What Investment Do You Want To Make?
It's disturbing to see what's happening under the government we have now, with all the tax cuts that benefit the upper classes, and the corresponding cuts to programs and services for people who really need it. It's not just a matter of politics for me: as a deaf person, I've met people that are nowhere near ready to enter the workforce, or who have some skills, but are chronically underemployed. That's not to mention people like myself who are educated and could make it, but are unemployed. It's not just the deaf-- there are others who have different disabilities or problems that truly need assistance from the government.
I just read an article about the proposed budget for the coming federal fiscal year, and it saddens me. In this Washington Post story, the former chief of the Rehabilitation Services Administration decries the cuts in jobs assistance for the disabled. It's not just Rehab that's facing problems; there are cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and pressure to eliminate SSI (Supplemental Security Income).
I know many Deaf who don't see themselves as disabled; while I can understand that mindset, the reality is that deafness is a disability, and many deaf people have at one time or another availed themselves of the services out there: VR, SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, Medi-Cal, etc. Some people (deaf or otherwise) just need a leg up. I've known quite a few people that have used VR services or received SSI for a few years, and are now successfully employed taxpayers. But there's always going to be a percentage of folks that will never cease needing some sort of assistance. This is true for the blind, those in wheelchairs, etc. For this government to take away the services and benefits that help people overcome whatever disadvantages they have is despicable.
The proposed cuts to Rehabilitation Services is especially disgusting, considering that its purpose isn't to provide a handout, as some people might claim in the case of SSI and other forms of welfare. The concept of rehabilitation is to get people into jobs, to make sure they are gainfully employed. It's not just those of us who were born handicapped, or became disabled at an early age; it's also the subgroup that Rehab was initially established for, the veterans. Today we're fighting wars in two nations, Iraq and Afghanistan, and once again, soldiers are returning to the States via hospitals and rehab centers with all kinds of permanent injuries. It bugs me that they will be seeking the same kind of services that we do, yet they're also gonna get shafted. How can we send our men and women off to war, in defense of this country, and then not uphold the bargain when they return? It's bad enough they're fighting for false reasons (anybody seen those WMDs lately, huh?). It's bad enough they're probably gonna be stuck overseas for years. It's bad enough that families are damaged in the process, and so much raw potential is wasted. But to turn around and say, "Gee, thanks for being willing to make the potential ultimate sacrifice. Sorry you got hurt. Welcome home. Oh, by the way, don't bother trying to obtain services so you can rebuild your life. We need the money instead for tax cuts, among other things." This administration is so damn shortsighted, selfish, and just plain mean. There's no sense of making any kind of investment in the people who make up this country, the people who support this country, and the people who defend this country.
For those of you that think that disabled people like me, my friends, the wounded vets, and others across the country are lazy bums who should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, consider this: when you don't hire us, we end up having to fall back on government assistance. This money comes from taxpayer money. That means either you can pay us to work, and we will respond by giving it our best, and be able to join the ranks of taxpayers, OR you can pay us to sit on our butts and waste our minds and talent.
Oh, you say, the government can just cut services and funding like they're doing now. That way none of "your" money has to help the dummies, the blind, the gimps, the crips. Well, guess what? That means we become part of the permanent underclass. That means we will have to rely on whatever welfare is provided (in other words, we'll still get some taxpayer money in the form of welfare). We may have less and less government-mandated healthcare, but no problem. We'll just end up in the emergency rooms as an alternative to regular care. That places stress on the hospitals and ultimately costs you in increased insurance premiums and medical costs. We don't get enough money to survive? We end up on the streets or crowded in with friends and relatives. That puts even more stress on the community, and adds to fiscal costs at the city, county, and state levels. In other words, you're still paying.
So, you have a choice: either you can pay now in the short run for education, rehabilitation services, and some welfare costs, and end up with people who can enter the workforce and help support the smaller permanent pool of people that are always going to need assistance, OR you can pay the same money, but end up with a larger pool of dependent people, and more social problems in the long run. What kind of investment do you want to make? It's your choice.
I just read an article about the proposed budget for the coming federal fiscal year, and it saddens me. In this Washington Post story, the former chief of the Rehabilitation Services Administration decries the cuts in jobs assistance for the disabled. It's not just Rehab that's facing problems; there are cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and pressure to eliminate SSI (Supplemental Security Income).
I know many Deaf who don't see themselves as disabled; while I can understand that mindset, the reality is that deafness is a disability, and many deaf people have at one time or another availed themselves of the services out there: VR, SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, Medi-Cal, etc. Some people (deaf or otherwise) just need a leg up. I've known quite a few people that have used VR services or received SSI for a few years, and are now successfully employed taxpayers. But there's always going to be a percentage of folks that will never cease needing some sort of assistance. This is true for the blind, those in wheelchairs, etc. For this government to take away the services and benefits that help people overcome whatever disadvantages they have is despicable.
The proposed cuts to Rehabilitation Services is especially disgusting, considering that its purpose isn't to provide a handout, as some people might claim in the case of SSI and other forms of welfare. The concept of rehabilitation is to get people into jobs, to make sure they are gainfully employed. It's not just those of us who were born handicapped, or became disabled at an early age; it's also the subgroup that Rehab was initially established for, the veterans. Today we're fighting wars in two nations, Iraq and Afghanistan, and once again, soldiers are returning to the States via hospitals and rehab centers with all kinds of permanent injuries. It bugs me that they will be seeking the same kind of services that we do, yet they're also gonna get shafted. How can we send our men and women off to war, in defense of this country, and then not uphold the bargain when they return? It's bad enough they're fighting for false reasons (anybody seen those WMDs lately, huh?). It's bad enough they're probably gonna be stuck overseas for years. It's bad enough that families are damaged in the process, and so much raw potential is wasted. But to turn around and say, "Gee, thanks for being willing to make the potential ultimate sacrifice. Sorry you got hurt. Welcome home. Oh, by the way, don't bother trying to obtain services so you can rebuild your life. We need the money instead for tax cuts, among other things." This administration is so damn shortsighted, selfish, and just plain mean. There's no sense of making any kind of investment in the people who make up this country, the people who support this country, and the people who defend this country.
For those of you that think that disabled people like me, my friends, the wounded vets, and others across the country are lazy bums who should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, consider this: when you don't hire us, we end up having to fall back on government assistance. This money comes from taxpayer money. That means either you can pay us to work, and we will respond by giving it our best, and be able to join the ranks of taxpayers, OR you can pay us to sit on our butts and waste our minds and talent.
Oh, you say, the government can just cut services and funding like they're doing now. That way none of "your" money has to help the dummies, the blind, the gimps, the crips. Well, guess what? That means we become part of the permanent underclass. That means we will have to rely on whatever welfare is provided (in other words, we'll still get some taxpayer money in the form of welfare). We may have less and less government-mandated healthcare, but no problem. We'll just end up in the emergency rooms as an alternative to regular care. That places stress on the hospitals and ultimately costs you in increased insurance premiums and medical costs. We don't get enough money to survive? We end up on the streets or crowded in with friends and relatives. That puts even more stress on the community, and adds to fiscal costs at the city, county, and state levels. In other words, you're still paying.
So, you have a choice: either you can pay now in the short run for education, rehabilitation services, and some welfare costs, and end up with people who can enter the workforce and help support the smaller permanent pool of people that are always going to need assistance, OR you can pay the same money, but end up with a larger pool of dependent people, and more social problems in the long run. What kind of investment do you want to make? It's your choice.
posted by Mr. Sandman | 7:26 PM
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