GEORGE BUSH:  HE KEPT THE PROMISE OF ADA, EMPOWERMENT AND PEACE
                         By Justin Dart 

                                
Why should someone who cares about people with disabilities vote to
reelect President Bush in '92?   He kept his promise to sign,
support and implement the Americans with Disabilities Act,  the
first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities
by any nation.  He set a record for empowering people with
disabilities in his administration.  He presided over the end of
the cold war and the supremacy of democracy in the world, paving
the way to focus the earth's human and economic resources on
quality of life.  
ALL THE WAY WITH ADA!  As Vice President, George Bush reached out
to the disability community.  He was one of the first national
leaders to personally dialogue with representatives of the
independent living movement.  In the winter of 1986, when all White
House appointments were cancelled due to the tragic explosion of
the space shuttle, he made an exception to meet with a delegation
from the National Council on the Handicapped to discuss the newly
published TOWARD INDEPENDENCE and its historic recommendation for
the ADA.  He expressed strong support.  During the 1988 campaign,
he endorsed the concept of the still developing ADA.  He became the
first candidate for President in history to commit himself on
national TV and in other major campaign activities to the
mainstreaming of people with disabilities, "they're not going to be
left out any more."
As President George Bush assigned high level members of his
administration to participate in negotiating the final version of
ADA.  He endorsed ADA in 1989 and supported its enactment in 1990
as a real legal mandate for full equality in terms of jobs and
access to society.  He underlined the urgency of implementing ADA
by holding the largest signing ceremony for any law in the history
of America, 3,000 disability rights advocates on the South Lawn of
the White House.   "I now lift my pen to sign this Americans with
disabilities Act and say, let the shameful wall of exclusion
finally come tumbling down."  He promised that the ADA regulations
would come out on time.  They did, and they are workable tools for
enforcement that is fair to all.    He held a White House Rose
Garden first birthday ceremony for the ADA, at which he issued a
memo requiring all federal agencies to fulfill the spirit of ADA in
their employment policies.  He promised to sign a non-quota civil
rights law that included people with disabilities, and expanded
their ADA rights.  He did - the Civil Rights Law of 1991.
During the current election campaign a few powerful opponents
attacked President Bush for his support of ADA.  Would he back
down?   He has sent several clear messages to the nation.  He and
Mrs. Bush served as chairs of the February 1 Gala fund raiser for
DREDF, the organization that represents people with disabilities to
implement ADA.  On May 27 he wrote, "The passage of the Americans
with disabilities Act marked a great victory for our entire
nation....our goal is to make equal opportunity for persons with
disabilities a cherished principle in the United States, as well as
nationwide policy and practice."   During a July 1st CBS This
Morning TV interview, The President vigorously endorsed ADA three
times.  On the July 10th MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour he stated that
ADA was one of the most positive American accomplishments of the
last four years.  He continues to express full support for the Act,
and for society wide action to ensure that people with disabilities
achieve equal access to the American dream. 
EMPOWERMENT, YES!  PATERNALISM, NO!  Empowerment is the ultimate,
the absolutely indispensable affirmative action for disadvantaged
minorities.  When they are empowered to participate fully in the
democratic process, to control their own lives and services, people
can achieve equality and prosperity.  Without empowerment,
paternalism, social injustice and economic disaster are inevitable. 
 George Bush has empowered more authentic disability community
leaders in his administration than any previous President -
including EEOC Chairman Evan Kemp, PCEPD Chairman Justin Dart,
OSERS Assistant Secretary Robert Davila and Deputy Mike Vader,
Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary Allen Clark, Assistant
Secretary of HUD for Fair Housing, Gordon Mansfield, RSA
Commissioner Nell Carney, DD Commisioner Deborah McFadden and
National Council on Disability Chairperson Sandra Parrino.     He
has not muzzled these people.  They have been vigorous advocates
for the rights of people with disabilities.  It has been common to
see them in the front row at disability rights meetings and
demonstrations.
On May 18 this year, in the midst of criticism that Evan Kemp had
spoken out too sharply against paternalistic telethons, the
President reappointed him as Chair of EEOC.  Many advocates for
disability rights and empowering services have been employed in
federal agencies.  DREDF and many other disability community
organizations and leaders have been funded or employed to
participate in the implementation of the ADA.
Vice President Quayle has been a strong supporter of ADA and
empowerment.  He has consistently reached out to participate in the
dialogue and events of the disability community, and has employed 
disability rights leader George Covington to serve on hisstaff in
the White House.  

PEACE!  FREEDOM!  The President promised to lead for world peace. 
History's most powerful military empire and police state has
collapsed.  The cold war is substantially over.  The dictator
Saddam was beaten in 43 days.  The hostages are released.  Nuclear
disarmament is  under way.  Democracy is ascendant.  What does
foreign policy have to do with people with disabilities? 
Everything!  They have traditionally been the first to suffer when
democracy is stifled, and when resources go to armaments and wars. 
Peace will free substantial human and economic resources for
investment in productivity and independence.  The bloodless
termination of the cold war and the fall of the European Communist
dictatorships will save more money, more lives and more misery and
create more opportunity to achieve the human dream on mainstreet
America than any event in recorded history.
THE FUTURE - KEEPING THE PROMISE OF ADA.  The President will work
with the disability community to complete the edifice of
empowerment of which ADA is the foundation.   President Bush knows
that ADA is a promise yet to be kept in terms of real life
equality, jobs, prosperity for all Americans with disabilities.   
He knows that this promise cannot be kept simply by spending more
money on traditional paternalistic programs that provide segregated
services for people with disabilities.  The President will provide
aggressive leadership  for the development of a national policy of
empowerment that embodies the principles of independent living and
people first.  There must be a full spectrum of public  and private
empowerment initiatives that enable all Americans to make the
choices and access the resources necessary to take responsible
control of their own services and destinies, to maximize their
productivity, to get good  jobs and to live lives of dignity and
quality. 

The President will continue to work  with the disability community,
business and government at all levels for the full and harmonious
implementation of ADA with minimal litigation, expense and
intrusive regulation, and maximal profit for people with
disabilities and all Americans.   The President will continue to
empower people with disabilities as members of his administration,
and in all federal agencies.
  
CHOICE:   PROMISES OR RESULTS?    President Bush  has been a leader
in elevating perceptions of people with disabilities from pitiful
candidates for paternalistic charity, to fully equal, fully adult
Americans, with potential to be fully productive participants in
the mainstream.  He refuses to treat us as children, to tell us
that he can solve our problems for us.  Instead he extends the hand
of empowerment and partnership.  He makes less promises than his
opponent, but offers a record of historic achievement.   
  Our grandchildren deserve that we look beyond the polls, the
promises and the media hype, and give soul searching consideration
to choosing a President with proven ability to produce results. 
President Bush has produced results.  ADA, empowerment, peace.