Social Security has posted an impressive website giving information about the effects of state government employee furloughs on Social Security disability claim adjudication. Social Security is dependent upon state government employees to make initial and reconsideration determinations upon disability claims. Many states have furloughed these employees even though all costs associated with them are paid for by Social Security. This website brings home just how widespread the problem is, how long it has been going on and how much it is costing.
I am curious. Have these furloughs been an issue in gubernatorial races around the country, particularly in California?
I am curious. Have these furloughs been an issue in gubernatorial races around the country, particularly in California?
4 comments:
It has not risen as an issue at all in Ohio even though Gov. Strickland odered furloughs which included the DDS. However, he made cuts while getting one time Federal money to balance other aspects of the State budget. I predict that when John Kasich is elected and the GOP takes control of the House, these furloughs will pale in comparison to the cuts that will be made in the next Ohio budget.
I still don't think that people here are grasping the political issues regarding the furloughs. A governor can't exempt some employees from the furloughs whether they're funded by the Feds or Mars. They invite lawsuits and public backlash (especially if running for election) if they do so. And the public isn't going to grasp the nuances of Federal funding versus the general need to tighten up.
This is a losing issue and it's stupid for the Commissioner to be involved in it. I admire the guy, but until DDS examiners become Federal employees, which they should be, it's a non-starter.
On the contrary, a governor makes all sorts of decisions about what services must be kept running and which ones are not. Some of those decision may lead to suits, so what? If they win, the point is settled, if they lose the point is settled. I think it would be interesting for the issue to be played out in a court and see how it plays out in the press.
And the public is smarter than you give them credit for, especially after ARRA, when billions in federal money was pumped into every locale in the country, people get what it means for some project or someone to be paid from federal dollars.
The largest furlough case in the country has already been decided by the California Supreme Court in PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT ET AL. v. SCHWARZENEGGER ET AL. which upheld the right of the Governor to enforce the furloughs (even for DDS employees):
http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-furloughs1004,0,5818002.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ktxl-Fox40NewsAtTen+%28KTXL+-+FOX40+News+at+Ten%29
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