According to the Washington Post, the public should expect political debates this summer over Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
In a column, writer Greg Sargent said that Democrats are expected to campaign on expanding Social Security programs in preparation for the 2014 elections. However, Republican senators have already requested hearings to discuss potential changes to the SSDI program this summer.
“Dems expect Republicans to attack the program as wasteful and fraudulent, in part because conservative media have already done so, and in part because at least one GOP proposal in recent days took aim at the program,” Sargent wrote last week.
Sargent said he spoke to Senator Sherrod Brown, a member of the Finance Committee, who said that his fellow Democrats should seize the opportunity to propose changes to the payroll tax cap and increase the amount of money higher earners pay.
Brown reportedly told Sargent that his party members should make the case that stagnant wages and pensions should demand an expansion to the various social programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, as most mid-term voters are older.
“[Republicans] want to separate ‘good’ Social Security (retirement security) from ‘bad’ Social Security (disability insurance), to win support for structural reform,” Brown allegedly told Sargent. “The attacks on disability insurance will accelerate. This is how they will try to back-door the dismantling of social insurance. But the public is with us on social insurance.”
What Is the Difference Between SSI and SSDI?
It seems like every year, as the election cycle begins to heat up, debates over Social Security intensify. Last year, there was an onslaught of information being thrown out in the media and attacks on the disability program by politicians. Media outlets like CBS and National Public Radio portrayed numerous stories of people ‘scamming’ the system.
Keep in mind, in order to qualify for SSDI you need to have earned work credits, meaning it is not an entitlement program. For further information on qualifications, we suggest you visit our FAQ page. Additionally, we have a page devoted to the differences between the two programs, which you can visit by clicking here.
If you have further questions about SSDI or whether or not you qualify for benefits, contact our attorneys today.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability lawyers
Troutman Touts: It is estimated that SSDI recipients live on as little as $17 per day.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/05/20/the-next-big-fight-over-the-safety-net/
