Decision Maker
Colorado State House
The Colorado State House, also known as the Colorado State Capitol, is an imposing and distinguished building located in Denver, Colorado. A notable architectural feature of this magnificent edifice is its gold dome, a nod to the Colorado Gold Rush, which is covered with 200 ounces of 24K gold leaf. The interior of the building is equally impressive, housing beautiful stained glass windows depicting scenes of Colorado's history, and luxurious wainscoting, making it a testament to grandeur and elegance. The building is not only a center of government where legislative business is conducted, but it also serves as a museum-like treasure, offering public tours that narrate the historical and cultural significance of Colorado.
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John Hickenlooper, Colorado State Senate, Colorado State House, United States Department of the Interior, Colorado Division of the Bureau of Land Management
The Great Sand Dunes of Colorado are some of the most unexpected and glorious natural features in the West. Protected within a 150,000 acre national park, the sand dunes roll and swerve in fantastic changing patterns and are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
Now this incredible park is under attack. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to auction off the mineral rights of thousands of acres of land just outside the park to the oil and gas industry.
Please sign our petition to protect this natural wonder from destruction.
Oil and gas developments can contaminate our water and air, destroy native plants, and harm or displace wildlife -- all of which are crucial to this fragile ecosystem. In addition, the park’s tourist industry is dependent on a healthy and protected ecosystem.
The BLM has argued that the mountain ranges around the park will protect it from pollutants and have dismissed concerns about water contamination by saying the rain water flows to basins outside the park.
But this is not a good enough answer. You can’t hide environmental dangers behind a mountain range. No matter how small or insignificant such developments seem, they still exact a price on the environment.
Let's stop putting profit before the planet. Sign this petition to demand the Huerfano County Parcels 8080-8090 NOT be approved for auction!Read more
Brendan MonogueAurora, CO, United States
87,220
3/23/18
UNITED STATES OF AMER, Colorado State Senate, Colorado State House
People tend to forget or ignore the fact that the columbine massacre happened in the middle of a 10 year weapons ban. Setting off this unprecedented epidemic.
A weapons ban is NOT the grand solution… as we’ve seen in the past it doesn’t do much to stop it. And WITH or without one these shootings will NOT stop and we will still need to secure the schools. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that’s just going to go away.
It’s truly disheartening when we hear about high schools and colleges getting shot up and not that their lives matter any less but surely they are more able to get out of certain situations etc.. even if that means tackling a gunman. These elementary shootings are beyond me… these are literally babies…
Failure to secure every school and put armed security at every school is reckless and negligent.
WE are failing the next school shooting victims (and there will be) by not demanding immediate change. We DO NOT need legislation passed to secure OUR schools…
We need not only to demand the leaders of this country to GIVE the funding to implement more security but request they ACT immediately!
IF WE HAVE MONEY FOR WARS.. WE HAVE MONEY FOR THIS!!!
Our schools don’t have to “look” like prisons but they DO need to be SAFER!!
And perhaps people under the care of a Dr. For a mental illness shouldn’t be able to buy a gun… put into some sort of system.
I don’t care if you are Republican, democrat, gay, straight, black, white, or yellow… and the next shooter doesn’t care what you or your child is either. Schools need secured… NOW.
SECURITY MEASURE PROPOSALS :
-Vestibules
-Armed officer and/or armed SRO at every school for the ENTIRE school day (no more of this one officer per 5 schools)
-Panic button lanyards for teachers directly linked to the police department for faster response
-Better security measures at the door (stop buzzing in just anyone).
-Alarms on doors so they aren't left open... Secure the schools so no one can get in!! Even grocery stores have alarms and locks on all side and back exit doors and they are NOT glass!
-Replace classroom doors with bullet proof doors
-Replace side glass doors with metal doors.
-Provide More Mental Health Resources for students. God knows we need to heal our children!-Make it to where anyone under the care of a Dr. for a mental health condition is not able to obtain a weapon.
******The school districts just cannot afford it....
This is what they always say BUT WE HAVE BILLIONS ON THE DROP OF A DIME FOR WARS. JUST NOT THE WAR AT HOME THAT'S TAKING OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES AT SCHOOL OF ALL PLACES!!
I said it before and I'll say it again no matter what side of the fence you are on you should be demanding the “leaders” of this country stand up and implement more security measures, and that THEY ALONG SIDE US demand more funding for that!
Let the Senate and house argue for another 30 years. They don't have a solution. And at this point I don’t think there ever will be one. It will take many.
