[blindlaw] National Federation of theBlindRejectsNelson-CollinsAmendment

Mon Feb 9 04:58:55 UTC 2009

I understand it.  Sometimes you have to make decisions about what to 
do first, even when you want to do it all.  You have a finite pool of 
resources and you must decide how to use them.  The problem is that 
sometimes perspectives get clouded and things slip through the 
cracks.

It's our job to support those making the decisions by making sure 
that things that need doing get done.  Sometimes that means finding 
additional resources.

I'm not sure what I think of the Nelson-Collins amendment, actually.  
The status quo doesn't work very well, it is true, but I am not sure 
that a cut in funding will encourage improvement in efficiency for 
existing VR services.  Most likely, funding changes will impact only 
how many are served at existing levels of VR performance.  The thing 
that should concern the NFB is how to improve VR services.  Only 
after that is known should questions of how to pay for it be asked.

Failing to follow this model results in very expensive solutions to 
problems that do not exist and unresolved problems still in need of a 
good solution.

That said, the change in number of people served by the status quo 
and more importantly the type of people who will be given priority 
for service may so impact the population of those who might change 
the status quo that we will no longer have the resources to make 
those changes that are needed.

Of course, this question looms over the whole "stimulus" package, 
regardless of what is or isn't going to be in the final version that 
passes.

Joseph

On Sat, Feb 07, 2009 at 12:44:14PM -0800, ckrugman at sbcglobal.net wrote:
> When I recently joined NFB I was surprised that such a system had not 
> been implemented as a means of increasing member participation.
> Chuck
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott C. LaBarre" 
> <slabarre at labarrelaw.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2009 10:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of  
> theBlindRejectsNelson-CollinsAmendment
>
>
> That  is an excellent idea and I will recommend it to those who can
> implement it.  You are right to say that the easier you can make it for
> people to send a note etc, the likelihood that  they will do so goes way up.
> Incidentally, one of the people  who implements our governmental affairs
> action is James McCarthy and he is subscribed to this list.  Are you out
> there Jim?  What say you?
> Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.
>
> LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
> 1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
> Denver, Colorado 80222
> 303 504-5979 (voice)
> 303 757-3640 (fax)
> slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
> www.labarrelaw.com (website)
>
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> ----- Original Message ----- From: <ckrugman at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 6:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of theBlindRejectsNelson-Collins
> Amendment
>
>
>> I posted on another list that it would be helpful if NFB had a 
>> legislative action center where members and supporters could send 
>> emails or faxes to legislators on issues such as this. Today when this 
>> came up I attempted to contact the offices of
>> Senators Boxer and Feinstein and was unsuccessful due to busy signals. 
>> As my time is valuable I only was able to do it once. Usually when I 
>> have time to respond to such issues it is at night or on week ends when 
>> legislative offices are not open. I personally do not have the time to  
>> prepare emails or letters on numerous pieces of legislation. When an  
>> organization provides such a service to its members and supporter the  
>> organization is showing appreciation of the members continued 
>> involvement and support on such issues.
>> Chuck
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Danielsen" 
>> <cdanielsen8 at aol.com>
>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 2:52 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of the  
>> BlindRejectsNelson-Collins Amendment
>>
>>
>>> Hi Everett,
>>>
>>> The money that would be stripped out of the stimulus package by the
>>> Nelson-Collins amendment is slated to go to state vocational  
>>> rehabilitation
>>> agencies. Some state VR agencies are very good, some are awful, and 
>>> most are
>>> probably somewhere in between. But many of them are currently cutting 
>>> what
>>> services they do offer because of the economy. Even in states where the
>>> services blind people receive are not the best, it stands to reason that
>>> those services will not improve if they are cut further. Saying that we
>>> shouldn't fight the amendment because the services are lousy anyway 
>>> is like
>>> saying you're starving, but then saying that if you can't have filet  
>>> mignon
>>> you will pass on bread and water.
>>>
>>> I'm curious to know what you mean when you say that you do not like the
>>> language in NFB press releases. Is it the language you dislike or the
>>> policies it represents? I'm not asking to be sarcastic; I'm really  
>>> curious
>>> about what it is specifically about the language that you dislike.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
>>> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 5:00 PM
>>> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind
>>> RejectsNelson-Collins Amendment
>>>
>>> Good evening,
>>>
>>> I doubt that by rejecting the amendment
>>> that all Americans will have the training and insentive to work.
>>> Since an overwhelming majority of blind and visually impaired 
>>> American's are
>>> unemployed under the current system then leaving the system the way it is
>>> likely isn't the best idea.
>>>
>>> Perhaps the system needs more funding, perhaps it needs to be 
>>> replaced with
>>> something better, but the current system at the current funding level 
>>> isn't
>>> working.  I really dislike the language used in almost every NFB press
>>> release.
>>>
>>> Everett
>>>
>>> On 6-Feb-09, at 4:35 PM, Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews
>>> <dandrews at visi.com
>>> >) wrote:
>>>
>>>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>>>
>>>> CONTACT:
>>>> Chris Danielsen
>>>> Director of Public Relations
>>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>>> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>>>> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>>>> <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>>>>
>>>> National Federation of the Blind Rejects Nelson-Collins Amendment
>>>>
>>>> Urges Senate to Retain Rehabilitation Funding
>>>>
>>>> Baltimore, Maryland (February 6, 2009): Dr. Marc Maurer, President of
>>>> the National Federation of the Blind, the oldest and largest
>>>> organization of blind people in the United States, said: "The purpose
>>>> of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 currently being
>>>> debated in the United States Senate is to reduce unemployment and to
>>>> restore economic security for all Americans.  In order to accomplish
>>>> this goal for Americans who are blind or have other disabilities,
>>>> state vocational rehabilitation programs must be adequately funded.
>>>> The National Federation of the Blind urges all members of the United
>>>> States Senate to reject the Nelson-Collins Amendment and retain the
>>>> $500 million currently allocated for vocational rehabilitation.  By
>>>> doing so, the Senate will ensure that all Americans have the training
>>>> needed to work and contribute to this nation's economic prosperity."
>>>>
>>>> # # #
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> About the National Federation of the Blind
>>>>
>>>> With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is
>>>> the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
>>>> people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives
>>>> through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
>>>> encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force
>>>> in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In
>>>> January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind
>>>> Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the
>>>> United States for the blind led by the blind.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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