New Hires

Here is the text of a Social Security press release:

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced the appointment of three new members of his executive team at Social Security.

Dr. David B. Gray is appointed Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs. Dr. Gray will play a key role in helping Commissioner Astrue implement his plan for reducing the backlog of disability cases. “I look forward to working closely with Dr. Gray to improve Social Security’s outdated medical listings and poorly defined categories of disabilities and advance our vision for more compassionate allowances.”

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Gray was concurrently the Associate Professor of Neurology and Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He holds a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Psychology from Western Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence University in Wisconsin. His extensive work in the field of paralysis and mobility impairments, rehabilitation and human behavior has earned him respect in the research and academic communities both abroad and in the United States.

Margaret A. Hostetler is appointed Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Dr. Jason J. Fichtner is appointed Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. “Ms. Hostetler and Dr. Fichtner both bring strong backgrounds in policy analysis and research that will help us continue to study the effects of possible changes to the Social Security program on individuals, the economy and program solvency. I look forward to their wise advice and counsel.”

Ms. Hostetler has a wealth of experience in federal policy-making, having spent more than 20 years in senior Congressional committee staff positions. Her assignments included the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Budget Committee. Most recently, she was the Senior Legislative Representative with the AARP Economic Affairs Federal Division. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Fichtner has extensive experience in economic policy and analysis. Prior to his appointment, he was a senior economist with the Joint Economic Committee in the U.S. Congress. In addition, Dr. Fichtner has served as an adjunct assistant professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University. He also has worked for the Internal Revenue Service and as an economic analysis consultant in the private sector. He holds a doctorate in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan.

I cannot comprehend how Dr. Gray is going to help reduce backlogs at Social Security. No matter how smart he is, he knows essentially nothing about Social Security's disability programs. I fear this appointment proceeds from the widely held belief among the naive that since the Social Security disability programs are a mess, those with experience in these programs must be incompetent and that the best thing to do is to bring in someone from the outside who has new ideas. However, there are no new ideas for Social Security's disability programs other than foolish unworkable ones such as former Commissioner Barnhart brought in. Gray is likely to resurrect old bad ideas or invent new bad ideas of his own. Social Security's disability programs are not badly run. Disability determination is inherently a messy business. Neither Gray nor anyone else can change this. No new ideas are needed; just enough personnel to make the current systems work. By the time Gray figures this out, if he ever does, Michael Astrue will be leaving office.