THE NATIONAL FORUM ON DISABILITY ISSUES BRINGS ATTENTION TO QUESTIONS FROM THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

Last month, over 80 disability and aging organizations joined together to sponsor the non-partisan National Forum on Disability Issues (NFDI).  Thousands of disability activists from across the country invited both Presidential campaigns to participate in the forum through Twitter, Facebook and e-mail invitations.  As a result of their hard work, both President Obama and Governor Romney sent representatives to speak about their positions on disability issues.  President Obama sent Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy, Jr., and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke on behalf of her party. 

On September 28^th, representatives from both Presidential campaigns and U.S. Senate from Ohio took the stage to address disability issues.  With in-person registration full, the representatives spoke to a room of 500 Ohio voters.  Over 2,500 individuals watched the forum live via webcast! 
 

Did you miss the event or want to watch it again?  The full forum is now posted online.  Click here to watch the forum or click here to view photos of the event.  You can also read what the speakers said here in the complete transcript. 

NFDI is the only national event that brought together representatives from both Presidential campaigns to focus on disability issues.  The moderator, former CNN White House Correspondent Frank Sesno, engaged the candidates and their representatives on issues including employment, Medicaid, health reform, long-term services and supports and education.

This event, the second NFDI, was only possible due to the efforts of disability activists around the country.  NFDI helps voters who are concerned with disability issues engage in the voting process.  One MS Activist from the Society’s Ohio Buckeye Chapter said, “It was a very good experience and confirmed for me which candidates I would vote for.”  Thank you to all of the activists across the country for making this historic event possible!