Religious freedom is no reason to deny people with disabilities the right to equality in the workplace | TheHill

Exactly 30 years ago today, on July 26, 1990, President Bush proclaimed proudly, “With today's signing of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom." But can they?
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/509032-religious-freedom-is-no-reason-to-deny-people-with-disabilities-the-right

Infuriating: GOP is using Americans with Disabilities Act to close polling places in black counties - Daily Kos

Officials in heavily black Randolph County, Georgia, sparked a national outcry last week over their plan to close seven of their nine polling places using the Americans with Disabilities Act as a pretext, and now Kira Lerner at ThinkProgress reports that the Trump administration itself is using this devious new tool for voter suppression. ....
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1790125

Equal Access, The Americans With Disabilities Act, And Hr 620 (Opening Arguments podcast #151)

Today’s episode takes a look at HR 620. What does it mean, and why does Congress want to make changes to one of the most successful, bipartisan, and beloved pieces of legislation in the past 30 years?

First, though, the guys update break down a recent decision from the Eastern District of New York also enjoining Trump’s rescission of DACA. Why did a second court block Trump’s order? Listen and find out!

During the main segment, Andrew walks us through the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act and what restrictions HR 620 would impose on would-be plaintiffs. Is it as bad as people are saying? (Hint: yes.)

After that, we answer a somewhat off-the-wall question from listener Mark Lunn that’s a follow-up to Episode 147 with Lucien Greaves.

Finally, we end with the answer to Thomas Takes the Bar Exam Question #64 about dog law, accidental trespass, and… well, you’ll just have to listen. Don’t forget to follow our Twitter feed (@Openargs) and like our Facebook Page so that you too can play along with #TTTBE!
Interview:
https://openargs.com/oa151-equal-access-americans-disabilities-act-hr-620/

The House Just Passed a Bill That's Great for Discriminatory Businesses, Horrible For People with Disabilities | Alternet

Republicans—and a few Democrats—decided to roll back key protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/house-bill-good-discriminatory-businesses-bad-people-disabilities

DeVos scraps 72 documents laying out disabled students' rights

Donald Trump: Let’s get rid of regulations. Betsy DeVos: Okay, how about these 72 documents giving guidance on the rights of students with disabilities? Predictably, the DeVos-led Education Department insisted that the 72 were rescinded because they were “outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective.” Things like this:....
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/23/1709169/-DeVos-scraps-72-documents-laying-out-disabled-students-rights

Yes, He's a White Supremacist FFS - The Facepalm Five: September 18, 2017

Interview:
https://youtu.be/8ERdpf4FA-0

4 Things We Learned About Betsy DeVos At Her Confirmation Hearing

Last night, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on Betsy DeVos, the nominee for Secretary of Education. Senators showed up with a lot of questions for DeVos, who has no experience in education policy but instead has a long record of supporting private school vouchers. Despite protest from the Democrats on the committee, the committee chairman allowed each senator only five minutes to ask all of their questions. Although several Senators and the public still have many questions that remain, we did learn a few things from the nominee at the hearing....
https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/4-things-we-learned-about-betsy-devos-at-her-confirmation-hearing

Donald Trump demands brownie points for obeying the law

Here’s Donald Trump’s latest ridiculous explanation for how he was not mocking a reporter with a disability last fall when he was obviously mocking a reporter with a disability:

“I spend millions a year, or millions of dollars on ramps, and get rid of the stairs and different kinds of elevators all over and I’m gonna mock? I would never do that,” he continued. “Number one, I have a good heart. Number two, I’m a smart person.”

Why, Trump is so smart that he follows the law. That would be the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires him to build those ramps and elevators. It’s not like he’s spending millions of dollars out of the kindness of his heart. His argument here, in other words, is “I could not possibly have been mocking a person with a disability because I obey the law regarding people with disabilities.” Except when he doesn’t:...
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/1555231