It looks as if Social Security may end up with more money than was called for in the President's proposed Fiscal Year 2008 budget. The appropriations bill pending in the House of Representatives would increase the budget by $100 million. Others want to increase the budget by $400 million or more above Bush's budget. However, Michael Astrue, Social Security's Commissioner wants no more than Bush's proposed budget.
This raises an important question. If Social Security ends up with more money than Bush and Astrue are asking for, what will Astrue do with the extra money? The assumption may be that he would use the extra money for more employees. There seems to be near universal agreement that Social Security needs more employees. However, I said near universal agreement. There are signs that the Office of Management and Budget is extremely interested in holding down the number of employees at the Social Security Administration. During former Commissioner Barnhart's term of office, the number of employees at Social Security declined rapidly, even though Social Security's operating budget was going up at greater than the rate of inflation. Bush's proposed 2008 budget for Social Security contains a 4% increase in agency funding -- but holds employment steady. Mike Astrue has already said that he intends to add about 1,000 employees to Social Security's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Does that mean that he intends to cut employment elsewhere at Social Security by 1,000? With extra money, does he just increase ODAR employment and hold employment elsewhere in Social Security steady? Does he just continue cutting employment elsewhere in Social Security and find other ways to spend the money?
There are always ways that an agency can spend money that do not involve hiring more people to get the work done. There are always contractors to hire and computer equipment to buy. Also, you can just waste money. My favorite Social Security waste of money was hiring Ari Fleischer and Willard Scott in 2006 to speak at a gathering of Social Security public relations personnel, as service was rapidly deteriorating at Social Security Field Offices.
So, if Social Security gets more money than the President proposed, does Astrue spend the money for more employees, who are hard to get rid of, or does he spend it on contractors and equipment that may or may not be needed, or does he just find ways to just fritter it away?
I have read some bad things about earmarks in appropriations bills, but I think some earmarks in Social Security's appropriations bill could be a good thing.
This raises an important question. If Social Security ends up with more money than Bush and Astrue are asking for, what will Astrue do with the extra money? The assumption may be that he would use the extra money for more employees. There seems to be near universal agreement that Social Security needs more employees. However, I said near universal agreement. There are signs that the Office of Management and Budget is extremely interested in holding down the number of employees at the Social Security Administration. During former Commissioner Barnhart's term of office, the number of employees at Social Security declined rapidly, even though Social Security's operating budget was going up at greater than the rate of inflation. Bush's proposed 2008 budget for Social Security contains a 4% increase in agency funding -- but holds employment steady. Mike Astrue has already said that he intends to add about 1,000 employees to Social Security's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Does that mean that he intends to cut employment elsewhere at Social Security by 1,000? With extra money, does he just increase ODAR employment and hold employment elsewhere in Social Security steady? Does he just continue cutting employment elsewhere in Social Security and find other ways to spend the money?
There are always ways that an agency can spend money that do not involve hiring more people to get the work done. There are always contractors to hire and computer equipment to buy. Also, you can just waste money. My favorite Social Security waste of money was hiring Ari Fleischer and Willard Scott in 2006 to speak at a gathering of Social Security public relations personnel, as service was rapidly deteriorating at Social Security Field Offices.
So, if Social Security gets more money than the President proposed, does Astrue spend the money for more employees, who are hard to get rid of, or does he spend it on contractors and equipment that may or may not be needed, or does he just find ways to just fritter it away?
I have read some bad things about earmarks in appropriations bills, but I think some earmarks in Social Security's appropriations bill could be a good thing.
Yeah waste money like putting two computer monitors on each desk. It is just SO hard to toggle between screens.
ReplyDeleteMay favorite recent waste of money by SSA is changing the name from OHA to ODAR. New stationary, signs, etc. What was the point of that?
ReplyDelete