Author: Eric Ascher

Bernie Sanders Drops Out of Presidential Primary

Bernie Sanders speaking behind a podium at a rally

Bernie Sanders Drops Out of Presidential Primary

Published by Eric Ascher on April 8, 2020

Washington, D.C., April 8 – Earlier today, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced that he is dropping out of the 2020 Democratic Primary, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee for President.

While neither the Biden campaign nor the Trump campaign have yet released detailed policy plans on disability issues, ahead of the Iowa Caucus Sen. Sanders rolled out a comprehensive “Fighting for Disability Rights Plan.” In the plan, Sen. Sanders promised to “incorporate disability issues into every other area of public policy” and “promote access, autonomy, inclusion and self-determination for all.” The RespectAbility Report covered the plan back in February.

Sen. Sanders had also responded to RespectAbility’s detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire was purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility reached out to all of the major presidential campaigns on both sides of the aisle. All responses to the candidate questionnaire will be posted in full on The RespectAbility Report as they come in and will be used to produce and update nonpartisan voter guides in all 50 states. It is the hope of RespectAbility that the remaining candidates will send their responses in soon.

New Battleground Poll Data Shows Disability Community is Large and Electorally Contested

Text: New Poll Data. Three women holding signs that say Earn My Vote!

New Battleground Poll Data Shows Disability Community is Large and Electorally Contested

Published by Eric Ascher on March 19, 2020

Logos for Democracy Corps, Greenberg Research and RespectAbility — Download the Memo

Washington, D.C., March 19 – New polling data of the battleground states shows that the disability community is large and electorally contested, but the issues they care about most are not being sufficiently addressed.

The phone poll of 1,000 registered voters across 16 presidential and Senate battleground states was conducted by Stan Greenberg, Ph.D., and the polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (GQRR), on behalf of the disability inclusion organization RespectAbility. The data was released on a webinar earlier today. The memo, cross-tab data, and PowerPoint are available to download now. The webinar recording will be available to watch with captions early next week.

Presidential Candidates Reveal Plans to Enable Success for Immigrants with Disabilities

The United States Supreme Court building and steps.

Presidential Candidates Reveal Plans to Enable Success for Immigrants with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on January 28, 2020

Washington, D.C., Jan 28 – Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major 5-4 ruling allowing an expansion of the definition of “public charge” to deny green cards to people who may need government aid. This ruling will directly impact immigrants with disabilities who would qualify for Medicaid. Meanwhile, with only days…

DNC Chair Perez Calls for More Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Tom Perez speaks on stage prior to the Politico/PBS NewsHour Democratic Primary Debate

DNC Chair Perez Calls for More Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on January 20, 2020

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 20 – The majority of Americans either have a disability or a loved one with a disability. Yet, disability is very rarely addressed on the debate stage.

Democratic National Committee Chair Chairman Tom Perez spoke to RespectAbility prior to last week’s debate about the importance of including people with disabilities. He touted his work on ensuring that people with disabilities can live in the community and that employers provide accommodations for employees with disabilities.

“We got to stop focusing on the first three letters of the word disability and focus more on the last seven letters of the word disability and you will see that in our platform,” Perez added. “You will see that in everything we do. You will see that in Milwaukee, the most accessible convention ever.”

Yang: “Need to do Much More to Help People with Disabilities Access Opportunities and Jobs”

Yang smiles as he's surrounded by supporters

Yang: “Need to do Much More to Help People with Disabilities Access Opportunities and Jobs”

Published by Eric Ascher on January 19, 2020

Ames, Iowa, Jan. 19 – Businessman Andrew Yang talked about employment opportunities for people with disabilities at a town hall earlier this week. While saying “much more” needs to done to ensure people with disabilities have access to opportunities and jobs, he also repeated a talking point that people with disabilities – and all people – have value regardless if they are working.

“Do we need to put much more in the way of resources to help people actually see the abilities of people who have different capacities and then have them enjoy that kind of independence and work? 100% yes,” Yang, who has a child on the autism spectrum, said at a town hall in Ames, Iowa. “But does that need to be the standard that people are at in order to live a good fulfilling happy life? No. It’s like — we should be investing in everyone’s happiness and fulfillment regardless of whether or not they can slot into a corporate role.”

