Edwards Drops Out of Presidential Race

I first supported Richardson and he dropped out. Then I supported Edwards and now he’s gone. Maybe I should support the one I agree the least with and support him or her… with my track record that should get them out of the race.

So, where does this leave us?

On one side is the War-Mongering-Economic-Idiot McCain and the Very-Educated-But-Can’t-Keep-My-Story-Straight Romney.  On the other side is the Billary Dynasty and the Kid.  What choice is there?

McCain isn’t an option for me. He is strong on War and week on Economy. And, does he even know what “Autism” is?

Romney might be strong on Economy but he can’t remember what he just promised so we can’t expect him to keep any of his promises.

Let’s not forget Ron Paul… He’s the candidate of the lunatic fringe… sorry– you don’t have to agree with me. I believe in the Constitution. I like the idea of less taxation but, I can’t understand how our educational system and infrastructure could endure 4 years without support.

Hucklebee— I really don’t have much to say about him. He has no position on Autism. He wants to re-write the constitution.  On the other hand– the guy is really like-able! Have you seen him on the Colbert Report?

Billary: Enough already.  Bill may have been a pretty good President overall but, don’t we want change? We’ve had 8 years of the Clintons. We, the People, wasted a lot of money to find out who he was playing footsie with while he was supposed to be governing… And, really– if Hillary is the candidate (still not sure who’s running that show) she has no experience to speak of– a couple of terms in the Senate; so what? She was not the President and if she’s trying to claim the years she slept in the White House as experience then I should be Ambassador to Brasil since I grew up there! Come on!.. (Anybody remember NAFTA?)

Finally we have Obama…. Humm… He strikes me as lacking confidence. Have you noticed how he takes so long to answer a question? I understand that he has to be careful not to give Billary (and Jon Stewart) and fodder but, he isn’t thinking on his feet.  He’s got his stump speech down and is very charismatic, has some good quot-ables and decent policy but, watch him in the debate on Thursday… I really don’t think he’s got it.

I’ve threatened to do this before but, I think I’ll write in Stephen Colbert.

NOTE: I welcome your opinion and will post opinions that differ from mine but only if written in a polite manner. No insults will be posted.  Make your case for your candidate of choice but do so in a respectful manner. Thank you.

I Love to Hate Clinton… but there are cracks in my armor

I don’t like Hillary Clinton. It’s everything and nothing about her. Maybe I’m too old fashioned… maybe she seemed like a big phony… maybe she “stood by her (lying, cheating, SOB) man”… whatever it is– was– I’m starting to re-think my position.

Her contained, lady-like, emotional display earlier this week made me look at her as if she is human for the first time.  I lived in Washington DC when the Clintons arrived– at the time of the very suspicious suicide, at the time when their investments were questioned and there were all kinds of rumors circling about her having an affair of her own… by the time Monica came along I was gone from there and no longer privy to inside the beltway gossip– I’ll bet it was fun at the RNC!!

I have friends who are big Hillary supporters and know her personally. They say that in person she is a real human being– funny, passionate and smart. I’ve never met her and don’t have a personal experience to draw upon.

 Anyway, I’m going to take a new look at her Health Care and Autism Plans and see where that leads me.  Economically– I think she has as good of a shot at fixing things as any of the other top candidates. These are the issues that matter the most to me and will weigh much heavier than their like-ability or what they think about immigration or abortion. I’ll keep you informed of my progress.

The Candidates’ Autism Plans by Dr. Chew

I found this and thought it was worth sharing:

The Candidates’ Autism Plans

by Kristina Chew, PhD on November 24th, 2007

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her autism plan in Sioux City. She called for for $700 million in funding for autism research and education and criticized President Bush for failing to fully fund legislation such as the Combating Autism Act (CAA); Clinton noted that she co-sponsored the CAA and also, earlier this year, the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act. Referring to autism as a “national health crisis” (as quoted in the Associated Press), Clinton said that “‘we don’t know how to cure it, and we don’t even know the best ways to treat it.’”Autism initiatives that Clinton proposed taking include:

Expanding research to identify causes of autism by doubling investments in the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) efforts to identify the causes of autism, and monitoring its impact across the country

Creating an Autism Task Force charged with investigating evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services

Providing planning and demonstration grants for services for adults: Clinton will provide funding for for a one-time, single year planning grant for states and a multi-year service provision demonstration grant program to increase access to appropriate services to adults living with autism, including job training, housing, and transition services for young people leaving school. 

Improving access to post-diagnosis care, so that children can start receiving services as soon as possible after they are diagnosed.

Providing teacher training: Clinton will provide funding for school districts to ensure that teachers responsible for educating children with autism receive specialized teacher training, including ways to engage in appropriate interventions

Creating a National Technical Assistance Center that will gather and disseminate information about autism treatments, interventions, and services, and provide technical assistance; this information would be accessible through the Internet.

Guaranteeing quality, affordable health care: Clinton’s American Health Choices Plan would enable individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities to have access to quality, affordable health care for their conditions. Citing the costs of insurance and insurance premiums, Clinton pointed out that her universal health care plan would enable families to afford health care as good as that currently received by members of Congress.  Her initiatives do directly address some of my own main concerns regarding autism, namely: Education and teacher trainings; services for adults who need them; insurance coverage. 

Hillary Clinton Promised to Find Out What Causes Autism

A couple of nights ago I had CSPAN on while drifting to sleep and a Clinton Speech in New Hampshire came on. She brought up Autism– without being asked anything about it– and promised to find out what causes it. Was I dreaming?

Can she make that promise while endorsing mandatory vaccines? Seems a bit contradictory since vaccines (Thimerasol) seem to be the most likely cause. (At least Ron Paul’s health-care plan gives us a choice on vaccinations… ) There are certainly other theories– older father, environmental causes, and heredity are just some of them. Another theory for the explosion in autism diagnosis is the expansion of the definition. In past generations, people who were high functioning might have just been considered eccentric.

I don’t have any answers and,  apart from living with an autistic child and reading everything Temple Grandin writes, I have no expertise.

While I applaud Mrs. Clinton’s ambitious promise to find out what causes Autism, I’m skeptical that she can actually do it.  And, if it matters so much to her why hasn’t she done anything as a member of Congress?Don’t they hold the purse strings?

Any politician would be fool to claim apathy towards those of us who’s lives are affected by Autism– but, what have any of these folks done? Huckabee got a $400 haircut to benefit Autism Research– big deal. Richardson actually expanded services in New Mexico. What have Edwards, Clinton, Obama, McCain, Romney, Paul, Thompson and rest of the pack done?

Hillary Clinton talks about her track record– accomplishments– what has she done for the “least of these”? Am I missing something? Has she done something that I’ve missed?

I welcome your comments and am an undecided Ohio voter. I do vote and will vote for the person who, in my view, is the strongest on the Economy and on Autism.