http://www.adn.com/opinion/letters/story/699062.html
Letters to the editor (2/23/09)
Can Palin justify per diem pay?
Gov. Sarah Palin should not be allowed to collect per diem for staying in her home. When she was elected governor, she knew the governor’s mansion was located in Juneau and that is where she should be. I cannot for one minute believe that this is OK with the people of Alaska, and I do not see how she can justify this in her own mind. — Kim Chatman
Eagle River
http://www.adn.com/opinion/letters/story/674996.html
Letters to the editor (2/1/09)
Palin trip for herself, not Alaska
It’s time for Gov. Sarah Palin to get a reality check. I just read the news release on the State of Alaska Web site about her nonpartisan trip to D.C. this weekend. Her trip is far from nonpartisan. Who is she trying to fool: us, or herself?
Her first night is going to be dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Fred Malek. Mr. Malek may have a lot of money, which I’m sure is quite enticing to our governor, but he has a very shady past (counting the number of Jews in the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Nixon).
She has accused Obama concerning the company he keeps; maybe she needs to take inventory of her relationships.
In the same news release it says that she is also going to D.C. to speak about Alaska’s needs. She is going there to discuss her own needs.
If she doesn’t want to be honest and represent us, then she should resign. I’m sure we can find a great replacement who’s willing put our state back on the right course.
— Kim Chatman
Eagle River
http://www.change.org/ideas/view_idea/_the_autism_reform_act_of_2009_?page=5
I totally agree. My 12 yo Aspie finally “officially” diagnosed in 2006. The schools don’t “see” a disability, and he is bright, but he certainly needs appropiate accomodations to function....more evident now that he’s started Middle School. We have been truly blessed this school year with a SpEd teacher who “really gets it”.....and he is actually comfortable with her. She changed his IEP from 1hr/month to 20 hrs /week , since she’s the LEA at his new school. Last school year the elementary LEA actually told me “ he is normal, it’s the mother who is the problem”. She was very inappropriate and dead wrong....and traumatized both me and my son.
Like you, we can’t afford the therapies ( traditional,biomedical) he could benefit from.. and that have been recommended by his physicians. In January , next week..our medical insurance premium soars- over doubles !!- to $750/month. This is more than our monthly house payment !!! Yet we are “too rich” for State CHIP programs. If they only looked at our NET income..it’s far from the GROSS amount you see on paper !! In the long run, it does’nt really matter anyway because medical insurance does not “cover” Autism/Asperger’s treatments period. My son can not have access to ABA services, hyperbaric chamber, supplements or GFCF diet...even follow-up doctors visits because the expense involved.
Respite care ? We have some great neighbors who have been more help than anyone.. yet you hate to wear our your welcome. We have never even left our son with a “babysitter”, except when he was under 18 months... and on a normal neurodevelopmental tract back then. With no family nearby....you just take one day at a time.. and wing it.
My son had a “meltdown/tantrum” when he was 9 yo. I handled it the best I could..in public. Would you believe I was turned in to CPS ?? Well of course, once “investigated” by the State, I was “cleared” in 2 weeks.. and deemed a suitable parent. Of course it took me more than 2 weeks to get over that trauma as well.
We need more people to “get it” and help all of our deserving ASD kids..not matter where on the spectrum they fall.
Posted by Kim Chatman on 12/25/2008 @ 05:03PM PST
http://www.change.org/ideas/view_idea/_the_autism_reform_act_of_2009_
I also support. Mom to a 12 yo Aspie son. He’s high functioning so next to impossible to get the public school system to adhere to appropriate accomodations. My husband and I earning together approximately $60,000 NET annually- we don’t qualify for State CHIP programs/benefits and our medical insurance increases $400/month in January 2009.
We may be forced to join the ranks of uninsured Americans. No ABA covered,no biomedical treatments covered. - so you read books and implement what you can on your own. Can’t afford over $10,000 annual tuition for local private ADD/ASD school, so we take what little we get from the public school system. Son was abused emotionally and physically last year at local elementary school. We are all still healing from those “wounds”.
Turned down for United Healthcare Children’s Foundation Grant 11/08- can’t apply again until 11/09- when he’s almost 13 yo. Yes, our ASD preteens and teens need treatment too- not just early intervention. They are not “hopeless cases”.
So I support Autism Reform Act —and will do what I can to spread the word.
CJ’s mom
Posted by Kim Chatman on 12/09/2008 @ 06:19AM PST
Sounds like Kim has some children she regularly tosses to the wolves. Where’s CPA in Alaska when you need them.
You must love Obama. He never goes anywhere - except to apologize for the USA not being controlled by him from the beginning, except to bow and kiss the ring of the Saudi King, hug Chavez, and let Ortega run down this country in front of him for nearly an hour. Obama did not just keep company with terrorists and a satanic minister. Obama is probably the Anti-Christ in the flesh.
You have one of the greatest people in this country for governor and you are not appreciative of her. Just another liberal and if so, get the hell off this site.
I did not mean my previous post for you. I should have made that clear. I beg your pardon.