We are scared for our children… Our kids are scared and they're being MURDERED at SCHOOL....
it's OUR job to protect them it is NOT our job to wait on the government to do nothing.
Demand the funding and action NOW!Read more
stacy ravenscroftAurora, CO, United States
45,705
5/7/19
Jared Polis, Colorado Governor, Colorado State Senate, Colorado State House
As businesses shut down and patrons leave their homes less frequently, gig economy, tip-based, hourly, and 1099 workers' incomes have begun to suffer greatly from the COVID-19 outbreak.
This petition is in order to compel governor Jared Polis to pass an executive order that will place a moratorium on all rent, mortgage, utilities, and loan payments as well as evictions and foreclosures in the state of Colorado until the national emergency declared over the Coronavirus has been lifted.
In the past week ski areas, venues, and school districts have shut down, leaving many hourly workers without any source of income. The CDC has recommended gatherings of fifty or more be canceled for the forthcoming eight weeks, this will only further impact workers as it will lead to the closures of many restaurants, bars, and other service industry workplaces. Without a moratorium on rent, mortgage, utilities, and loan payments and if evictions and foreclosures were allowed to continue, many people and families will be impacted financially by taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.Read more
Alexander HallUnited States
40,437
3/15/20
Donald Trump, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Department of Veterans Affairs, Alabama State Senate, Alabama State House, Alabama Governor, Florida State Senate, Florida State House, Flo...
I’m Jenifer Bass, a U.S. Navy veteran, who served for 10 years, one-third in the Asia-Pacific region. It was due to my travel between ports in countries like Japan and Thailand that I first encountered amerasian children, and descendants, of U.S. service members and civilian contractors previously stationed overseas. Filipino Amerasians are abandoned and neglected biracial children of Filipino mothers and American fathers (mostly members of the US armed forces).
In the Philippines alone, more than 52,000-plus children were born and left behind after the U.S. Navy withdrew the last of its military personnel in 1992. Right now, the U.S. government won’t legally recognize them as U.S. citizens, despite having been born to an American parent. The Philippine Embassy won't help them either.
As a former US colony between 1898 and 1946, the Philippines was home to millions of US soldiers and their dependents, even after its independence. Until 1992, the country hosted two of the largest US military facilities outside the US – Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base, which played major roles during the Vietnam and first Gulf wars.
In 1982 US Public Law 97-359, or the Amerasian Act of 1982, allowed children from Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, or Thailand to move to the US and eventually become American citizens, but those who were from the Philippines were excluded from the law, an exclusion which was upheld by the US Senate on the basis that many Filipino Amerasians were “conceived from illicit affairs and prostitution”, and were born during peacetime. Today, there are estimated to be more than 250,000-plus children.
Many amerasians are caught in a no-man’s land of discrimination and poverty -- most left behind by U.S. service members who are unaware that they’ve fathered children overseas. My friend John Haines is one of these sailors. In 2011, John discovered he was the father of a half-Filipino daughter, Jannette. He attempted to unite with her through the American Homecoming Act -- but was frustrated to learn that the Act did not apply to Filipino children of U.S. service members.
Today, all John wants is to be united with his daughter and grandchildren. He, like so many other veterans are living with a “hole in their hearts” as they search for ways to unite with their children. There is hope. The Uniting Families Act of 2018, HR 1520, creates a specialized visa allowing military veterans and eligible civilian contractors to sponsor their children and grandchildren for U.S. citizenship. Currently, blood relationship must be proven by DNA test and the total number of visas granted will be capped at 5,000 each year.
The issue takes on more urgency as so many of our veterans from our wars in Southeast Asia are getting older and dying each day -- without the chance to connect, or in some cases, reconnect with their own children.
John’s daughter Jannette has already undertaken the DNA testing process, conclusively proving her relationship to her American father. All she’s waiting for is the opportunity to permanently unite with her father.
There is a PBS documentary, "Left by the Ship" (2010), documenting a day in the life and the personal struggles as a Filipino amerasian on the never ending search for identity and their struggles to connect to their American military families.
Please sign this petition to tell Congress that these families cannot wait another day. Pass the Uniting Families Act of 2017, HR 1520, now!Read more
Jenifer BassMilton, FL, United States
34,700
10/23/16
Jason Crow, John W. Hickenlooper, Jared Polis, Jeff Merkley, Joseph R. Biden, Colorado State House, Colorado State Senate, Colorado General Assembly
Recycling Plastics is the biggest Greenwashing Scam; chasing arrows recycling symbol on plastics has misguided us long enough and has led our planet into plastic pollution crisis.
