Social Security Disability Trust Fund Could Run Out By 2018

Social Security Disability Trust Fund Could Run Out By 2018



Programs intended to steer people with more moderate disabilities back
into jobs have managed to take only a small sliver of beneficiaries off
the Social Security rolls.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/business/economy/07disabled.html?_r=3&ref=business

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/business/economy/07disabled.html?_r=4&ref=business

Wow. That reporter Motoko Rich clearly has a bias.....

Two long pages of article & not one word about the Recession.

Out of 12.5 million disabled workers and those who receive benefits for the disabled poor, only 13,656 returned to work over the last two-and-a-half years, with less than a third of them earning enough to drop the benefits.

To this clown, it's as if the Recession never happened.....as if the rest of the population has full employment.....as if employers are banging down doors looking to hire disabled Americans--or even non-disabled Americans.

Also I don't quite understand the writer's math--

In 2009, 32,445 recipients left the benefit rolls because they were earning enough in jobs.

Huh?? If only one-third of 13,656 found sufficiently high-paying work in 2-1/2 years.....how does that come to 32,445 during one year??

It would have been nice if Motoko Rich had given us a chart showing the data for for prior years & decades.....going back to when the program was created. Is it a state secret??

I wonder if Motoko Rich is rich.....

Motoko Rich does mention briefly that there are '13.5 million people actively looking for jobs'.

But instead of saying that's a big reason why disabled people can't find jobs.....the writer simply says it's 'increasingly important to our nation's fiscal health' to help the disabled 'find employment.' Huh??

Isn't it important to our nation's fiscal health to help the 13.5 million non-disabled people find employment too?? Also why did the reporter feel it necessary to mention 'the current 99 week limit for collecting unemployment'?? What the heck does unemployment insurance have to do with the topic of the article?? To boot--most states don't get 99 weeks of UI & many states get far fewer than 99 weeks.

The reality is that American corporations aren't hiring American workers, don't plan to hire American workers, & basically are continuing to ship overseas every job they possibly can. With the blessing of the President & Congress.

However Motoko Rich chooses to pick on poor disabled people--painting them as a bunch of bums who ought to be taking one of those zillions of jobs that are falling from the sky.

Does anyone know if Social Security Disability is means tested?? Can people who own real-estate (besides the home they live in), own alot of stocks & bonds, & have alot of cash in the bank get disability too?? It would seem to make sense that if someone is rich then they shouldn't qualify. Just like with TANF & food stamps.