A top federal official rapped Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday for a belt-tightening move that could worsen a Social Security backlog, leaving tens of thousands of disabled citizens desperately waiting for benefits.
“We’ve got a rapidly increasing number of (disability) applicants. It tends to go up in bad economic times,” said Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue.
Astrue called Patrick’s plans to furlough workers and possibly cap staffing at the Massachusetts Disability Determination Services offices “inappropriate and counter-productive.”
This is ultimately an indefensible policy.”
Even though the DDS office is federally funded, employees are technically state workers subject to state Civil Service rules.
The governor’s press office had no comment on Astrue’s comments. ...
Oct 27, 2009
Astrue Criticizes Massachusetts Governor
From the Boston Herald:
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4 comments:
Something must be missing here. Why would governors take heat by furloughing DDS employees if their pay is covered by the Federal government.
AINT THAT THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.
Sure furloughs are bad news. But over-paid administrative law judges who either neglect or misinterpret evidence is too!
Make the DDS federal. Dear God Astrue you are fail.
Again, the irony--those who want more state control are driving an inevitable outcome of federalization of these functions.
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