The issue of waste is pivotal and intertwined with major environmental issues like climate change and pollution.
According to National Geographic, 90% plastics produced have NEVER been recycled.
Labels warning about the harms of continual usage and disposal of plastics, both to our Health and our Environment, can serve to educate, raise awareness, help people make conscious choices and combat the unbridled usage of plastics.
1) Microplastic Ingestion Warning; using graphic as in above video or text as below:
"Microplastics and chemical additives can leach into the contents of this plastic container, accumulate in the body and have long term damaging effects on health."
2) Environmental Hazard / Danger to Land or Marine Creatures Warnings; as in text below & / or icons as in link below / any other appropriate graphic images
“This container / bag may end up in oceans or landfills potentially causing harm to animals due to entanglement / suffocation or when mistakenly ingested by animals can cause suffering / death”
www.myecovive.com/plastics-envr-animals-hazard-warnings
3) Likely / Average Recycling Rate of Plastics, percentage that may be incinerated and end up in landfills or oceans as shown below or as symbols in the link:
< 9% Recycled
~14% incinerated
> 75% in Landfills or Oceans
www.myecovive.com/plastics-recycling-labelling
Though the recycling rate may vary in individual countries, by and large only 9% of plastics ever created have been recycled; 12% to 14% have been incinerated and the rest remains in our lands and in our waterways.
In addition to Governments having right rules / policies, Producers taking more responsibility for plastic waste generated by them, to truly address the issue of Plastic Pollution, we need heightened awareness from Consumers.
Background / References: www.myecovive.com/plastic-warnings-background-referencesRead more
Divya HarikrishnaDenver, CO, United States
20,889
2/22/21
Colorado State Senate, Colorado State House, First Gentleman Marlon Reis
I wanted to share with everyone that didn't know about HB21-1160, that it has reared its ugly head again this year. This bill effectively eliminates the option of a true no-kill shelter as this bill would deem as neither "Healthy nor Safe".
I personally know that MaxFund No-Kill Animal Shelter is one of the places that will be highly impacted by this bill. I am a volunteer and through my volunteer time I fell in love with a dog that was deemed unadoptable. Because MaxFund is so great at working with the animals and making sure they are ready to be in a home before they even open up the possibility of adoption, had I not come along, my special boy would have never lived life outside of MaxFund, or possibly Majestic which is a long-life safe haven for dogs that can’t be deemed safe. More on that to come. My pup was approved walkers only, which meant that I had to get special permission to even interact with him. Not because he was aggressive, or was mean, but because he was scared. It is very apparent that his past contained many different forms of abuse and because of that, he is triggered A LOT. When he is scared, he does just about everything he can (including biting) to get out of the situation. I was approved quickly (because I have past experience with abused animals and can become the alpha quickly) and began working with him. I took him on “field trips” every week to see what triggered him, and to give him extra stimulation. After two months of constant work and home visits, I brought him home. He has adjusted beautifully to normal life and is thriving in a strong and caring environment. Without MaxFund, and the work that they do with not only “non-safe” dogs, but dogs that are sick or injured and they nurse them back to health, I would not have my special pup. He is my constant companion, and my cuddle bug. He just needed someone to give him a chance.
Just because animals aren’t ready to be adopted, doesn’t mean that they will live a bad life. Some go to fosters, some will stay at the shelter and some will graduate to a magical place called Majestic. Majestic is a mountain home for wayward dogs who can’t be rehabbed into a regular home. Each one has a large enclosure where they can run and play and live out their life in a stress-free environment. Just because a dog doesn’t get to eventually live in a traditional home doesn’t mean that they are miserable or abandoned or mistreated. Even at MaxFund, the dogs interact with volunteers and staff daily and if possible put in play-groups where they can interact with other appropriate dogs. They are socialized, taught commands and manners, loved, cuddled; and bottom line, they are ALIVE AND SAFE.
Please take a moment to sign this petition so that we may present to the legislature a strong and united front that all animals matter; and just because they have experienced trauma, it shouldn’t be a death sentence. There are too many high-kill shelters now, so let the ones who are willing to do the hard work continue to do so.
