by Marta Russell

About the author: Marta Russell is a disabilities activist and freelance writer based in Los Angeles, California.

The new congressional lingo—welfare “transformation” and “personal responsibility”—is Orwellian Newtspeak for people with disabilities, masking the reality of what the Contract With America [legislation proposed by the Republican- controlled Congress] actually portends for us. House Speaker Newt Gingrich claims that the Republican “devolution” plan will empower state governments to become more efficient. But isn’t this an expedient ideology, when the details are missing as to how states will accomplish this “efficiency” and succeed where the federal government has failed? For disabled people, the devil will be in the details. How will the states handle their new mandate"

Drastic Cuts

If...