COLUMBIA, MO. -- Social Security Officials dedicated a newly expanded hearing office in Columbia. Social Security staff at the office will help ease the backlog of disability cases that are waiting for hearings. When fully staffed, the Columbia hearing office will have 8 administrative law judges and 43 support staff. Staff members will serve clients in 12 Mid-Missouri counties ...
Can't afford to send out Social Security Statements, but can open a new Card Center in Philidelphia and a new hearing office.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't people just request their own Statements? I've never seen the reason for SSA to send out these things yearly. Why couldn't people request to be put on an email list and get them that way? There are hundreds of examples of things SSA does that don't really have a business case. This is one of them.
ReplyDelete"There are hundreds of examples of things SSA does that don't really have a business case."
ReplyDeleteI thought it was required by law that Social Security Statements be sent out each year, but I guess it's only Federal goverment agencies that don't need to follow the law.
fine, just change the law. or pass a new regulation. it's not complicated and congress can do this at any time.
ReplyDeleteA5:02: One of the problems with SSA, as with many other federal agencies, is that they aren't proactive about opposing dumb laws and regs that Congress proposes, out of fear of losing precious appropriations dollars. It's the bureaucratic mentality. I'm quite sure that this cessation of mailing the Statements was given tacit OMB and Congressional approval before the "bold" step of stopping the mailings was done. Greetings from Planet Reality.
ReplyDelete"I'm quite sure that this cessation of mailing the Statements was given tacit OMB and Congressional approval before the "bold" step of stopping the mailings was done."
ReplyDeleteSo where does Congress and OMB get the authority to tell a government agency to disregard a law?
The is the kind of BS that brought about the Tea Party. An average citizen gets lawed and regulated to death, but you try not following one.
The requirement to send out Social Security Statements was passed by the Democrat-controlled 103rd Congress. Just like their prior 40 years in control, they simply wanted to hold the hands of American adults and make it easier for them to know what their future benefits would be. Of course, they could have always requested one prior to then but Heaven forbid Democrats think that Americans can do anything without government intervention. You may recall that the 104th Congress introduced a Republican majority of both houses. No surprise there.
ReplyDeleteanon 8:51am, what are you talking about? if you care enough for an agency to follow a certain law, then sue for compliance in federal court. otherwise, your general displeasure against the government is rather pointless.
ReplyDeleteas an aside, congress passes many laws that cannot be interpreted or followed immediately. agencies then come up with policy guidance as to how they will follow these laws. courts then step in if there's a dispute as to the agency's interpretation. the adaaa of 2009 is one such example.
"anon 8:51am, what are you talking about? if you care enough for an agency to follow a certain law, then sue for compliance in federal court."
ReplyDeleteSince I work at SSA, I think that might give me a unfavorable rating. LOL