Klobuchar Talks Education and Housing for People with Disabilities

amy klobuchar wearing a blue suit standing against a black backdrop, holding a microphone and speaking

Klobuchar Talks Education and Housing for People with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on January 18, 2020

Perry, Iowa, Jan. 18 – Sen. Amy Klobuchar said voters with disabilities contribute to elections “in a big way.”

Answering questions at a town hall in Perry, Iowa earlier this week, Klobuchar talked about the importance of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers educational funding for children with disabilities from birth through high school graduation or age 21, whichever comes first. IDEA has yet to be fully funded by the federal government since it was first passed in 1975. “My mom was a teacher, so I get this,” she added.

Buttigieg Calls for Equal Voting Access – And Funding – for Voters with Disabilities

Mayor Pete Buttigieg announces presidential campaign to a large crowd in South Bend, Indiana.

Buttigieg Calls for Equal Voting Access – And Funding – for Voters with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on January 17, 2020

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 17 – Mayor Pete Buttigieg called for equal voting access for people with disabilities at a town hall in Des Moines earlier this week. He also said it is important to ensure funding for the equal access.

“Part of our plan on disabilities is to make sure that we’re supporting ways for people with disabilities to have equal access to the vote, because you know, that’s 1 in 4 Americans,” the presidential hopeful said in response to a question about voters with disabilities – asked by a voter on the autism spectrum. “And those who don’t face disabilities might in the future, so we all have a stake in doing something about it… And we need to put funding behind it.”

Mayor Buttigieg Prioritizes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention at Disability Forum

Mayor Buttigieg Prioritizes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention at Disability Forum

Published by Eric Ascher on November 26, 2019

Noting High Intersection Between Disability and LGBTQ+ Communities, Buttigieg Addresses Bullying Epidemic

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 26 – The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary is heating up, and in recent polls, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has been surging in Iowa. Earlier this month, he released a comprehensive plan for the disability community and rolled it out at a Democratic Party Candidate Forum, Accessibility for All, on disability issues in Cedar Rapids. This forum was the first time in the 2020 campaign cycle that disability issues were the main topic of discussion.

As a veteran, he placed a particular emphasis on mental health and suicide prevention, saying that “the place we need to get to as a country is where it is as routine to talk about and act on mental health issues as we would a physical challenge.” Mental health is the most common disability that people in America have, so Mayor Buttigieg’s emphasis on it was notable.

Seven Democratic Campaigns Prioritize Disability Issues in Accessibility for All Forum

Published by Eric Ascher on November 24, 2019

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 24 – Earlier this month, seven presidential campaigns made history together as they participated in a Democratic Party forum, Accessibility for All, focused on issues affecting people with disabilities. This is the first time this campaign season that a forum was held specifically on this topic.…

8 Democratic Campaigns Participate in Forum Focused on People with Disabilities and Health Care

Published by Eric Ascher on November 1, 2019

Washington, D.C., Nov. 1 – Tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, eight campaigns are set to participate in a history-making Accessibility, Inclusion, and Outreach Conference focused specifically on issues that affect people with disabilities. This is important, as while recent polling suggests that voters with disabilities themselves are more enthusiastic about participating in the 2020 elections than the nation at large, none of the campaigns are yet fully accessible to the disability community.

“It is vital for the democratic process to be open to all people and all means all – including people with disabilities,” said Lauren Appelbaum, vice president, communications of RespectAbility. “The majority of voters have a friend or family member with a disability or have a disability themselves. It is truly exciting that eight campaigns will be focusing their attention on addressing the 1-in-5 people living in America with a disability.”

Seven of the Democratic candidates will participate themselves. They are:

Sen. Cory Booker
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Rep. John Delaney
Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Rep. Beto O’Rourke
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Mr. Andrew Yang

Additionally, former Sen. Chris Dodd will speak on behalf of Vice President Joe Biden.

According to “Accessibility For All Now,” the organizers of the Forum, candidates will answer questions posed by people with disabilities and members of the Linn County Medical Society, which is co-hosting the forum.

Majority of Voters Have Disability Connections

logos for GQR and RespectAbility. Text: Disability Community is Large, Engaged and Contested National Survey Results October 1 2019 Background image of an American flag from inside a memorial in D.C.

