Saturday, June 9, 2012

Disability Benefits - Nearing Collapse

The portion of Social Security benefits used to support Disability payments for 9 million out of work disabled Americans and their spouses and children, who qualify for benefits, is projected to run dry by 2016.   As of that time, these people on the dole, will see their payments decrease by 21% because incoming monies from payroll tax deductions will only support 79% of these payments.   Both political parties are sitting on their hands as this financial fiasco looms just a few short years away. 

Disability Benefits were once only paid to the physically or mentally handicapped, or those with other debilitating conditions such as strokes, cancer, or heart attacks where there was no question about diagnosis.  During the Reagan Administration benefits were halted to many with minimal ailments, which prompted Congress to reverse these limitations so that today the benefits have been extended to people suffering from things like Depression, back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome and other ailments with more subjective diagnoses.   In fact, this Blogger has a relative, with a college degree, on permanent Disability because he has high blood pressure.   Otherwise, aside from just being lazy, there is nothing wrong with him.

The reality is under less restrictive rules just about anyone can qualify for Disability Benefits.  Many that run out of unemployment benefits are going on Disability.  In addition, fraud is rampant.  So much so that the federal government pays out $132 Billion a year in Disability Benefits,  more than the annual budget of the Departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, Commerce, Labor, Interior and Justice combined. 

This particular Entitlement Program is out of control and growing.   Every one supports helping people who are really disabled; but the notion that tax payers are spending their hard earned money on people, like my relative, that are fully capable of working is ridiculous.  It has to stop.

So when Socialist President Obama and his pals in Congress call for higher taxes on anyone, all should know that the waste and fraud in federal spending, and all levels of government for that matter, is so huge that just dealing with eliminating redundant programs, agencies, commissions, departments and fraud alone would allow for substantial tax cuts, while still taking care of those that are truly in need.  

Giving government more of our hard earned money just prevents common sense spending cuts from happening that are badly needed NOW to stop the deficit spending and pay down our $16 Trillion National Debt.  Cleaning up the mess and fraud in the Disability Program is another good place to start.   Disability Benefits should only go to people that are really disabled.  Go figure. 

Of course, none of this will happen as long as Socialists remain in office, which is the reason we must sweep them all out of office, at all levels of government, including President Obama, in 2012 and 2014.   We have to take back our country to prevent the bankruptcy of the United States.  We have to drain the swamp in Washington DC and many state capitals to get our country back on track.  

It will be dirty, stinky, hard work, like what just happened in Wisconsin, but we can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   In the mean time, the next time you encounter someone collecting Disability Benefits that clearly can work, tell him, or her to get a job.   McDonalds and Wal Mart always have job openings.

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