The whole appropriations process is confusing. You may wonder whether it matters. Let me put it in terms that people can understand. Social Security's plan to start working down its hearing backlog by hiring more ALJs probably went up in smoke. There's no money to increase the number of ALJs without cutting something else. The agency's plan to reduce the hearing backlog with senior attorney and re-recon decisions probably went up in smoke also. They needed to hire more people and use more overtime for this. The money's not there. Improving service at the field offices in any significant way? No money for that. Improving computer systems? No money for that.
By contrast, the National Institutes of Health got a near 7% increase in its budget. I'm sure that's money well spent but the money would have been well spent at Social Security also.
6 comments:
Kind of sounds like the back log of applications is not a priority but culling the rolls through CDR's is. This seems to fit GOP attitudes on the matter.
^ what @12:49 said
While approval of the combined tax-and-spending deal would prevent another shutdown, the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimated the tax provisions would increase U.S. budget deficits by around $680 billion over 10 years.
Some Democrats criticized the tax bill, saying it gives more aid to large corporations and wealthy business owners than to working families.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi lauded some "good ideas" in the measure, but said it would add pressure for future spending cuts on education, Social Security and other safety-net programs for the elderly and poor.
"It is the unpaid-for part of it that is mortgaging our children's future, that is threatening Social Security, that undermines our ability to reduce the deficit," Pelosi said in floor debate.
Social Security will NOT be there in 20 years when I retire. I have no faith in it. By chance it survives, I expect my FRA to be somewhere between 75 and 80, Medicare eligibility to be 70 or higher and no provision to file early retirement.
I would prefer it to go away sooner rather than later, so the myth is not taken seriously. My retirement plans include $0 from SSA.
They are wasting millions on Ebb....
@ Anon 10:06
Despite its shortcomings, Social Security is probably the most popular government progam in the United States. Any politician who goes on record as wanting to do away with it will face the wrath of an angry electorate. That's why it will still be around in 20 years. Don't drink the Tea Party Kool Aid.
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