4/2 Twitter Chat: Disabled People in Public Service

Image description: graphic with a bright yellow background with black text that reads "#CripTheVote Twitter Chat Disabled People and Public Service, April 02, 2017, 9 pm Eastern, Guest hosts: @sblahov @RebeccaCokley, cripthevote.blogspot.com"

Since #CripTheVote began more than a year ago our discussions have repeatedly come back to the need for disabled people in public service. The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, and guest hosts Rebecca Cokley and Sarah Blahovec will discuss the many of the issues surrounding disabled people and public service.

How to Participate

Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility @RebeccaCokley @sblahov on Twitter

When it’s time, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.

If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote

If you might be overwhelmed by the volume of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. Each question will tweeted 6-8 minutes apart.

Check out this explanation of how to participate in a Twitter chat by Ruti Regan: https://storify.com/RutiRegan/examplechat

Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc
https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/

Articles that may be of interest

Blahovec, Sarah. (February 1, 2017). Someone Should Help Disabled People Run for Office. NOS Magazine.

LaCorte, Rachel. (January 7, 2017). Washington Set to Swear in 1st Blind Lieutenant Governor. Associated Press.

Wade, Carrie. (January 23, 2017). 10 More Disabled Women Who Are Making Political Noise. Auto straddle.

Wong, Alice. (October 17, 2016). #CripTheVote Interview: Thida Cornes for Mountain View City Council.

Introductory Tweets and Questions for 4/2 Chat

Welcome to the #CripTheVote chat on disabled people in public service! Let’s do this!

This is the 5th #CripTheVote chat of 2017. We also have a new blog with updates and events: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-cripthevote-events_12.html   

Please remember to use the #CripTheVote hashtag when you tweet.

If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote”

Q1 Why is it important to have disabled people involved in public service? #CripTheVote

The top policy rec in our survey last year was more disabled people to govt & policy-making positions http://svy.mk/1UbDWju #CripTheVote

Q2 What forms of public service are out there for people to be a part of? #CripTheVote

Q3 How can we as a community support & encourage more disabled people to get involved in public service? #CripTheVote

Q4 What are the barriers preventing people from various forms of service? Are there ways of circumventing/bypassing them? #CripTheVote

Q5 Is it important that disabled people run for office? Why? #CripTheVote

Q6 What perspectives/knowledges/skills do disabled people bring to public service that nondisabled people don’t? #CripTheVote

For our next 2 questions, we’ll switch formats so you ask our guest hosts some questions about public service #CripTheVote

Q7 What Qs do you have @RebeccaCokley who is a lifelong disability activist has worked in fed govt in various capacities? #CripTheVote

Q8 What Qs do you have for @Sblahov, a disabled activist trying to encourage disabled people to run for office?  #CripTheVote

This concludes the #CripTheVote chat on disabled people in public service. Many thanks to our guest hosts @RebeccaCokley & @Sblahov!!

Please keep the convo going & join us 4/29 for our #CripTheVote chat about the 1st 100 days of the current administration w/ @serenevannoy

March 21, 2017 Twtter Chat on the GOP Healthcare Plan and the Disability Community

#CripTheVote Chat on the GOP Healthcare Plan and the Disability Community - DATE CHANGE

#CripTheVote Twitter Chat

GOP Healthcare Plan and the Disability Community

NOTE … DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED

*** Tuesday, March 21, 7 PM EST ***

We have decided to reschedule this chat for a couple of days earlier, to give people a little more time to take post-chat action before the next major step in this process, a House of Representatives vote on Thursday.

The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Gregg Beratan, Andrew Pulrang, and Alice Wong, invite you to the 17th Twitter chat focusing on the proposed Republican Health Care bill, The American Health Care Act (AHCA). What should you know about this bill? How will it impact people with disabilities? What can you do express your views? 

We are thrilled to have guest hosts Bruce Darling of the Center for Disability Rights and Julia Bascom of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network join and share the latest information with us.

