"The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." ~TNIV

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Supplemental Security Income - A Time for Change


Recently, I received another one of those - you've got to react - emails. Here is a tiny portion of it:


"Social Security changes --"
"It does not matter if you personally like or dislike Bush. You need to sign this petition and flood his e-mail box with e-mails that tell him that, even if the House passes this bill, he needs to veto it... When the petition hits 1,000, send it to ... @WhiteHouse.gov"
While I know that most of you are clear minded, logical, highly intellectual thinkers... and therefore would never reply, or sign and forward such an email... it got me thinking...well, that produced even more thinking. And I decided, enough is ENOUGH! So I sent this to the person who sent it to me, and to anyone else I could think of that needed to read it. Here goes...

Before you sign and forward any emails for "Social Security changes", please take a minute to click on the Snopes.com link below. Once there, look below the light green 'Example:' box; there you can read what was really voted on.

This amendment of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act originally targeted only a specific group of former illegal aliens. The Senate voted in favor of a 'Motion to Table' or to remove this amended section, not just the other day, but back in May of 2006!

I have received this email six or seven times now, and it just seems to me that it is a waste of good peoples' time and energy to flood the White House email service with an email based on outdated and incorrect information.

It seems that the person or persons who began this original email had SS- Social Security confused with SSI - Supplemental Security Income. Social Security is paid out directly from our Social Security taxes to those who paid into the program (must be a legal citizen to receive benefits) or to their dependents. SSI however, is our national welfare program, paid out of the general revenues. (I already knew this but found it easier to paraphrased it from Snopes.)

If you want to read about this amendment, and see a list of state senators who voted on it, without all the mumbo-jumbo, here's the link:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/socialsecurity.asp

Also, there are several similar emails floating around out there.


I say, "Be informed!" If you want to know how, when, and why Social Security got started, and don't want all the legal jargon, go to this Snopes link for an unbiased, truthful explanation:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/sschanges.asp


Now a moment in Hepsiba's mind about SSI---

SSI -Supplemental Security Income, now here's an agency that has had many overhauls through the years, and one which, in my opinion, needs to be removed from our government system. Where's the email to end this monstrosity?

This program was started in 1972 by then president, Richard Nixon. It was designed to replace a group of other state programs for the aged, blind, and disabled, ushering in a national program. In its infancy it had great intentions.

But now...

Think about those, not the blind, aged, or truly indigent, but those who are completely able, not blind, not aged, not needing Medicaid. You've seen them by the droves... driving nicer or nice cars, living in perfectly fine housing or homes, often dressed in designer this-n-that. SSI has become a monstrosity in that it serves a very small minority of those who truly need it, while millions abuse this system every single day. We now have generations who have grown up with SSI as their family's sole source of income , and the trend continues to be perpetuated . To many, millions upon millions of Americans who unwillingly pay for this program through our federal tax dollars it is disgusting.

Add to that the billions of SSI funding dollars it takes to operate the SSI offices and the horrid men, but mostly women who sit behind those desks, often times refusing to assist, placing themselves above those that come for assistance, because they have been emblazoned with power through their own conceit and ill will; they have lifted themselves above the people.

Most of us know someone who at one time, went to the SSI office for assistance, you are treated like the scrum of the earth and made to hoe the line, but only these contemptuous employees determine how short or long your line will be. Why? Because they run amuck, unchecked by their supervisor, or worse yet, feel empowered by the same attitude in the management level...and Americans are paying for this!

I know of people who have went to the SSI office and desperately needed it, but were refused. I know of people who needed SSI but were not willing to endure the humiliation people receive at the hands of the employees. And I know two indigent people, off the top of my head , that receive SSI and really need it.

To end this program would be devastating to those truly needing its aid, yet to continue to use the majority of its funds on those who are unwilling to help themselves because they have grown lazy on the backs of hard working Americans is even a harder burden to endure.

I believe our law makers should write a bill to bring the SSI to its final demise. Or completely revise it so that it helps only the aged, only the blind, only mothers of children under four and under (but put into place laws that will detour mothers who continue to get pregnant in order to stay on SSI), and aid only those that are truly disabled (here is a huge crux where the vermin squeeze in.)

The problems with SSI, its abusers, its supervisors, and employees is not a local problem, but a national problem.

Now an email like this would be worth my time, a petition worthy of my signature, and a banner worth carrying all the way to the White House front lawn!

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