Poor black claimants pleading their case to an unsympathetic group of rich old white men stinks very highly of latent racism, but even if that were the disgusting truth, would SSA do anything about it? The answer is no, because ALJs are gods and cannot be questioned or interfered with.
The Shreveport ODAR office covers a large area extending into East Texas as well as all of northern Louisiana. The racial makeup of this part of the state much less overwhelmingly African-American, although I don't have the figures at hand. Shreveport and the region is most definitely not demographically like New Orleans, however.
It's a sad situation. One of the judges here has had a denial rate in past years of around 80%, and he decides some 1500 cases per year!
Can anybody say Class Action. I bet there are a bunch of eager law students at some public interest law school just waiting for a project like this. BTW that possible "disgusting truth" is the disgusting truth.
Lots of people can say class action, but darn few can afford to file and pursue one. Soc. Sec. class actions trailed off mightily once the Legal Services authorization was changed to essentially prohibit them.
New orleans was largely black populated. I'm curious about Shreveport?
ReplyDeletePoor black claimants pleading their case to an unsympathetic group of rich old white men stinks very highly of latent racism, but even if that were the disgusting truth, would SSA do anything about it? The answer is no, because ALJs are gods and cannot be questioned or interfered with.
ReplyDeleteThe Shreveport ODAR office covers a large area extending into East Texas as well as all of northern Louisiana. The racial makeup of this part of the state much less overwhelmingly African-American, although I don't have the figures at hand. Shreveport and the region is most definitely not demographically like New Orleans, however.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad situation. One of the judges here has had a denial rate in past years of around 80%, and he decides some 1500 cases per year!
Can anybody say Class Action. I bet there are a bunch of eager law students at some public interest law school just waiting for a project like this. BTW that possible "disgusting truth" is the disgusting truth.
ReplyDeleteLots of people can say class action, but darn few can afford to file and pursue one. Soc. Sec. class actions trailed off mightily once the Legal Services authorization was changed to essentially prohibit them.
ReplyDelete