Republican U.S. House of Representatives
By gladys46
@gladys46 (1205)
United States
March 1, 2011 6:34pm CST
Reportedly, on February 19, the Republican House passed a "leadership" resolution cutting 1.7 billion from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The vote was along party lines, with all the House Democrats voting "NO" and all but 3 House Republicans voting "YES". These are significant cuts, and the impact on SSA would be devastating. Here's wht the cuts would do:
. Up to 400,000 people will have their applications delayed fro retirement, survivors and Medicare benefits.
. Up to 290,000 people in need of disability benefits will see long delays in the approval process. As a result of staff shortages, it already takes an average of nearly 500 days to have a disability claim resolved.
Now, this republican resolution will go to the Senate for debate.
The Social Security cuts approved in this republican resolution are outrageous. Social Security does not add a penny to the federal deficit and according to the last S/S Trustees Report there is a $2.6 trillion surplus making the program's benefit funds solvent until at least 2037! Cuts to this system -- whether in benefits or administration do not belong in a deficit-reduction bill.
Defunding Social Security's administration budget is a backdoor attempt by republicans to undermine the entire system. If starving SSA of money and manpower diminishes the public's faith in Social Security, the program's opponents (and we know who they are) will declare it a victory.
From the silence regarding this republican resolution, media and otherwise, can it be deducted that NO republican has a family member, an elderly mother or father, a survivor -- adult or child -- or even anyone in their family disabled?
3 people like this
3 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Of course they don't, which is why they don't care. As Annie has already posted, it's already a long, frustrating process to be approved for Social Security Disability. I know several people who fought for years before their benefits were approved but the most ridiculous case...actually it was two cases...involved a relative of my exhusband's and a relative of my husband's. Both women and both injured on the job...back injuries. In my former sister-in-law's case, she suffered multiple fractures to her spine which have required multiple surgeries over the years, yet it took her THREE years of fighting before she was approved for the Social Security benefits she paid into for 20+ years. She couldn't walk, much less work, but she and her husband also lost everything they had worked for while appealing the automatic denials. The lawyers who specialize in Social Security disibility claims make money fighting these injustices...so I guess that's who those who voted in favor of this support.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Spalladino, I actually believe that the actions of these so-called republican "leaders" care less about anybody except for themselves and their cronies! Believe it when I say that I also believe that they do have American citizens, their own family members who rely upon same compensations ... however, all they do is pick up a telephone and have those in authority expidite, expidite, expidite! Never be fooled by their attacks on the rest of the masses, these reprobates do for their own!!
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Since I know you can't copy and paste yet I took the liberty of providing a link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/3/prweb8172307.htm
It's already ridiculous how long it takes for a LEGITIMATE Social Security Disability claim to be approved and how hard it is to actually get to talk to a human being on the phone but they want to make it even worse, then they have the gall to claim they're listening to "the American people"? I can personally attest to how difficult it is to survive while waiting for a claim. I waited nearly five years and there was no way I could work because I had five ruptured discs in my back among other health issues. My husband and I basically lost everything we worked our entire lives for while we struggled to make it on one paycheck while helping our adult daughter with Crohn's Disease but I know we had it easy compared to many people who had or have nothing to fall back on and nobody to help them.
I seriously think some of the Republicans sincerely believe nothing like this could ever touch them so those it does affect must be to blame themselves somehow. You know how it goes, they'll say "You should have saved for an emergency", ya-da-ya-da...well, guess what? We DID and that savings didn't last very long!
Annie
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Getting my daughter on SSI originally was easy. I didn't even have to take her to the doctor. The trouble for us came when they decided to cure her autism on a piece of paper. She was in middle school when we started the appeals process and graduated from high school by the time it was over. I kept saying send her to a doctor but they kept saying "well according to the IEP..."
In the end we had to go before an administrative judge and I can tell you it totally boggles the mind the people who end up there. People who can't walk, talk, or their functioning abilities are greatly impaired.
I really can't speak to whether or not republicans (or democrats) have done the right thing by the disabled. I think there are failures on both sides.
1 person likes this
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Annie, Hi!! Thank you so much for helping me with that supportive link and your kind hearted understanding regarding my inability right now to post such links.
I have heard many horrific stories from many members of my civic groups ... who testify to the same experiences specifically during the Bush Admin. years! These are many American citizens who also worked their entire young lives, paid into a system that was supposed to assist at their time of needs ... the stories I've heard convinced me that for too many politicians, American life is expendable!
I'm happy to know that you and your husband have weathered that storm.
1 person likes this
@kylanie (1205)
• United States
2 Mar 11
I think it started when they did not give out a raise for the people on the ssa or even the others and it makes it rough and also the bad thing is that they are trying to cut out food stamps and they say that will fix the budget but what about the people who has no other means to live I mean its rough and getting worse how do they expect people to live I imagine it will take people to steal and more to survive and thats the worse thing that can happen.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
2 Mar 11
Kylanie, for all those American citizens who will need to rely on social security, suvivors benefits and disability benefits, my hope is for their sakes, President Obama does not agree to such cuts to the administration budget of social security. It is my fevert prayer! Many of us have elderly parents who are really, really stressed by this news ... it's shameful of republican leaders to even suggest this. If President Obama agrees to any cuts at all to the administration of social security maybe, just maybe it won't be as much too cause these kinds of projected disruptions.
1 person likes this
