Woman With Deaf Son Questions Palin On Special Needs Care

[JI7]

this woman needs to talk to Obama or Biden to see there are real answers .


<Palin asked the woman — who later identified herself as Jessica Haas from Le Mars, Iowa — whether she had heard her speech in Pittsburgh on Friday about the subject. Haas said that she had not.

Haas explained that she was having trouble getting her two-year-old son—who is deaf—access to the services to which he’s entitled.

“Have you been working with your local elected officials?” Palin asked.

Haas said that she had been doing so but was not satisfied with the results. A Palin staffer then tried to break up the conversation, reaching down from the stage and putting his arm between Palin and Haas.

Palin asked the woman if she had a specific question.

“I mean, what can we do so that parents don’t have to demand that the rights be given?” Haas said.

“Well, you need to have faith that your—that your elected officials will demand that for you, so the bureaucracy is—is enabling you to get those things, well, taken care of,” Palin said. “… as the advocate in the White House, that’s what I will ensure.”

“OK, I hope so because it’s been a rough ride,” Haas said.

After the encounter, I asked Haas whether she was satisfied with Palin’s answer.

“I was pretty content with it, yeah,” she said.>


http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/25/politics/fromtheroad/entry4545529.shtml

[jillan]

1. There you go - it's obvious that Palin is clueless.

Have you contacted your elected officials, she asks.

If Palin knew anything, she would have referred that mother to the Dept of Developmental Disabilities.

This mom of a special needs child is fuming.

[deek]

4. I've never had any success with elected officials

It's all on the parent to deal with the bureaucracies. If you are educated, informed and very persistent, you have a slight chance of success in getting the mandated services for your family. If not--you and your child are on your own.

Protection and Advocacy has been the only agency that has ever been effective in helping me. All the rest, DDS included, seem to turn back the responsibility of advocacy solely to the parent. Cush jobs.

[KsStorm]

6. me too!

What a total BS answer!!! it's obvious Palin has NO idea about the services provided to special needs children. Why would she?

[justgamma]

8. If she thinks that elected officials will

help. She should call Senator Harkin. He pushed through the Disabilities Act. His brother is deaf and he speaks sign language. If she's a puke, she probably would never think of calling Harkin.

[nc4bo]

2. Let me get this straight. Lady asks Palin a question. Palin provide a nonanswer and lady

is satisfied that her question goes unanswered.

Makes sense to me.

I know you said perhaps she should ask Obama/Biden but if that woman was there to see Palin, chances are anything Obama says on the topic will be unacceptable.

She should do what any good mom should do for the sake of her child.

[JI7]

3. it's possible she just went because it was an event close to her

or one she was able to attend. if it was an Obama or Biden event she would probably have went also.

i'm basing this on her question. she really seems to be non partisan and just wants help with her son. at one point it said someone tried to stop the conversation because she really was looking for answers and not really getting it so kept asking.

the answer she gave at the end just seems like what someone would say because they weren't sure what else to say.

[nc4bo]

5. Mz. Palin should have taken the woman's name and number and actually get off her

fraudulent behind and try and help the woman find some answers. It'd have been the right thing to do and she could have 1) made an impression on a potential (R) voter or 2) Looked like she really cares about the fate of children with disabilities.

I sincerely hope the woman gets some answers.

[Forkboy]

7. I feel bad for the kid. Deaf, and an idiot mother to boot.

[youthere]

9. If she was content with that answer...

that would explain why she hasn't been able to get access to services for her son. Yikes. What the hell is wrong with these people?