Reading The Pictures: Poster Mom

Nancy Iannone, a Democrat and mother of Gabrielle, 3, who has Down syndrome, said that she was so thrilled to see Trig on stage that she had to remind herself: "I am a liberal. I am a liberal. I am a liberal." Ms. Palin, she said, "has a child with a disability, but that doesn't mean her party is disability friendly." -- from NYT article on Palin and special needs. 7/7/08.

In presupposing what kind of advocate a Vice President Palin would be for the mentally disabled, Newsweek helps visually fortify the GOP's blatant exploitation of family and motherhood.

In making the leap, Newsweek undermines the process of the moment, which is to actually get beneath the ideological spin to flesh out an understanding of Sarah Palin and her record. Under the guise of a "Special Education" feature, all Newsweek accomplishes with this home page promo is to dish up an almost irresistible, heart-warming but 2-D empathy generator transforming Sarah Palin into poster Mom for Down Syndrome.

And from "Sandy on Signal" at 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera (by way of one of my readers):

Palin told families of special needs kids she would be our advocate in the White House. Since Palin became Governor of Alaska 18 months ago, she cut special education funding by 62%!!!! Wow. Who needs this kind of friend?

Another thing, Alaska has no residential care like an Orange Grove Center for the severely autistic. Can you believe this? This means the disabled have to go live in the lower 48 which means they are cut off from their true families. All that oil money in Alaska, and nothing for the "least among us."

Remember, Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a Governor.

For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.

(image: Susan Walsh/AP)

Read more analysis from HuffPost bloggers on John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin

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Comments

[Rutabaga]

Wow. The final line from Sandy on Signal is incredibly profound, and chilling.

[posten]

I don’t think there are many parents who would bring 5 month old child with Down syndrome in the audience and on stage, surrounded by loud screaming and flashing lights, at a gathering of thousands.

To cite from NADS (National Association for Down Syndrome): Many children with Down syndrome have health complications beyond the usual childhood illnesses… [they] have a higher incidence of infection, respiratory, vision and hearing problems as well as thyroid and other medical conditions”. Perhaps Trig suffers from none of these ailments, but infant’s high susceptibility to infection should be reason enough to avoid subjecting him to large crowds.

Furthermore, Trig seems a very quiet child. Down Syndrome genotype affects a toddler’s response threshold and intensity. Because of a muted response to stimuli, infants with Down syndrome can appear less volatile and fearful than other babies. Baby Trig's inability to express discomfort and anxiety may be particularly worrisome given the stress he is likely experiencing.

In brief, I’m not sure if Sarah Palin will be an advocate for special needs children, but to me she seems very thoughtless (at best) in parenting her own child.

[gage]

"A second part of the measure raises spending for students with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per student in fiscal 2008, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmen­t."

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35recaps.h27.html

[CJ1]

Yeah, and Reagan closed the institutions, say he was "setting" the mentally challenged "free," directly onto the streets for a life of homelessness.

[gage]

It's categorically false that Palin cut funding for these programs. Rather, she increased them.

[gekkobear]

the 62% cut, wrong.
Proof?
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/6/161910/4112/564/589298

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/07_OMB/budget/EED/comp2735.pdf
Page 5. the 2006 budget. 7.9 million for the Special Needs AND the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy

Now the 2007 budget you reference (with a link):
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_OMB/budget/Enacted/HB_95_bill.pdf
Page 13
Special needs. 3.15 million
Alaskan Challenge Youth Academy (as a separate line) 5.7 million.
Total. 8.85 million

Now the 2008 budget
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/09_omb/budget/bills/HB310_with_vetoes.pdf
Page 13 again
Special Schools 3.13 million
Alaskan Challenge Youth Academy (as a separate line) 6.08 million
Total, 9.2 million.

Links to the actual budgets (with page number) included to assist in actually researching this claim and seeing that it is completely incorrect.

[SDSL]

I wonder how much time Palin is devoting to her family as the Republican operatives give her the "National Government for Dummies" training. Then again, she'll have PLENTY of time to learn whatever she wants after November 4!

[mairs]

I would love to see all her cramming go to waste. Let's make that happen.

