Mar 20, 2020

How Well Do You Think That Social Security Has Responded To The Covid-19 Pandemic?

     Social Security has an Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness, run by Joseph D. Sliwka. He's in charge of continuity of operations planning. Mr. Sliwka works for Michelle King, the Deputy Commissioner, Budget, Finance, and Management. Let's remember that while Mr. Sliwka can plan and advise, the major decisions were made and are being made above his pay grade. In the past, when natural disasters, such as hurricanes have happened, my impression was that Social Security did a fine job of responding. This is a different emergency to say the least.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Honestly they have responded about equally to other government agencies. I expect this blog to use the perfect hindsight vision to complain and whine, but since this is unprecedented in nature and response nobody anywhere has responded perfectly to this situation.

Cue the "they should have..." posts by the TP hoarders.

Anonymous said...

Based on the information here: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/resources/proactivedisclosure/Political%20Appontees%202017%20-%20Resumes.pdf

Mr. Sliwka looks well qualified to lead SSA’s continuity planning.

Anonymous said...

No other way to say it: SSA's response to this crisis has been shameful. There has been no leadership and either poor, inconsistent or non-existent communication.

Anonymous said...

"Honestly they have responded about equally to other government agencies. I expect this blog to use the perfect hindsight vision to complain and whine, but since this is unprecedented in nature and response nobody anywhere has responded perfectly to this situation."

Except that SSA, and the federal government, is being led by self-serving morons. We have been led by self-serving morons for years, so that's not even the issue.

So, "equally to other government agencies" is not a good standard to use here.

Pandemics are not "unprecedented". People have been dealing with plague and pandemics for all of history (written or otherwise). Choosing to not prepare for something for which there is ample historical documentation and near 100% certainty of recurrence does not make it "unprecedented."

This isn't even a catastrophic plague. It looks like a standard-issue 2% mortality pandemic. It's the Spanish Flu. It's not the Black Death.

We were pretty certain that we were going to get hit by something like this at some point. Because biology.

Anonymous said...

This is your faithful Commissioner Saul Speaking,

I check in on this blog from time to time because I cant figure out how to read my emails in this new Outlook computer-thing. I have a physical Inbox on my desk for real mail, but it's always empty. The only communication I get is through my secretary, or Executive Stewardess or whatever they are called now. Why does everything keep changing?

Anywho, I just want to let everyone know that I am doing a fantastic job with this whole crisis thing that is going on. Luckily I was able to disinvest all my stock holdings in Cruise Ships and Hotels before all this happen, it's good to know a few key Senators on the Intelligence Committee, I'll tell you what.

The president himself even said I am doing great, almost as great as he is doing, almost. He didn't say that to me directly, he doesn't respond to my voice mails any more, but we sometimes use the same caddie at his resort and he said that Trump told him I was doing great. I have also improved my back swing, see things are getting better every day.

Sincerely
Your Pal, Commie. Saul
Trump-Saul 2020!

Anonymous said...

11:15 So because we are going to get hit by something like this because of biology

OK so everyone everywhere should be prepared for an asteroid strike because of physics

Or earthquakes because of Plate Tectonics

"Not unprecedented" When was the last time that states and cities have closed all schools, universities, restaurants, and shut the borders both to Canada and Mexico???

Your response shows that you will go to all ends of absurdity to simply support your unfounded beliefs in the agency.

Anonymous said...

11:15 is why the virus is spreading, those types of attitudes and blame are exactly why there is no way to stop this because people like 11:15 think they know more than scientist.

Our country is doomed, not due to virus, but stupidity.