For years, the Social Security Administration has warned lawmakers that unless they do something soon, the entitlement program for disabled workers will run out of cash by 2016.
Still, as the program’s funds dry up and its insolvency hovers less than two years away, Congress remains quiet on the issue.
More than 11 million Americans currently rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which was created in 1956 to provide financial assistance to people unable to work because of severe health issues.
Americans using the program, which is funded through the federal payroll tax, currently collect an average $1,129.51 per month. Most of the beneficiaries rely on disability for a significant portion of their income. Officials estimate that the majority of them never return to the workforce and remain dependent on the government. ... According to the Social Security Administration, spending on the program has more than tripled since 1983 from $43 billion to $139 billion, adjusted for inflation. It now accounts for about 20 percent of the Social Security Administration’s total budget.
Spending has ticked up so fast in recent years that revenue can’t keep up. The government has paid out more than it has taken in every year since 2009, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees.
If the pattern continues and the program runs out of money by 2016, the millions of Americans collecting disability will see their benefits cut by at least 20 percent.
Yet, agency officials say the entitlement doesn’t have to become insolvent. Congress could go in and replenish the fund. In its most recent report, the Social Security Board of Trustees suggests that one way of doing this would be to raise the federal payroll tax.
However, that would be a tough sell on Capitol Hill where any mention of tax increases is taboo—especially ahead of the midterm and presidential elections.
The more likely option is to reallocate funds from other Social Security programs, like Old Age and Survivors Insurance- the much larger-known Social Security insurance plan for the elderly. Congress has used this option at least 11 times since Social Security was enacted. The agency says both programs taken together will be solvent for at least two more decades.
The last time Congress used this quick-fix plan was in 1994 when the disability program was in a similarly dire financial situation. At the time, they predicted that the same thing would need to happen again in 2016…and look where we are now.
Just an FYI if you're collecting SSDI or ever expect to collect any form of SS.
Take a look at the welfare line and you'll see the problem. It works the same as feeding a stray animal, the come to you hungry and starving but still able to hunt and fend for them selves.. after a while they become dependent and lose that instinct.. You give a bunch of lazy assholes a way to live without earing it what do you think is going to happen... On the bright side I wont have to see it being taken from my paycheck.
Take a look at the welfare line and you'll see the problem. It works the same as feeding a stray animal, the come to you hungry and starving but still able to hunt and fend for them selves.. after a while they become dependent and lose that instinct.. You give a bunch of lazy assholes a way to live without earing it what do you think is going to happen... On the bright side I wont have to see it being taken from my paycheck.
Bla, bla, bla, disability, bla, bla, bla. So long as people are working, there is money. There may be less money to be spread around due to less workers but, there is money. The people may never get a raise but, there is money. The whole argument annoyances me because lots of people have to do with less in a nation with a deflating economy and inflating dollar(or do I have that backwards?) so, why not the government?
I have many times had tears running down my cheeks from the many pains in my body, starting the day at work. I have dropped tools and food because my hands did not have the strength to grip. I should consider disability but, that means I would be willing to accept a cap on my success. I heal enough to try again and do it again.
Take a look at the welfare line and you'll see the problem. It works the same as feeding a stray animal, the come to you hungry and starving but still able to hunt and fend for them selves.. after a while they become dependent and lose that instinct.. You give a bunch of lazy assholes a way to live without earing it what do you think is going to happen... On the bright side I wont have to see it being taken from my paycheck.
Blaming each other isn't going to fix the problem. So long as we are deflected, government will continue on doing what it's been doing. Blame the government, they implemented the program. Focus on it rather than disdaining your fellow citizens maybe?
If we don't pay those who ate their way into a "disability" there might be enough money to take care of those who are truly disabled. If we require those on welfare who can work to do something (like give them a job to fill the damn potholes on the interstate) they as individuals will develop a sense of self worth ( a day's work for a days pay). We should take care of those who need it. The rest, get off of my paycheck, I earned it.
"Mandatory" spending dwarfs "discretionary" spending. Since we can't cut mandatory spending, which includes Medicare, Medicaid, Soc.Sec., Unemployement, etc., we're only left with being able to cut discretionary spending. The problem is we could cut out ALL discretionary spending, and we'd still be running deficits.
We're on an unsustainable path that will lead to economic collapse unless there's some combination of drastic cuts to mandatory spending (as well as discretionary), drastic increases to taxes, or unprecedented economic growth.
You can argue politics all day long, but if the numbers don't add up it can't last forever. The problem is politicians don't care if it can last forever - they only want it to last past the next election.
Food stamps, 2.7+ Family Assistance, .7 = 3.4% of the budget or equal to federal pensions.
Now add in Medicaid, 7.6+ Housing, .2 = 11.2% of the budget will encompasses the different sections of “welfare”.
Now to be generous let’s add in a couple of other things and disability since those other things are often called handouts to the poor. Earned income credit, 1.5+ Child tax credit, .6+ SSDI disability, 1.4 =14.7% of the budget.
Let’s compare that to Medicare and SSI. Medicare, 13.3+ SSI, 20.1 =33.4% of the budget, or twice +4% of what is spent on all possible aspects of "welfare" and disability.
Heck, Medicaid accounts for over half of “welfare”. If we were to ignore medicare, since the end goal seems to be government provided health care anyways so eventually everyone will be getting it, then “welfare” accounts for what 7.1% and SSI is almost triple that?
Yet people are always complaining about those on welfare…
I think this is even more apt.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 05-25-2014).]
I really hope the SSDI haters never become terminally ill.
