United We Stand, Divided We Fall

This article from the Columbus Dispatch on 3/11/2015 draws attention to the dramatic rise in the number of people who now are on Social Security Disability since 2008 in Ohio. The article indicates that 28% more Ohioans or 77,584 more were on this Federal program in 2013 than in 2008. The rise for Ohioans on the program was from 275,449 to 353,033. The article goes on to say ‘that increase, in part, explains the decline in the Ohio’s labor force-defined as someone with a job or looking for work-since the recession started. The total’ labor force ‘has shrunk by nearly 250,000 workers since 2008’. That is 31% of the decrease in the labor force. The baby boomers retiring constitute at least another 33% of the total. That leaves only 36% left who are discouraged workers that may reenter the labor force when jobs are more plentiful. As the economy expands, we need both these discouraged workers as well as those with correctable disability to make their contribution to the labor pool. This is also required if the Social Security Disability Program is not to go bankrupt in 2016.
To solve the bankruptcy of the Social Security Disability Program, more funding of benefits is not necessary nor is combining it with the Social Security Retirement Trust Fund as has been proposed by the Administration. By the way, that latter proposal would cut 2 years off the present life of the Social Security Retirement Trust Fund. Why should the rest of us suffer because of these scammers and their many partners?
Instead clean up this program by starting with a more sensible definition of disability. Treatable depression and back pain must go. Add more frequent re-evaluation as well as better incentives to return to work for those who can. This requires sufficient personnel added to the Social Security Administration budget to review the 11,000,000 claimants over the next 4 years and to insure the Administrative Hearings are attended by an advocate for the taxpayer and the Trust Fund. Fine the 20 states who are gaming the system and converting their poor from a state responsibility to a Federal responsibility. Prohibit the paying of consultants a bounty of $2,000 to $3,000 per person that is converted. Put in place a system to return these disabled back to work. The short term savings utilizing these steps would be enormous and could return the Social Security Trust Fund to solvency almost immediately. Only $35 billion per year is needed to reach a breakeven. Our estimate of savings by following the steps above are $47 billion out of a $146 billion budget. A $47 billion cut in expenditure would allow the replenishing of the Trust Fund. When will the Congress and the President act. We hope soon.
If this is not done and the fund goes bankrupt in 2016, those folks who are truly disabled and legitimately receiving Social Security Disability benefits will be hurt. Benefits for these legitimate folks will be cut by 25% just as will those benefits for the scammers. Wouldn’t it be better to help the truly disabled by removing the scammers.
Harry Pukay-Martin