You can also find out more information here: https://www.nokillcolorado.org/sb20164-socially-conscious-sheltering-bill-colorado
Here are the email addresses to the representatives/senator that are taking this bill forward:Rep Monica Duran monica.duran.house@state.co.us Rep Matt Soper matthew.soper.house@state.co.us Senator Ginal joannginal52@gmail.comContact your legislators in the district where you live: http://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislatorAlso contact First Gentleman Reis at marlon.reis@state.co.us as he may want to help our cause as well.Read more
Heather DubuissonWestminster, CO, United States
17,464
3/16/21
Michael F. Bennet, Colorado State Senate, Colorado State House, Diana DeGette, Jared Polis, Doug Lamborn, Ed Perlmutter, Mike Coffman, Scott Tipton, Ken Buck, Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, Nancy Todd, Po...
This petition was started to break the silence and stigma involved with the topic of DV, we want to bring awareness to this issue because it is only getting worse.
We want changes, to the epidemic of Domestic Violence and Abuse happening all over the United States, but especially in Colorado. Our main goal is to have a registry for people charged with three or more domestic violence related crimes, or a crime that is very severe like manslaughter, homicide that has caused death and is involved with domestic violence.
In Pueblo, Colorado early into 2020 two young women were victims of Domestic Violence and both victims tragically and needlessly lost their lives due to Domestic Violence, their names were Nicole Stephenson and Grace Jackson. These two beautiful, amazing young women were mothers, they had bright futures, and were both exceptional people who are loved by so many and their tragic deaths have effected many more; they were just two of the victims of Domestic Violence during the time that we started this petition, there have been countless others since we started this petition, both women, and men.
This petition is to begin a publicly accessible registry for Domestic Violence abusers, specifically abusers who have multiple offences and convictions of Domestic Violence and Abuse or a severe crime like homicide that was as a result of domestic violence.
This registry would give safety, peace of mind and change to survivors and victims, where many other organizations fall short, it could potentially very well save someones life; it would deter the perpetrators and predators of Domestic Violence and Abuse, of whom are both men and women because Domestic Violence is non exclusive to any gender, and prevent future victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Ultimately this registry is to try and save lives.
Each year in the US between 960,000 to 3,000,000 Domestic Violence incidents are reported, while many more go unreported for many reasons, most include lack of resources, fear, intimidation, or the inability to get away from an abuser.
As many are aware the Violence Against Women Act expired on December 21, 2018. It was temporarily reinstated via a short-term spending bill on January 25, 2019, but expired again on February 15, 2019.
As we have seen the past two years have been years of many changes; it's been trying, heartbreaking, catastrophic, devastating, and yet at the same time, people from all over the world have come together in solidarity to bring the voices of those silenced into the light and heard loud and clear.
We are no different.
This is an epidemic, it is on the rise, and it is time to speak out against this issue and bring awareness to it. I have found that it is easier to ask who has not been effected by Domestic Violence and Abuse than to ask who has. If this petition can save even one person from becoming a victim, it is worth it.
I ask you to please sign this petition, which will be forwarded to every Colorado lawmaker and legislator, The Colorado Governor, Colorado members of Congress, Colorado members of City Council and Colorado members of legislation at the city and state level, and ultimately all of the U.S Senate and members of Congress.
It is time for change and this subject is no different, it needs to be addressed, things need to change and this movement needs your voices and support. Please sign and share this petition to give a voice to those being silenced, those who can no longer speak, those who have and still are being effected, and to those who have survived this.
Sincerely, Kate Ferguson and Gabrielle SkubalRead more
Kate FergusonPueblo, CO, United States
11,479
2/27/20
President of the United States, Alabama State Senate, Alabama State House, Alaska State Senate, Alaska State House, Arkansas State House, Arkansas State Senate, California State Senate, California ...
The Earth has been around for almost 5 billion years, with us modern humans evolving only about 200,000 years ago. In the 0.004% of our planet's total lifetime that we have been around for, we have managed to rip up around 46% of the trees worldwide in our luscious forests, pollute our majestic oceans and the almost-extinct coral reefs, and drive countless species to extinction.
In fact, before the evolution of humans, less than 1 species per million went extinct annually; today, a devastating rate of 100-1,000 species per million are lost every year. We are destroying our planet faster than we can process the changes. These deaths are directly linked to habitat destruction by the hands of humans and climate change.
According to the International Panel on Climate Change, "To keep the rise in global temperatures below 1.5C this century, emissions of carbon dioxide would have to be cut by 45% by 2030."
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, founder of the Potsdam Climate Institute, states that the climate may become irreparable if we don't reduce carbon dioxide emmisions in the next 18 months. We must act now, if we have any hope of preserving this planet for future generations to come.
