Disabled Arrested At McCain Office

(AP)  At least 20 disabled activists, most of them in wheelchairs, were arrested outside Sen. John McCain's offices Tuesday after being refused a meeting with the GOP presidential nominee-to-be over a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more people who want in-home care.

"If he should be president, it would be ironic that he comes from a party that talks a lot about family values," said Bob Kafka, national organizer for ADAPT, a group advocating for passage of the bill. Without the legislation, many disabled and elderly people don't have the choice to apply coverage to anything other than institutional care, he said.

"Families are devastated because they don't have a choice to keep people at home," Kafka said.

McCain was not in his office during the protest. He was campaigning Tuesday in Florida on his health care plan.

The bill, S. 799, stuck in committee since last year, would amend the Social Security Act to allow people who are eligible for Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs to spend it instead on home-based, or community care.

Sponsored by Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., it also would grant extra money to states that participate in the program, according to a summary of the bill.

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, are co-sponsors of the bill, but McCain is not.

Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said about 20 people from the group were arrested outside McCain's office in the Russell Senate Office Building on Tuesday and charged with unlawful assembly.

McCain's Senate chief of staff said the protesters turned down an offer to meet immediately with McCain's aides. Mark Busey said he didn't know McCain's position on the legislation but would ask. The chances are slim, however, that the senator himself would be meeting with members of the group.

"We are more than happy to let them know when he will be back in the Washington area at public events, town halls and the like," Busey said in a telephone interview. "Right now we do not know when he's going to be here for a meeting."

[algoresarse]

Dear We talk about the runners for the oval office. I told my friend this is the 1st years I have heard super delgates. I am appalled that one person can and has changed America..Mr. T had a line *crazy fool*. That is bush and company. Our votes don''''t count. It is in the paws of the super delgates. It is a sad day when ye can''''t talk to yer govt officals. It is not just MaCain..People in WA state could not meet with the gov. I ''''member as a school child our class visited the gov in Maine. We met the gov years ago. The bully started it bush.

Posted by MichelleM99 at 05:31 PM : May 02, 2008
+ report abuse

************************

do you ever re-read some of your bullsh*t?

[stn_sage]

This is just unbelievably stupid on the part of McCain''s staff people. They should have had them removed from the premises, but NOT arrested! What GOOD is that going to do?!

Instead, McCain''s staff provided additional evidence that HE and the GOP are a bunch of no-good, heartless, hate-mongering jerks! It shows extreme poor judgment! The actions of staff reflect on the ''boss''.

People are not quite so quick to vote for a guy---or his staff---who has wheelchair-bound people arrested!

[michellem99-2009]

Dear We talk about the runners for the oval office. I told my friend this is the 1st years I have heard super delgates. I am appalled that one person can and has changed America..Mr. T had a line *crazy fool*. That is bush and company. Our votes don''t count. It is in the paws of the super delgates. It is a sad day when ye can''t talk to yer govt officals. It is not just MaCain..People in WA state could not meet with the gov. I ''member as a school child our class visited the gov in Maine. We met the gov years ago. The bully started it bush.

[rwm2_2000]

Well I admit McCain is just another Bush-maybe even worse if that''s possible and Obama is a closet racist until he''s caught and folks don''t like Hilliary so there''s only 1 real choice---VOTE FOR RON PAUL...UR vote may get cast aside but why vote for anyone who U don''t think is qualified and really wants to help America! Our Dollar is going down the drain and our candidates don''t even talk about our real problems and how they intend to help.

[michellem99-2009]

US Brit. I take it ye are UK living in America. I am a disbled person and I am appalled at this govt. Yes I have the right to my say as born US citizen. I know how the able body feel in this matter. I have dealt with this all my life, Have ye read the US constution. If I was in yer nation of yer birth, I would not have the rights I have in the US over there. They have a right under our constution to talk to our govt It is the police that is in the wrong. The fonding Fathers framers of the constution had all bases covered as the saying goes. So it is the abled bodied pushing the handicapped around /that is not right. The rights granted in the constution gives us Americans rights and ye if yer nationalised living in this nation.They have a right under the constution to gather and that is a right.

[candy-apple]

bunch of disabled Viet-Nam vets arrested.

Posted by USBrit at 11:29 AM : May 01, 2008

"At least 20 disabled activists, most of them in wheelchairs, were arrested ...."

Am I missing something here? Where does it say disabled Vietnam Vets??

MOst people know that you can''t just show up at Capital Hill and expect to meet with someone. How did these activists get to Capital Hill? Where were the people who transported them there? Why didn''t they escort them out after the offer was turned down to meet with staff members?

[darnedsocks]

IF MCCAIN ALLOWED PEOPLE TO GET CARE AT HOME, THEN HIS "BUDDIES" WHO HAVE "INVESTED" INTO THESE INSTITUTIONS WOULD LOSE MOST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!

Of course he wouldn''t want to sign something like that! Afterall, his "buddies" Swiss bank accounts need more stuffing, which is far more important than the quality of these human''s lives! NOT!(McCain is acting like a jerk!)

[taddles-2009]

"I do get your point - they should have made an appointment.

Posted by USBrit at 11:29 AM : May 01, 2008"


That has become the only way they can get politicians attention. They try to make appointments and get blown off, they try to present their grievances in a civil manner and get ignored. Sometimes you have to make it in the politicians interest to listen, like publicly shaming them.

[taddles-2009]

" boo-hoo , sniff, sniff

Posted by LibH8er at 02:33 PM : May 01, 2008"



Typical Repub response, don''t have anything intelligent to say so just ridicule. Can''t develop a reasoned argument so lie. Can''t defend a point so insult and attack. You act like selfish arrogant spoiled children.

[libh8er]

McCain doesn''''t care. Just like Dubya.

boo-hoo , sniff, sniff