Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Government Shutdown

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Main Digest

The United States Government has some basic and essential purposes. One of these purposes it To Promote the General Welfare of the people. The U.S. Government is to provide the people of America with services and regulations that are for the public good. The regulations include things such as health and food standards, public education, and consumer protection.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Government has chosen to shut itself down, leading to a nation where promotion of the general welfare of the people is no longer its concern. As the shutdown of the U.S. Government continues, people from populations who are least able to deal with a government unconcerned with their general welfare suffer. The populations most affected are the very ones the government has seemingly attacked first through the shutdown, namely:

• Seniors
• Veterans
• Adults with Disabilities
• Children with Disabilities

By shutting itself down, the U.S. Government has also failed in another of its primary reasons for existence - To Insure Domestic Tranquility. The purpose described is self-explanatory. The U.S. Government must provide order in society and allow for domestic peace, keeping America from devolving into anarchy. The U.S. Government is failing another of its primary goals.

A government that is incapable of providing for those who are most in need is not one that can be respected or recognized as being worthy. There can be no domestic tranquility or promotion of the general public welfare when People with Disabilities, Seniors, and Veterans are denied the basics of living which include:

• Food
• Shelter
• Clothing
• Health Care

By threatening the populations mentioned above with a loss of their means of support, the shutdown of the American Government has stated it no longer has any interest in the entire population of the United States. How so? By threatening those who experience forms of disabilities, Seniors, and Veterans with loss of their means to survive, the politicians of this nation have stated that no on matters because anyone at all can experience a form of disability at any time. Ironically, these same politicians can also experience forms of disabilities; they age as well.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Politicians have referred to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as the, 'Gold Standard,' for the rest of the world to model their Disability Rights legislation after. Unfortunately, politicians in America now find themselves abusing the very population this Act was designed to serve. At the time this article is being written, a statement appears atop the same page the ADA is presented upon through, 'Celebrating 23 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act,' site. The statement says the site is not being maintained because of the government shutdown. So much for the dignity and respect of People with Disabilities in America.

"Many Americans would be surprised to know that the ADA protects nearly one in five Americans from discrimination. The ADA, among other things, levels the playing field, and affirms that people with disabilities must be treated with dignity and respect." - from, 'Celebrating 23 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act'

The Congress of the United States of America, now responsible for so much concern, woe, and distrust among People with Disabilities, Seniors, and Veterans in America, found that historically, society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities and, despite some improvements, such forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious and pervasive social problem. Perhaps Congress has been staring into a crystal ball at its own actions.

Congress also found that discrimination against individuals with disabilities persists in such critical areas as employment, housing, public accommodations, education, transportation, communication, recreation, institutionalization, health services, voting, and access to public services. Without a doubt, Congress itself is adding to these areas of discrimination in massive ways through its own actions. Congress found that unlike individuals who experienced discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or age - individuals who have experienced discrimination on the basis of disability many times had no legal recourse to redress such discrimination.

It appears we still do not have an adequate means of recourse, at least when it comes to a government shutdown. While Congress itself found that individuals with disabilities continually encounter various forms of discrimination, to include outright intentional exclusion, Congress today has chosen to pursue a shutdown that threatens and abuses people with disabilities, seniors, and veterans. Congress recognized that census data, national polls, and additional studies have documented that people with disabilities as a group occupy an inferior status in America and severe social disadvantages; socially, vocationally, economically, and educationally - yet has chosen to pursue threats and abuse of this same population.

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson

Author Credentials:

Thomas C. Weiss is a researcher and editor for Disabled World. Thomas attended college and university courses earning a Masters, Bachelors and two Associate degrees, as well as pursing Disability Studies. As a Nursing Assistant Thomas has assisted people from a variety of racial, religious, gender, class, and age groups by providing care for people with all forms of disabilities from Multiple Sclerosis to Parkinson's; para and quadriplegia to Spina Bifida.

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