We buried my brother from another mother last year when he died at age 50. Sure he sucked up those government (your pay check) funds for the last 2 years of his life. But I’m pretty confident he would give it all back today just to be alive. He really loved life!
Maybe the hard working folks can volunteer to put these money sucking ill people down. Hell, no death panels needed just average everyday Americans tired of taxes slipping into the hospital rooms and snuffing out what life is left of these leeches on society.
I don't dislike the concept of the system. I dislike the fraud of the system and how screwed up it is.
My neighbor in the apartment complex I lived in down in Omaha had diabetes really bad. His eye sight went and they took away his drivers license. We lived in a small town 30 miles away from his job as a custodian. Then they had to cut off toes and part of one foot. It took him 3 years to get SSDI. To this day he'd still rather put in an honest 8hr day of work, but physically can't
my POS brother-in-law couldn't hold down any job because he's a POS. He screwed up his shoulder. He was a truck driver and then a taxi driver. 6 months after he applied for SSDI, he was on the dole. A screwed up should prevents someone from being a cashier or customer service jobs????
My sister-in-law has cerebral palsey. She's been on SSDI basically since she was eligible. She's lived with my mother-in-law all her life. About 1/4 of that SSDI gets blown on stupid wasteful non-neccessites. 1/4 goes to helping pay for food and "rent". 1/2 gets tucked away. Now, I'm sure the SSDI came in handy when my father-in-law was laid-off from the mills and making a low wage. He passed away 10 years ago from Agent Orange. My mother-in-law is now a millionaire from life insurance, court settlements and from the VA survivor benefits and doesn't work/doesn't need to work for the rest of her life. My sister-in-law still gets SSDI.
One of my family has cancer, we took her to the SSDI place, it was FULL AND I MEAN FULL of Mexicans! Mexicans Mexicans Mexicans Mexicans AND MORE Mexicans! and a few blacks, but mostly 30-40 Mexicans
let me make something clear, we went twice, the first time she got sick so we had to leave, but both times the place was packed full of Mexicans, 40 or 60, maybe more, there was 2 rooms, packed full
[This message has been edited by nickbrown (edited 05-25-2014).]
hell we spend 700 times more on the one branch of the military
quote
Originally posted by Khw:
Neat chart there. So if I add this up correctly,
Food stamps, 2.7+ Family Assistance, .7 = 3.4% of the budget or equal to federal pensions.
Now add in Medicaid, 7.6+ Housing, .2 = 11.2% of the budget will encompasses the different sections of “welfare”.
Now to be generous let’s add in a couple of other things and disability since those other things are often called handouts to the poor. Earned income credit, 1.5+ Child tax credit, .6+ SSDI disability, 1.4 =14.7% of the budget.
Let’s compare that to Medicare and SSI. Medicare, 13.3+ SSI, 20.1 =33.4% of the budget, or twice +4% of what is spent on all possible aspects of "welfare" and disability.
Heck, Medicaid accounts for over half of “welfare”. If we were to ignore medicare, since the end goal seems to be government provided health care anyways so eventually everyone will be getting it, then “welfare” accounts for what 7.1% and SSI is almost triple that?
Yet people are always complaining about those on welfare…
I think this is even more apt.
[This message has been edited by nickbrown (edited 05-25-2014).]
I put off going on disability for 41yrs. At 19 they discovered I was born wit an open spine and told me not to do ANY lifting. So I went out and got a job as a heavy equipment mechanic, great choice but I had a family to support. Made it to 60 before it caused my legs to go out. I now have no choice.
I don't plan on seeing my Social Security when it comes time to start receiving it. I think they need to look at some of the people receiving SSDI and maybe they can cut back people that receiving it that shouldn't be receiving it. Do the same with the Welfare system as well. But if it was up to me, I would end all the programs. The Government is not in place to provide welfare or retirement. The Government is there to protect the Constitution of the United States and its citizens. Protecting citizens means providing security to protect against all enemies, foreign or domestic. Not providing health insurance for the entire country, that's what private health insurance companies are for.
I put off going on disability for 41yrs. At 19 they discovered I was born wit an open spine and told me not to do ANY lifting. So I went out and got a job as a heavy equipment mechanic, great choice but I had a family to support. Made it to 60 before it caused my legs to go out. I now have no choice.
Take that money and spend it!
**** them. The more and the faster we allow them to squander the sooner we will get to fix it.
One of my family has cancer, we took her to the SSDI place, it was FULL AND I MEAN FULL of Mexicans! Mexicans Mexicans Mexicans Mexicans AND MORE Mexicans! and a few blacks, but mostly 30-40 Mexicans
quote
Originally posted by nickbrown:
let me make something clear, we went twice, the first time she got sick so we had to leave, but both times the place was packed full of Mexicans, 40 or 60, maybe more, there was 2 rooms, packed full
If you go to the Social Security Office on the 3rd Tuesday of the month and show them your KKK or any White Supremacist membership card you can go to the head of the line.
Originally posted by aceman: I don't dislike the concept of the system. I dislike the fraud of the system and how screwed up it is. ......
yup. I have run across alot of recipients, but only have seen 1 who I thought was actually legitimate.
have seen quite a few who hurts themselves off the job, then go in next day, and then claim it happened at work. not sure if this is the same "disability" we are talking about tho.....
Blaming each other isn't going to fix the problem. So long as we are deflected, government will continue on doing what it's been doing. Blame the government, they implemented the program. Focus on it rather than disdaining your fellow citizens maybe?
Yes and it is also the governments responsibility to keep the abuse out of the system.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 05-28-2014).]
