Findlaw reports that:
"U.S. Supreme Court Narrows ADA Protection--Inability to Perform Work Tasks Alone is Not a Disability Under the Americans With Disabilities Act"
The Court stated that the central inquiry in identifying an ADA-protected disability is whether the claimant is unable to perform tasks central to most people's daily lives. Some tasks of "central importance to daily life" include tending to personal hygiene, household chores, bathing, and brushing one's teeth.
The McCain campaign hasn't notified the world of any physical disabilities that Palin has. But the law also covers cognitive disabilities, if I understand it correctly. They haven't announced any of these for the candidate either. Furthermore, Republicans have generally taken very conservative stands on these accommodations, siding with employers who are concerned with the expense of making accommodations.
So it heartwarming that the McCain-Palin Campaign is setting a totally new precedent by arguing for accommodations because of, not disability, but lack of experience. Usually, lack of experience disqualifies an applicant from the job completely. But we hear, via the New York Times, in relation to the upcoming vice presidential debate:
McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive. [emphasis added]
I thought they had been touting how experienced Gov. Palin is. Must be my hearing. Anyway, I'd like to challenge readers to come up with ways to make accommodations should she should become Vice President. Well, strictly speaking, that job isn't too difficult. But should she be called on to step in for the President, what sorts of accommodations need to be made for her lack of experience?
How about "All major emergencies must be announced at least seven days in advance so that Palin can get tutoring on how to respond" for the first one? I'll leave it your imaginations to craft additional accommodations to help Gov. Palin succeed should she become our president.
Somehow though, I have the feeling that if Biden asks for similar accommodations in the televised moose skinning contest between the vice presidential candidates, the McCain operatives will cry "FOUL."
Strictly said all of us are disabled. I mean I have bad digestion so that could be a disability as well. Or stuttering so it should be rephrased to be clearer.
ReplyDeleteWell, Steve, I was as new as a peeled egg to debate and I was paired by a draw of the hat to the best team in the state who happened to be in my class. My coach (who I named my first child for-- I love to tell people this story) told us that even when mismatched to be strong and fight because you didn't know what the judges would catch. My teammate and I got dogged and I stayed for reasons that I don't know. I did not cry, but I was humiliated because I suddenly couldn't remember numerical placement or where DC was on a map.
ReplyDeleteI refused to debate for a long time and my coach got me into miming as part of the debate, drama and forensics tournaments. "You can wear make-up and no one will know who you are!" LOL Sure! I was a bad mime, but I got better as time wore on and I would debate again. (By then I was used to the audience laughing and I was still not good at debates; I would loose the argument but get best speaker!)
I think that the guv needs to . . . follow my lead, skip the debate and become a mime.