We are also in the process of collecting Medicaid stories from the disability community. Details here: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/2017/03/call-for-your-medicaidstories.html

Additional articles on the AHCA

CBO estimates 24 million lose coverage under GOP plan. The devastating report, explained

Sarah Kliff, March 13, 2017, Vox.com

5 Ways President Trump’s Agenda Is a Disaster for People with Disabilities

Rebecca Vallas, Katherine Gallagher Robbins, and Jackie Odum, March 8, 2017, Center for American Progress.

The AHCA Creates the “Perfect Storm” for People with Disabilities

Disability Rights Education Defense Fund, March 15, 2017.

#CripTheVote: Disabled People, the #ACA, & Pre-Existing Conditions

Storify of our October 9, 2016 chat on health care policy.

How to Participate

Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility @ADAPTerBruce @JustStimming on Twitter.

When it’s time, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.

If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote

If you might be overwhelmed by the volume of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. Each question will be tweeted 5-6 minutes apart.

Check out this explanation of how to participate in a Twitter chat by Ruti Regan: https://storify.com/RutiRegan/examplechat

Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc

https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/

Introductory Tweets and Questions for 3/23 Chat

Welcome to the #CripTheVote chat on the #AHCA w/ guest hosts @ADAPTerBruce @JustStimming. Please remember to use the hashtag when you tweet.

If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote

Please note throughout this chat: #ACA = Affordable Care Act and the new bill is the #AHCA = American Health Care Act #CripTheVote

Q1: What health care services are most important to you? #CripTheVote

Q2: If you are uninsured or if you have insufficient health insurance, what are the main barriers you face accessing services? #CripTheVote

Q3: What would happen if you lost your health insurance … short term, long term? Be specific. #CripTheVote

Q4: What are some core provisions and services disabled people should require from any healthcare bill? #CripTheVote

Q5: What are the specific elements of the #AHCA are you most concerned about? Why? #CripTheVote

Q6: How will multiply-marginalized disabled people be disproportionately impacted by the #AHCA? #CripTheVote

Q7: Is there a realistic pathway for preserving the disability-related services & protections of the #ACA? If so, what? #CripTheVote

Q8: What strategies should we pursue with Republican and Democratic Members of Congress? #CripTheVote

Q9: How can we fully explain to people outside of the disability community the importance of healthcare in our lives? #CripTheVote

Q10: What’s one thing we should all do tomorrow to express our views about healthcare and the #AHCA specifically? #CripTheVote

Call for Your #MedicaidStories!

Stories are powerful ways to illustrate the relationship between the individual, policies, and practices. They give examples of real-life consequences to changes in programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. The personal IS political.

The co-partners of #CripTheVote invite you to share your Medicaid Stories. Your stories will be featured in blog posts and other social media content as part of our our activism to save and defend Medicaid.

Share your #MedicaidStories by clicking here on this link.

Also, please join us for our 3/21 Twitter chat at 7 pm ET: GOP Healthcare Plan and The Disability Community, with guest hosts Bruce Darling and Julia Bascom.

THANK YOU!!!

Gregg Beratan, Andrew Pulrang, and Alice Wong
Co-Partners, #CripTheVote

[Header image description: graphic with white background and black text that reads: "#CripTheVote Call for Your #MedicaidStories http://bit.ly2mQQDoW. On the upper left-corner of the image is a graphic of a stethoscope in gray, pink, and black. On the upper right-corner of the image is a graphic of a pink heart with a heart beat sign across it. On the lower-left corner of the image is a graphic of two band-aids crossed like an X in pink and dark pink. On the lower right-corner are graphics of 3 identical prescription bottles in gray, blue, and black with a pink plus sign in the center of each].

March 12, 2017 Twitter Chat: Protecting the ADA

#CripTheVote Twitter Chat: Protecting The ADA

#CripTheVote Twitter Chat
Protecting the ADA
Sunday, March 12, 2017, 7 pm EST/ 4 pm Pacific

In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast.” This is particularly true with the current administration and changes in policies and programs that seem to happen on a daily basis.