Majority of Voters Have Disability Connections

Published by Eric Ascher on October 10, 2019

85% of voters find it very or somewhat important that presidential candidates have campaign events and websites that are open and accessible to people with disabilities, just like everyone else. 73% of voters are more likely to support candidates for elected office who will make ensuring that children with disabilities…

Biden Pledges To Ensure Full Website Accessibility

Jennifer Mizrahi and Joe Biden smile in front of trees and other guests outside at night

Biden Pledges To Ensure Full Website Accessibility

Published by Eric Ascher on September 18, 2019

Rockville, Maryland, Sept. 18 – At a campaign event in Maryland, former Vice President Joe Biden was asked to comment on the fact that his website is still not accessible to people who are blind or have low-vision. Biden responded that “it’s important. I thought it had been fixed.” He…

Examining Representative Eric Swalwell’s Record on Disability Issues

Examining Representative Eric Swalwell’s Record on Disability Issues

Published by Eric Ascher on May 26, 2019

Washington, D.C., May 26 – Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA 15) has joined more than 20 Democratic candidates vying for the presidential nomination. When it comes to how he could help people with disabilities, it is important to note that he is a cosponsor on several pending pieces of legislation that…

Presidential Hopeful Rep. Ryan Has History of Advocating for Mental Health Awareness

Published by Eric Ascher on May 23, 2019

Washington, D.C., May 23 – Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan took office in 2003, but he gained notoriety in 2016 when he challenged then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, saying that a new generation of leadership was needed in the Democratic Party. Now, Rep. Ryan is running for President. When examining his record…

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Aims to Include Voters with Disabilities

Warren speaks into a microphone with her arm outstretched in front of the U.S. flag

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Aims to Include Voters with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on May 19, 2019

Washington, D.C., May 19 – Massachusetts Sen. and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made her mark in the field by releasing major new policy proposals on a weekly basis. But how does she fare on disability issues? When analyzing polls, it is integral to identify the participants’ demographics and…

Presidential Hopeful Rep. John Delaney Supports Independence for People with Disabilities

John Delaney smiling in front of a truck

Presidential Hopeful Rep. John Delaney Supports Independence for People with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on May 18, 2019

Rockville, Maryland, May 18 – John Delaney, the former Democratic Representative for Maryland’s 6th District until January 2019, announced his intention to run for President in 2017, making him the first declared candidate in the race. Since being elected to Congress in 2012, Delaney neither introduced nor cosponsored any bills…

Examining Presidential Hopeful NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Record on Disability

Examining Presidential Hopeful NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Record on Disability

Published by Eric Ascher on May 17, 2019

New York City, May 17 – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is currently in charge of America’s largest city, and now he is running for President. As mayor of NYC, he represented 455,000 working-age people with disabilities in the city, as nearly half of all working-age New Yorkers with disabilities live in the greater New York City metropolitan area.

According to Vice, “Commissioner Victor Calise is working on making New York ‘the most accessible city in the world.’” And the de Blasio administration has taken some concrete steps to move New York closer to that goal. But as the article’s title suggests, the city has a long way to go.

Under Mayor de Blasio, the city has launched NYC ATWORK: a successful program to provide resources and opportunities to job-seekers with disabilities. This effort is overseen by the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, led by Commissioner Victor Calise. NYC ATWORK helps connect people with disabilities looking for jobs and businesses looking to hire qualified individuals. The Mayor’s office is also behind Project Open House, which “removes architectural barriers in the homes of people with permanent disabilities.”

Presidential Hopeful Gov. Steve Bullock Has History of Advocacy for People with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on May 16, 2019

Washington, D.C., May 16 – Montana Gov. Steve Bullock is running for President on the idea that he is a Democratic Governor in a red state who knows how to work with people on both sides of the aisle. But how does he fare on disability issues? While running for…

Presidential Hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand Intentional about Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Gellibrand looks off to the side in front of two U.S. flags

Presidential Hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand Intentional about Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Published by Eric Ascher on May 14, 2019

Washington, D.C., May 14 – New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is fighting to be the first woman elected President of the United States. But she has pledged to fight for people with disabilities as well. Gillibrand might not have a disability herself, but she has recognized that for a presidential…

Disability Supporter Cuomo Wins New York Gubernatorial Re-Election

Andrew Cuomo speaks in front of supporters at his victory party

Disability Supporter Cuomo Wins New York Gubernatorial Re-Election

Published by Eric Ascher on November 8, 2018

Down Ballot Disability Supporters in New York City Also Win Big New York City, Nov. 8 – Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has won re-election, defeating Republican challenger Marcus J. Molinaro for New York’s governorship. In the weeks prior to the election, Cuomo made new commitments on jobs for people with…