The isolation of mentally ill people in Group Homes, from the society and from the communities in which they live, is the bases upon which Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis, on September 8th, 2009 ruled that New York State, in its use of large Adult Group Homes, had violated The Americans with Disabilities Act.

Local Republicans tapped Scozzafava as the nominee in July because they believed her centrist views would appeal to a coalition of centrist Republicans, independents and Democrats in a moderate-minded district that Barack Obama won with 52 percent of the vote in 2008. The national party supports her for the same reason: her perceived electability. This is a case where the wingnuts are…well acting like wingnuts and the national party is acting more pragmatic. The hard right is not concerned about winning as much as they are about being heard, even if it means handing the seat to a Democrat.