Join the co-partners of #CripTheVote, Gregg Beratan, Andrew Pulrang, and Alice Wong, in a conversation on the importance of protecting the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the proposed changes to this law that may impact people with disabilities.

This chat will be focused on the strengths and weaknesses of the ADA, the misconceptions of it, and a look at a bill introduced earlier this year, H.R. 620: ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017. This is a bill “To amend the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to promote compliance through education, to clarify the requirements for demand letters, to provide for a notice and cure period before the commencement of a private civil action, and for other purposes.”

How to Participate

Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang  @DisVisibility on Twitter.

When it’s time, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.

If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote

If you might be overwhelmed by the volume of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. Each question will be tweeted 5-6 minutes apart.

Check out this explanation of how to participate in a Twitter chat by Ruti Regan: https://storify.com/RutiRegan/examplechat

Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc
https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/

Introductory Tweets and Questions for 3/12 Chat

Welcome to the #CripTheVote chat on protecting the #ADA! Please remember  to use the hashtag when you tweet.

If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote

Q1 Based on your experiences, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Americans with Disabilities Act? #CripTheVote

H.R. 620: ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 is a bill introduced in Jan 2017: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr620 #CripTheVote

H.R. 620 seeks to amend the #ADA to ‘promote compliance through education’ & among other measures to delay civil actions. #CripTheVote

Proponents of this bill say that the amendment is intended to curtail ‘nuisance’ or ‘serial’ lawsuits. #CripTheVote

These issue have been around for a long time, but a recent 60 Minutes segment summarizes the claims. #CripTheVote http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-americans-with-disabilities-act-lawsuits-anderson-cooper/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7d&linkId=31955379

Blog post by @LFlegal w/ quotes from @IngridTischer regarding the “60 Minutes” story. http://www.lflegal.com/2016/12/60-minutes/ #CripTheVote

Also, “An Open Letter Opposing Ableism in ABA Section on Litigation Programming” https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGCeu9knUilZcW2k7H_IMyYnRP1P2YQWvM-QlwVV-fRu_61w/viewform #CripTheVote

Q2 How would the disability community be affected by notification & waiting periods before being able to file a lawsuit? #CripTheVote

Q3 Have you ever filed an official ADA complaint or lawsuit? If so, what can you share about the experience? #CripTheVote

Q4 How often do you encounter violations of the ADA and what are the most common violations you experience? #CripTheVote

Q5 When you encountered access barriers & other #ADA violations in the past, how did you respond? Did you get a resolution? #CripTheVote

Q6 Please share any examples in your local community of lawsuits that resulted in ADA compliance & improved access. #CripTheVote

Q7 If there are some people using the ADA only to make money, what could we do about it without weakening the ADA? #CripTheVote

Q8 How much of a practical impediment would it be to require negotiation first before filing lawsuits? #CripTheVote

Q9 No law is perfect, but why is it important to protect the ADA in its current form?  #CripTheVote

Change of Plan for the Next #CripTheVote Chat

It looks like an "ADA notification bill" has been re-introduced in Congress, and the risk of it passing is probably greater now than ever before. We have decided to postpone our March 12th chat on "Disabled People in Public Service," and instead host a discussion on "Defending the ADA." The date and time will be the same ... Sunday, March 12, at 7 PM Eastern, but the topic will be different. The public service chat will be held at some later date.

House of Representatives bill H.R. 620: ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017, (click the link to see details of the bill), would require a waiting period and documented efforts at resolution for Americans with Disabilities Act complaints before private lawsuits could be filed. If you experienced an ADA violation, you would not be able to sue until you first contacted the business owner to try and resolve the problem, and waited a certain amount of time to let them fix the problem, before being allowed to sue. The most often cited reason for this is instances of disabled individuals and their lawyers filing dozens of ADA lawsuits against businesses, supposedly completely by surprise, and supposedly to make money off out of court settlements. That's the story anyway.

Obviously, there's another side or two to this narrative, and in the next few days we will post some questions that will structure our chat. Stay tuned, but in the meantime, change your calendars accordingly!