[Jaid]

Republicans only value children in the womb not once they arrive. Once they are here, these special needs children, in fact all children are kicked to the proverbial curb. Palin only limits her compassion to the people in her household or immediate family like her sister. So much for family values!

[Fabienne]

As Barney Frank has said, these people believe life begins at conception and ends at birth.

[jag99]

Gorgeous, powerful photos that make it hard to focus on very real differences between how Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin will help families with children who have Down Syndrome. While looking at them, it is worth remembering that McCain stood with President Bush in his decision to veto an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). It was a decision that wreaked havoc with the lives of many children across the country, including some with Down Syndrome. For the stories of just two of the kids with Down Syndrome missing out on health coverage as a result of Bush and McCain's position against expanding SCHIP -- and some more gorgeous photos -- see http://ccf.georgetown.edu/index/family-stories.

[surferbuoy]

Maybe you should take a good look at what SCHIP really is...there are more adults getting benefit from it then children & my 28 year old son making 52K didn't need it & he did qualify for it under the plan that President Bush vetoed....­Don't believe me? Google it for yourself instead of passing on 1/2 truths.

[dadw5boys]

DON'T FOOL YOUR SELF !!!!!!!!!

ALL THE REPUBLICANS STILL IN OFFICE VOTED AGAISNT MENTAL ILLNESS UPDATED CARE FOR THE MEDICARE / MEDICAID BILL.

VOTED AGAINST HELPING WITH TRAINING OR CARE.

Democrates got them passed after 3 tries by guilting s few Republicans with Citicens in the GALLERY!!!

[jeanrenoir]

Too bad the idiotic American mob is more affected by TV and magazine images than by any facts anyone can dredge up. I think we Obama supporters have to face the fact that Palin's the greatest con job in the history of Republican conning. She makes Swift-boating look like nothing. How can you beat St. Sarah of Special Needs when she's so great at castrating Obama on TV, too? Quite an unusual skill set, as they say. Maybe more common in Alaska.

[MsLiz]

You are preaching to the choir and a few tone deaf trolls!

[Harmony1812]

If Sarah Palin will be an advocate of the disabled because of her baby, will she also be an supporter of pre-marital sex because of her daughter?
Also, I'm tired of her whining about her daughter's privacy. If she cared about her privacy, she wouldn't be the VP candidate. Duh.
So she is for less government? Who will pay for the education, and special needs of the babies all the unwed teenagers? Or the special needs of any disabled people, like Trig for that matter? Would she cut their programs?
Yet she and most Republicans don't seem to get it that everyone is not as fortunate as they are. Not everyone has parent's that can pay their way. Disabled people, elderly and the unfortunate cannot be morally abandoned. We need government to help them. So much for your moral, hometown, social values. Palin's daughter would need government help. Trig will need government help.
Maybe it is time that life teaches Sarah Palin a lessen about compassion for the less fortunate. I hope her next lesson will be about glass houses and throwing stones. After her lies about Obama she needs another about honesty and bearing false witness against good people.

[robXdion]

She cut programs for single teenage mothers in Alaska prior to her daughter getting pregnant and the NY Times has an expose planned on Trig's birth.

[gage]

She didn't cut funding for Covenant House, which is the story you're referring to.
http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/EWThrockmorton/11581381/

[gage]

No, that's Palin myth # 37. She did NOT cut funding.

http://wthrockmorton.com/2008/09/04/our-operating-budget-was-not-reduced-director-of-teen-center/

[MotherWhoThinks]

. I had a baby like Trig. It has been so evocative and a little painful to see him in his mother's arms (once) and everyone else's (the rest of the time.) When I look at Trig, I see my baby, and remember.

Trig is like most young babies with Down syndrome. They have low muscle tone and delayed motor skills. Over half have heart or intestinal abnormalities. They have cognitive, motor,and communication delays. Their little bodies feel like dead weight. They don't squirm much, don't roll over, seldom cry or vocalize; they rarely indicate their needs. Thinking they appear "drugged" is understandable, but it's more of an indication of the syndrome.

