A couple of tweets from the Commissioner of Social Security (emphasis added):
I want to thank @iamjohnoliver @LastWeekTonight for calling out the crucial need for more staffing + funding @SocialSecurityIn the 9 months I've been serving, @SocialSecurity has made good progress to improve our disability programs but - as you noted - we need more Congressional support and partnership. By the way, we're tackling that outdated occupations list.
Did anyone catch that John Oliver segment?
I thought they did about as good a job as a tv show could do in 10 minutes. Some stuff was not accurate, but for the most part it was. And they did do a good job highlighting the need for funding, the need to update the SSI assets limit and the ridiculousness of relying on the DOT. Any light shed on these problems is good.
ReplyDeleteOliver ripped a new one over SSI and SSDI qualification payments, the difficulty of being approved, mistakes, stimulus payment kicking one off, inadequate amounts, and the elapsed time. He included interviews with a few people. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, his segment to raise awareness of them into the national conscious accomplishes.
ReplyDeleteNothing will happen. The national debt is exploding and many agencies are requesting additional funding for their agencies. The only agency that got additional funding was the Secret Service due to their dire need situation.
ReplyDeleteI caught it. People watch John Oliver...it's factual, but with a humor that lightens his topics. If he says it, it becomes national news a lot of times in the past. Let's cross our fingers this hits the network waves of change. 🤞
ReplyDeleteMost people on, ad those trying to get on SSDI/SSI can't see this due to it being protected (behind a pay wall). Most of the people who can watch it, probably don't care. So, what is the point of his rant? Well, other than complaining about lack of funding to his audience?
ReplyDelete@2:21 the full clip could be posted to the show's youtube page within a few weeks. And his rant is not directed at disabled people applying for SSDI/SSI, it is directed at lawmakers and political professionals that can actual do something to fix SSA.
ReplyDeleteChange will not come from a grass roots effort lead by the disabled. Active applicants are not in a position to organize and sustain a long-term lobbying campaign.
Full segment is up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2s7RMRsgs
ReplyDeleteAny light on this subject is welcome.
ReplyDelete