as worthy of care as someone who has been in an accident or had a stroke.  Everyone deserve a life and my son deserves to have his medical needs met under my health policy.  


My Aunt, Uncle, and Dadoo get phone calls tomorrow.  If Dadoo's son is a registered voter, he gets one too.  

Tea Party Member Sharron Angle Against Autism Insurance Coverage

I was sort of shocked when I heard her comments.  To say she comes of as ill informed is an understatement.  Doesn't want to pay for babies?  What's next, cancer?  She doesn't understand how insurance works on a basic level.  Moreover, she completely lacks compassion for autistic families in her comments.  Her backpedalling makes her worse.  I actually talked to someone from her campaign to see if they could clarify her comment or put them in a context where they would make some sense.  While I found it completely kind of her campaign worker to take the time to call, the staffer could not articulate any sort of reason for those comments.  He mentioned pregnancy and autism, which means he didn't have a grasp of what she said either.  Click the link to watch the ABC news story.

In a perfect world, nobody would want their kids to be political pawns.  But when the tea party holds autistic kids up and mandates are wrong, I will get involved.  My aunt, uncle, and a man whom I have known for 30 years all live in the Las Vegas area and all are voters in that election.  I will be making some phone calls.  These are voters that don't have autistic kids of their own but who love Jimmy and I.  I think my calls to them will make a difference in their votes on November 2.  (After Richard Saslaw and Tim Kaine, I also hang up on Democratic fundraisers - I have no use for them either.)