tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post1925664245268060568..comments2024-03-29T11:14:10.488-04:00Comments on Social Security News: California Cuts SSIUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-42726538376199823912009-10-13T09:31:42.372-04:002009-10-13T09:31:42.372-04:00It would be nice if the reporter got her facts cor...It would be nice if the reporter got her facts correct and reported the bigger issue. Facts: there is no Social Security Supplement and the SSI payments are not paychecks.<br /><br />The bigger issue is the marriage penalty inherant in the Federal Benefit Rate. The federal couple rate is 1.5 times the amount of the federal individual rate. The State of California couple rate is more than 2 times the amount of the California individual rate. If the Federal Benefit rate for a couple was a fair two times the Federal individual rate, this reduction in the SSI payment to the couple would seem more fair. Even with the 11/09 reduction, the California couple rate is still twice as much as the California individual rate. But lawmakers in California saw a big opportunity to save money by not helping make up for the marriage penalty for SSI recipients caused by the federal benefit rate.<br /><br />There are more marriage penalties in SSI. SSI actually encourages not getting married by the regulations. As long as you are not married and not holding out to the community as married and you don't have joint bank accounts, you can live with your babyparent for 30 years, raise a passel of kids and have no spouse with income that affects your public assistance. Marriage dysincentive.<br /><br />Of course, when the babyparent dies, you can't qualify for widow's or widower's Social Security benefits because you aren't one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-91087858043142321112009-10-12T20:11:45.152-04:002009-10-12T20:11:45.152-04:00Deducted from their paychecks? This is inaccurate....Deducted from their paychecks? This is inaccurate. It is deducted from their welfare checks. SSI is welfare. It is not Social Security. And it definately is not a paycheck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-21778640026915750662009-10-12T10:02:13.228-04:002009-10-12T10:02:13.228-04:00I hate to say this since SSI is the program from H...I hate to say this since SSI is the program from Hell, but the cost savings of having SSA do SSI since 1974 are up toward $100Billion. The federal govt paid the states to administer categorical aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled and then, of course, they didn't pay people, or they paid 'em wrong, or they cut off the checks with no warning... Oh, yeah, well it seems the Good Old Days are back with a vengence. One of these days soon, someone is going to remember that there is a mandatory minimum state payment in there for people who were on since 1973, and we'll have another fine mess on our hands, Ollie.Nancy Ortiznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-34393295916882973372009-10-12T09:16:28.609-04:002009-10-12T09:16:28.609-04:00Paychecks?Paychecks?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-67007644598551229562009-10-12T09:02:45.356-04:002009-10-12T09:02:45.356-04:00!) Congress, in its infinite wisdom, has seen fit ...!) Congress, in its infinite wisdom, has seen fit to burden SSA with the administration of programs that have nothing to do with Social Security - RRB (Railroad Retirement Bens., Medicare, and SSI). Is it any wonder that backlogs are so high?<br /><br />2) Why is it that Republicans have never attacked SSI, since it's everything they hate - welfare, federal bureaucracy, intrusion into people's personal affairs?<br /><br />3) Why not give the states block grants again and let them administer their own welfare? If certain states see fit to pay people less than they need to survive, well, that's their responsibility, and they can take the heat for it when those people collapse in the streets.John Herlingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-68512883274494668242009-10-10T21:26:15.092-04:002009-10-10T21:26:15.092-04:00Of course, the pathetically poor media continues t...Of course, the pathetically poor media continues to mis-identify the payments as "social security", because they are too lazy or stupid to get it right, as with most things.<br />I wish they would eliminate the state supp in NY--it creates a lot of additional administrative time and expense, and those who are street-smart know what to say to get the max, while those not-so-smart get screwed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com