Our climate is in a crisis. The U.S. federal government, one of the largest and most influential democratic governments in the world, must declare a climate crisis IMMEDIATELY. Chief executive of the World Wildlife Fund, Tanya Steele puts it clearly: "We are the first generation to know we are destroying our planet and the last one that can do anything about it." Sign this petition to stand alongside us, and our planet. We are the ones who must save our Earth. The time is now!
Cover photo by NASARead more
Our Climate CrisisLos Angeles, CA, United States
9,849
7/28/19
Colorado State House, Colorado State Senate, Colorado Governor, Jonathan Singer, Daniel Pabon, John Hickenlooper, Senator Jim Smallwood, Senator Beth Martinez Humenik, Senator Irene Aguilar, Senato...
Colorado State Senators and House Representatives: Protect the Public from Permanent Injury due to “Dry Needling” by Inadequately Trained Physical Therapists in Colorado
Do you know what “dry-needling” is? It is acupuncture.
The American Medical Association (AMA) confirms it. But, physical therapists in Colorado are using the term “dry needling” to practice acupuncture without having to meet state-required education and training standards for it.
Do you know that Colorado has the highest percentage of serious dry-needling injuries caused by physical therapists in the United States?
At least 34 serious “dry needling” injuries caused by non-acupuncturists have occurred in the United States in recent years. The number jumped exponentially from 1 injury between the years of 2005-2009 to at least 21 injuries during 2010-2014. At least 6 documented injuries, up to 20% have occurred in Colorado.
What kinds of injuries? Collapsed lungs (requiring surgery and hospitalization), permanent bowel dysfunction (such as incessant diarrhea), permanent partial paralysis, permanent loss of limb function, permanent nerve damage, and more.
A physical therapist, with no training whatsoever in the insertion of acupuncture needles, can walk into weekend course on Friday and start inserting acupuncture needles up to half-a-foot long (6 inches) into patients on Monday morning.
There are NO national education standards, training standards, certification exams, accredited programs or schools for dry needling. None. That is why we are seeing these injuries.
Here are few examples of recent serious dry needling injuries:
● In Colorado in November 2013, 17-year-old professional freeskier Torin Yater-Wallace suffered a penetrating right lung injury caused by a physical therapist performing dry needling. The injury resulted in a traumatic pneumothorax (a collapsed lung). He was treated for the traumatic pneumothorax at the emergency department of the St. Anthony Summit Medical Center in Frisco, Colorado, and was admitted to that hospital on the same day. The traumatic pneumothorax required medical and surgical intervention. He was hospitalized for five days.
Colorado resident 17-yr-old Torin Yater-Wallace hospitalized after dry needling by an inadequately trained physical therapist
● In Boulder, Colorado on April 30, 2015, a woman’s left lung was punctured by a physical therapist. After experiencing pain and vomiting, she went to the emergency room at Good Samaritan hospital. Multiple tests were conducted and imaging scans showed a collapsed left lung. She required surgery and three days of hospitalization, plus four days of bed rest. She lost five days of work and had to cancel a trip to Hawaii among other birthday plans. Her physical therapist denied any responsibility for the event.
● In Colorado in June 2015, 41-year-old clinical social worker Lisa Kerscher suffered a penetrating lung injury caused by a physical therapist performing dry needling. The lung injury resulted in a collapsed lung. She was treated at the emergency department of the Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.
● In February 2016 in Ohio, 47-year-old Anong Pipatjarasgit suffered a penetrating thoracic spinal cord injury caused by a physical therapist performing dry needling. The injury resulted in a traumatic spinal epidural hematoma (an accumulation of blood in the spinal epidural space). She was treated for the spinal hematoma at the emergency department of the ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, and was admitted to that hospital on the same day, requiring medical and surgical intervention. After recovering from emergency surgical decompression and evacuation of the hematoma, she underwent extensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. She now has permanent severe neurologic problems, including paraparesis (partial paralysis of the lower limbs), sensory deficits, bowel dysfunction, and persistent severe back pain.
● In Colorado, Duane Fenton, PA-C at Western Orthopaedics in Denver had to surgically remove an acupuncture needle from a patient’s shoulder after a physical therapist broke the needle off in the patient’s bone.
● In January 2018, a case study documented permanent radial nerve injury to a 27-year-old female receptionist by a physiotherapist practicing dry needling in Ireland. Despite intensive rehabilitation, she remains permanently unable to flex or lift her left wrist. Are we really going to do nothing and wait for this to happen to one of our own Colorado citizens, a working mother who will no longer be able to lift her toddler?
