Judge Alito

The fact that Samuel Alito was a member of the Concerned Alumni of Princeton, and cited that fact on his 1985 job application, has been in the news recently.

If you want some insights into how Alito might view the rights of Americans with disabilities, check this quote from the Concerned Alumni of Princeton newspaper entitled “Prospect’s:”

"People nowadays just don't seem to know their place," fretted a 1983 Prospect essay titled "In Defense of Elitism." "Everywhere one turns blacks and hispanics are demanding jobs simply because they're black and hispanic, the physically handicapped are trying to gain equal representation in professional sports, and homosexuals are demanding that government vouchsafe them the right to bear children."

While these may not be Alito’s words, the fact that a group he belonged to feared us wanting “equal representation” in professional sports is troubling. It is important to keep in mind that in 1983 there was not a lot of energy being exerted by people with disabilities to gain equal representation in professional sports. If Alito and others in his group were concerned about people with disabilities wanting equal representation then, what would they think now?

Congress must ask difficult questions to get to the heart of where Judge Alito stands on the Americans with Disabilities Act and the rights of people with disabilities in a broader context.

Disability Research

A question pondered why the disparity between paratransit fares across the country. Sadly, disability research rarely intends to support advocacy. So, a quick review of the wonderful World Wide Web finds this study by Gregory M. Kausch published December of 2004:

"Since the early 1990s, much like the operating cost recovery ratio, the average fare collected by demand response transit agencies in 2001 dollars exhibits pronounced upturns and downturns, but is generally increasing – from $.82 during FY 1990 to almost $1.75 during FY 2001 (Figure 16). Over the twelve-year period, this represents an increase of about 111%."

Later in his study Mr. Kausch points out information that could prove useful in advocating for paratransit services.

"Despite the rapid growth rate of demand response operating costs, the mode is unremarkable in terms of raw operating dollars expended on an annual basis. During FY 2001, the level of demand response service on the street only cost about 1/7 as much as the level of conventional fixed route bus service. On an annual basis, heavy rail and commuter rail service also cost more to operate than demand response service."

People with disabilities have to frame the argument effectively to convince public policymakers. In the following example from Durham, North Carolina it points out the importance of challenging statements like "decreased federal funding." Decisions about how federal funding is used to operate transportation are made on a state and local level.

Durham
"In July 1996 Durham Area Transit Authority restructured fares for fixed-route and paratransit services. DATA attributes increases in fares to rising operating costs and decreased federal funding.

"No one wanted to raise the fares, but with federal cutbacks the city had to find a balanced solution," says Mark Ahrendsen, assistant director of transportation for the city of Durham. "Our sensitivity to passengers is paramount, and the subsequent fares represent only a modest increase," adds Ahrendsen.

For one-way travel on DATA buses, general fare increased to 75 cents from 60 cents. Discount fare increased to 35 cents from 30 cents. Transfer fares were not changed. DATALink and D-Tran paratransit fares increased to $1 from 90 cents."

What the research does indicate is that more creative strategies are in order to keep paratransit services as a viable alternative for those who need it.

Interesting study on switching from paratransit to mass transit.

Jeepneys & Jitneys "The few economic studies available have generally found paratransit services to be an economic asset, eliminating the need for government subsidies and relieving public transit systems of their costly peak-period burdens."

I left my heart in San Francisco.

Far North Protest

Brothers and sisters with disabilities in the far north are speaking out against recent increases in paratransit fares and the inferior quality of services made available by Paratransit Inc.

A quick review of paratransit fares across America reveals:

• Anchorage, AK $3
• Seattle, WA (King County) $.75
• Las Vegas, NV $1.50 $2 Peak $4 Strip Zone
• Greenville, NC $1.50
• Dallas, TX $2.50
• Lawton, OK $2
• San Francisco, CA $1.65
• New York, NY $2 (Same as mass transit)
• Atlanta, GA $3.50

You get the picture, Anchorage paratransit fares rank amongst the highest in the nation. I hope that Anchorage Municipal Assembly members are watching polls and realizing that screwing the poor and disabled is not as popular in America as they think.

Mike Tyson and the NFB

BANG. BITE. RIP. SPIT.

Fighting for the WBA Heavyweight Title in 1997 against Evander Holyfield, feeling desperate knowing his winning days were over, Mike Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear assuring a boxing legacy best described as bazaar.

Like Tyson, the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) is feeling desperate as its 20 plus year hold on the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Commissioner post is slipping away. With their own gnashing of teeth, some NFB members that fed from the RSA trough for years have filed suit claiming discrimination because five of the 66 RSA staff being laid off are blind.

Rumor has it that RSA regional staff without disabilities are considering suing as well claiming discrimination because after working at RSA they are perceived to have a disability.

People with disabilities witnessing the RSA theater, wish that RSA staff would have advocated with equal vigor for their interest.