[NFBMT] 2020 Presidential Primary Candidate Survey on Disability

Fri Oct 25 20:45:33 UTC 2019

my mother would get mad when I was working with rehab in Denver tieing 
booty strings.
She felt that I should do them faster, it was all peace work.
I did the $42 a bag, and felt for doing each string by hand that was a 
good deal.
She was interested in the money not how your fingers worked.
I am pleased that parents are starting to see that their child can have 
a job after graduating or going to college.
We talked about the encyclopedia, I was doing well to get a Bible after 
I left home, and even that is huge in Braille.
Hard cover that is.

Original message:
> What Steve Bullock said is accurate, but Montana's shift to competitive
> wages happened because the federal government now requires all vocational
> rehabilitation agencies to use their funding only for competitive integrated
> employment.  If a client wants to work for sub-minimum wages or in a
> segregated work environment, federal rules require VR to close the client's
> case.  Montana has done very little regarding sub-minimum wages insofar as
> the Medicaid employment programs go.  That's why we adopted a resolution to
> push Medicaid employment programs down the path VR has already taken.  There
> really is no excuse for sub-minimum wages for workers with disabilities
> these days.  The segregated work part is a tougher nut to crack.  That's
> because some segregated disability programs pay pretty well, and many
> parents of people with disabilities believe their adult children are safer
> out of community employment.  Parent attitudes are changing, though.

> Jim Marks
> President
> National Federation of the Blind of Montana
> (406) 438-1421
> president at nfbofmt.org
> www.nfbofmt.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rik James via
> NFBMT
> Sent: Friday, October 25, 2019 2:00 PM
> To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Rik James <rixmix2009 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NFBMT] 2020 Presidential Primary Candidate Survey on
> Disability

> Yes, it sure as heck is interesting, Sheila.
> I hope that we do share our views and with each other, what we notice about
> these positions taken by candidates. And then, in turn, ask each of them, to
> take positions that we each, and collectively as a movement, ask them to
> follow.

> I appreciate that you posted this to the list, Joy. Thank you!

> And in case anyone did NOT happen to read down far enough in the post.  I
> paste one position I was very pleased to read.

> Steve Bullock, Governor  of Montana
> I support eliminating the subminimum wage. It my priority to ensure
> competitive integrated employment for all individuals with disabilities.
> increasing job training opportunities for people with disabilities. In
> Montana, we have worked hard to substantially reduce subminimum wage
> employment by more than 40% since the passage of the WIOA. Further, I would
> work to increase funding for career opportunities through state partnerships
> to ensure that there are more workplace opportunities for people with
> disabilities.

> Was that all true, to your own personal knowledge?

> Now, taking it to 2020. If you all are paying much attention yet to
> campaigns.  I am getting emails asking for money, sure. There are several
> individuals who have announced their interest in being our next governor of
> Montana.
> And guess which of these candidates will take opposite positions of Mr.
> Bullock? And which of them would actually reverse some of the policies that
> he had set while serving as the Governor of Montana.
> Boy, I will, for one, be most displeased to see some of them get anywhere
> near the governor's office.

> The vote. The citizen. The facts. The stated positions, and then, the
> actions taken.
> The outcomes of thinking things through. It is a complicated world.

> I happened to have been able to listen to the entire funeral service today
> on C-SPAN of the Congressman Elijah Cummings.
> Wow, it was moving. I had a few choked up moments, I have to admit. I
> imagine it will be repeated over the weekend, if you are interestd. And of
> course C-SPAN is great for having most everything available online.
> There were some very good words. I think he was one of the best I ever
> heard. Right there in Baltimore, too.

> Rik James
> President, your Treasure State chapter.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of BRUCE&JOY BRESLAUER via
> NFBMT
> Sent: Friday, October 25, 2019 5:25 AM
> To: nfbmt <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: BRUCE&JOY BRESLAUER <breslauerj at gmail.com>
> Subject: [NFBMT] 2020 Presidential Primary Candidate Survey on Disability

> I found this interesting, and thought you might, too.  It is encouraging to
> me, at least, whether or not it actually turns into anything concrete which,
> of course, I hope it does.  Joy

> From: NFB Legislative Directors On Behalf Of Justin Salisbury

> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2019 11:19 PM
> Subject: 2020 Presidential Primary Candidate Survey on Disability

> Aloha Colleagues,

> I'm wondering if we have, at any level of our movement, been talking to the
> presidential campaigns about our legislative priorities. I have been doing
> it a little bit, just in the course of talking to the campaigns like I
> would, anyway. Are we making any kind of coordinated effort to do that?

> I notice that some of the campaigns have been taking stances on issues like
> subminimum wages, and it occurs to me that some of these candidates are
> currently in positions to do something about it. For example, the Mayor of
> South Bend, Indiana, might be able to do something to restrict the practice
> in his city. Maybe that city sets its own minimum wage and could include us
> in it, like what happened in Seattle. Maybe he could use executive power to
> make it harder for the 14c certificate-holding entities to get funding from
> the city. Maybe his administration could make a push to divest city funding
> from anyone holding a 14c certificate. That's only one example, but we might
> be able to get them to do things right now to show their support.

> Are we working on that?

> I notice some really great coverage through a candidate survey performed by
> the Disability Rights Center in New Hampshire. The results are posted here:
> https://drcnh.org/2020-presidential-candidate-survey/

> We find content like this:

> Employment: What are your views on paying a subminimum wage based on
> disability?

> Michael Bennett, US Senator from Colorado

> Oppose. Michael does not support paying a subminimum wage based on
> disability.

> Cory Booker, US Senator from New Jersey

> Anyone who wants to work should be able to do so, in a job that pays a
> living wage and offers meaningful benefits. That's why I'm a co-sponsor of
> the Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an
> hour, and phase out subminimum wages for workers with disabilities, as well
> as for tipped workers and youth workers.

> Steve Bullock, Governor  of Montana

> I support eliminating the subminimum wage. It my priority to ensure
> competitive integrated employment for all individuals with disabilities.
> increasing job training opportunities for people with disabilities. In
> Montana, we have worked hard to substantially reduce subminimum wage
> employment by more than 40% since the passage of the WIOA. Further, I would
> work to increase funding for career opportunities through state partnerships
> to ensure that there are more workplace opportunities for people with
> disabilities.

> Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana

> I support repealing Section 14c of the Fair Labor Standards Act. No one in
> the United States should be exempted from minimum wage laws. This practice
> is indefensible. In office, my priorities will include increasing
> opportunities for competitive integrated employment and ensuring that
> federal agencies are fully committed to the employment of veterans with
> disabilities.

> The list goes on, but I just took the first few in alphabetical order. In
> case anyone thinks I'm supporting a particular candidate, I'll note that I
> haven't picked one yet.

> I know that the work someone does in their existing office is technically
> separate from the campaign for president, but I am hopeful that the
> candidates believe 24/7 in these values that they express on the
> presidential campaign trail.

> Mahalo,

> Justin

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