27-yr-old woman with permanent nerve damage due to dry needling by an inadequately trained physiotherapist (physical therapist)
With proper education and training, these injuries are preventable. Because of the inherent risks of acupuncture needles, acupuncturists in Colorado are required to have over 1,905 hours of training, including a minimum of 705 hours of acupuncture-specific education (during which acupuncturists learn needle insertion angle, needle length, indications, and warnings for each of thousands of points), and a minimum of 660 hours of clinical needling observation and supervised needling internship. (These numbers are in addition to the medical courses acupuncturists share with other doctorate-level medical colleagues, such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.) The mere 23 hours of training the Physical Therapy Board requires before physical therapists start inserting acupuncture needles into the public is a significant risk to public safety.
Again, the above-listed hours are the minimum standards and should be upheld as such. Most acupuncturists actually have nearly double the aforementioned amount of education. Many graduate with 3500-4500 hours of doctoral-level training and hold doctorate degrees. All of that education and training is relevant to the safe and effective practice of acupuncture.
Education and training standards exist for public safety.
Do electrician license requirements unfairly limit plumbers from doing electrical wiring in an innocent person’s home? Of course not. Plumbers who want to do electrical wiring simply need to get their electrical license.
Professional medical standards protect the public.
This issue is about holding medical professionals to their pledge to: “Do no harm.”
This issue is about putting innocent people before quick profits. This issue is about making sure health professionals are adequately trained in how to use specialized tools and perform acupuncture before they permanently damage unsuspecting Colorado citizens. Dry needling IS acupuncture. It is an acupuncture needle inserted into an acupuncture point.
We want the Colorado legislature to remove amendment L.001, the “Dry Needling Amendment” from HB18-1155, the Physical Therapy Practice Act renewal bill. This would remove all “dry needling” language from the Bill.
It would not change the current practice of Physical Therapy in Colorado.
There is one final very important consideration:
Amendment L.001 and the other amendments that add "dry needling" language attempt to circumvent the civil right to appeal.
There is currently a judicial appeal regarding the insufficient training required for physical therapists practicing acupuncture (i.e., dry needling) in Colorado. This last minute attempt to add "dry needling" to scope of practice is an attempt to circumvent the judicial process. Removing Amendment L.001 and all other amendments with "dry needling" language from HB18-1155 honors the right to civil appeal before the courts and will let the courts decide this issue.
With this petition, we ask our Colorado State House Representatives and Senators to please remove Amendment L.001 and all other amendments with "dry needling" language from HB18-1155 in the interest of public safety, and out of respect for the civil right to appeal before the courts.Read more
Acupuncture Assocation of ColoradoColorado, United States
9,372
3/18/18
President of the United States
When we think of marriage equality, we think about the ongoing fight LGBT couples face, but another minority group must deal with the stark reality that they are better off living in long-term committed relationships, without marriage. Like LGBT couples, these couples are denied the right to over 1,100 rights afforded to married couples. They have been denied access into their loved ones hospital rooms, faced family disputes over wills and have been denied spousal benefits from their partners workplace or the government in the event of their partners death. These are people with disabilities.
Many people rely on the government for medical and financial assistance. Without medical insurance they would have no way to live independently. They would be forced into nursing homes (some already are), which would cost the government significantly more than getting Medicare and/or Medicaid does. At the same time, this assistance comes with a price. The government expects married couples to share income and that affects any assistance the couple receives. For many, their spouse makes too much (even if they make meager SSDI payments). This cuts into the healthcare services these couples receive. For some, their able-bodied partners make too much to allow them to qualify for medical assistance, if married, but not enough to pay out of pocket for costly medical equipment, medicine, or any other needs the disabled partner has. Add in the fact that even when a person with a disability can work, the opportunity for quality medical insurance is hard to find, due to their pre-existing condition and you will understand why many couples with disabilities are forced to live in domestic partnerships. Also, if two people with disabilities marry and they are on SSI or SSDI, their payments are CUT significantly, making it hard for them to maintain independence and afford their own food, shelter, clothing or other necessities.
The time to stand up is now!! Let your Senators and Representatives know you want to remove the income caps placed on individuals with disabilities, so they can keep the government assistance and still be able to get married. Every loving couple deserves the right to marry. No one should have to choose between their wheelchair and their love, their therapy and their love, their medication and their love, their ability to eat or have a roof over their head and their love!! Those are not choices!! Help make it possible for those with disabilities to share their love without being penalized!Join our fight for marriage equality for people with disabilities:https://www.facebook.com/MarriageEqualityForPeopleWithDisabilitiesRead more
Dominick EvansDetroit, MI, United States
6,375
8/11/12