Disability Examiner Picked As State Poet Laureate

     The governor of North Carolina has chosen as the state’s new poet laureate, Valerie Macon, who works as a disability examiner for the state Disability Determination Service, which makes disability determinations at the initial and reconsideration levels for the Social Security Administration. The pick is controversial since Ms. Macon’s oeuvre consists only of two self-published poetry collections and because the governor did not consult with the NC Arts Council which has overseen poet laureate picks in the past.

     Update: This is so peripherally related to Social Security but so irresistible. Here's the latest:

"One of my objectives is to open up the availability of all appointments to people that typically aren't inside the organized groups," [NC governor] McCrory said. "We've got to open up opportunities for people that aren't always a part of the standard or even elite groups that have been in place for a long time. And it's good to welcome new voices and new ideas." ... 

He also said he was unaware of the N.C. Arts Council protocol followed by previous governors in selecting a poet laureate. 

"We were not aware of the traditional process that was in place, it wasn't written down anywhere on the walls," McCrory said, surprising reporters who told him it was online last week. 

"Well, we must have missed that web site, sorry," he said. "Listen, I'm reviewing the entire process."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/16/4010185/mccrory-poet-laureate-position.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/07/16/4010185/mccrory-poet-laureate-position.html#storylink=cpy

No UI Offset In Senate Finance Version Of Highway Bill

     The Senate Finance Committee has reported out the Highway bill without adding an Unemployment Insurance offset for Social Security disability, as was feared. There is still a risk that this will be added at some later point.

Common Sense

     Rebecca Vallas on The Zero Hour talks some common sense about Social Security disability.

An Overpayment Case

Sue Farrar

     Republican members of Congress equate Social Security overpayments with fraud. When I see Social Security overpayments they're mostly like the case of Sue Farrar, a woman whose $31,000 overpayment was entirely due to a mistake the agency made. Ms. Farrar was then faced with dealing with an agency which is increasingly becoming incommunicado, an agency which seems determined to leave her with no income. She only gets something like relief after the intervention of the news media. There is nothing unusual about Ms. Farrar's case. It happens every day all across the country with one exception. Normally, there is no media intervention.

From 1937

Congressman Thinks Definition Of Disability Is Too Subjective

     From West Virginia Metro News:

... Republican Congressman Jim Lankford (OK-5) said it will take years to fully implement the kinds of reforms [Social Security ] needs — especially when it comes to disability benefits. ...  Lankford — who met with the new Social Security leadership this week — serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements for the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In June, that committee released a report entitled “Systemic Waste and Abuse at the Social Security Administration.” ... 

Overall, Lankford said the definition of “disabled” has become subjective. “It should be a very clear cut thing. The definition of when you get Social Security disability is when you’re unable, due to medical reasons, unable to do any job in the economy. That’s a very clear definition — any job in the economy.” ...

The State Of Service At Social Security

     An e-mail I just got from an attorney at another firm:

Does anyone happen to have the fax # to the ______ District Office? 

Someone from our office has tried calling but they are closed & the 1-800 # reportedly has a 1hr & 10 min wait time. 

Thanks for any help on this one.

Off Topic: What's Up With Horse Head Masks?

     I'm in the mall the other day and there's some kid walking around wearing a horse head mask. Now I see a picture of the President shaking hands with some jackass wearing a horse head mask. I'm feeling old and out of the loop. This doesn't seem funny to me; just creepy. Can anyone explain what's going on? Épater la bourgeoisie?