We began the day-in-day-out battle for Max. Every environment was modified to make it more stimulating. I didn't let him just "sit" or "lay." There had to be balloons on strings, mobiles, textured blankets/t­owels/etc. for him to lay on, music of all kinds, smells and touch....f­loor time with a rolled-up towel under his chest while I held his little elbows on the blanket, so he was required to work at holding his head up. I learned and implemented infant physical therapy, sign language, and how to facilitate "normal" milestones.

Every day was like this. Every day. It took a tremendous toll. Love is not enough with babies like ours. I fear that his early developmental needs are being sacrificed to a "higher purpose" like getting Mommy elected.

[mommamia526]

Yes, thank you for this. I have not had a baby with D.S. but I have had other problems. These babies are not all alike. They have individual and different needs, like all babies. To have any baby up and around at such late hours, and handed over from one person to the next would probably qualify as child neglect. A baby that age needs a lot of sleep and needs to be fed on time as well. This baby is only four months old! When I lived abroad there was at least one case of a D.S. child who was carefully raised and helped in school and was thus able to graduate from a regular high school. It took longer and it took more effort. Infant physical therapy and exercises were already done some sixty years ago in The Netherlands. Not just for babies with special needs either. Water execise was also done, and babies learned to swim even before they could walk. After brain injury, like after a stroke, one has similar problems and one also has rehab which includes stimulation and exercise. It is hard, hard work to get rehabilitated. Sarah Palin, apparently, does not know what she is doing. Or, she is waiting for God to intervene. Which is good, if she also does what needs to be done now. She, and the rest of this family, have no time for this baby, and apparently the baby has no one to care for it.

[rosiebond007]

Great email and a valued point - Mommy needs to spend such a lot of time with this baby.
I know that my needs as a voter will be overlooked - it's OK if she stays at home though!
(And stays out of the business of America)

[dashcat]

HuffPost's Pick

Your post broke my heart. I wish you all the best.

[bettybp]

My heart goes out to you. I too have a special needs child, who developed breathing difficulties the day after he was born. He is more handicapped than DS, and unable to walk or feed himself. Jim can't speak, except with his eyes. He has been through many pneumonias in his lifetime, and also has had to have stomach surgery to repair a hole in his diaphragm. He is one of the bravest people I've ever met, and deserves people's respect as do all other special needs individuals. Many of us special needs parents have watched in terror the past 8 years of Bush/Cheney as budgets have been cut to the bone; those with the least always see the severest (and first) cuts. Here in NY, the infamous Berger Commission, has devastated funds for the handicapped, nursing homes and hospitals. Despite Palin's claim that we will have a friend if she's VP, I just don't believe a word of it. It's always been the republicans who've given the breaks to the richest, and not given a damn about the most helpless, but most deserving members of society.

[PenelopeS]

What a sad, disappointing time you must have had with your child. What happened to him?

Your story is totally at odds with our own: our daughter has had a (very) few colds - that's it. She's active, finished high school, has a job, friends. She's planning on voting for Obama.

I worked full-time from the time she was born and, with my husband's help, I think we did a pretty good job.

We also spent a lot of time on early intervention, speech therapy, physiotherapy, constant stimulation.

It seems like it was such a chore for you. We thought it was fun.

And it paid off - she's a happy, independent person.

Shame your own experience was so sad.

[SpoxLogic]

IIsn't it obvious to everyone, yet?

THE NATIONAL MEDAIA (MSM) DO NOT WANT A DEMOCRAT AS POTUS. Especially if that Democrat is named Barack Obama.

Where's the outrage that the GOP VP Candidate is not doeing the Sunday morning talk show rounds? Can you imagine what would be happening if Obama had picked a relative unknown and then kept him/her away from the MSM?

I think you can imagaine what would be happening.

[Nyckname]

Irony: The party that wants to end the SSA, and with it SSI, now claims to be the party of handicapped rights.

[Roschelle]

The "maverick" is looking more and more like a sidekick..­.merely going along with the powers that be...he says and does whatever he thinks his champions want to hear. Just like calling lobbyists 'birds of prey' which is a total contradiction to what his true ties with these unnecessary evils in Washinton are.