I was going to spend part of
this afternoon writing a Blog rebutting the shameful attacks made in last
night’s 60 Minutes story. The television
segment sought to portray Social Security Disability beneficiaries as
freeloaders who are gaming a system that is “ravaged by waste and fraud”.
However, as I was preparing to
write, I was “interrupted” by a visit to my office from Carlos, a client who has
an SSD hearing coming up this November.
(I have changed my client’s name for obvious confidentiality
reasons.) Before Carlos came to my
office, I thought that I was going to write a blog pointing out all the statistical
reasons why there has been an increase in Social Security Disability claims. Among other things, I was going to explain
that 60 Minutes misrepresented the number of Social Security Disability
beneficiaries and that the reason for the increase in claims stems from
demographic changes in our society.
More importantly, I was also
going to explain that it is inappropriate to use mere anecdotal statements to
criticize a program as important as SSDI.
As an advocate for the disabled, I maintain that it is incorrect to draw
broad conclusions from a few sensational stories of fraud or abuse. Then, as Carlos’ visit was about to end, it
occurred to me that instead of writing about numbers and statistics, I should write
a blog that gives Mr. Kroft, Senator Coburn, and the rest of the CBS crew a
taste of their own medicine. Why not
write a Blog about Carlos’ ordeal with the Social Security Administration? Why not blog about a real life anecdote of
what an SSD claimant goes through? This is
precisely the most important perspective that the 60 Minute story failed to
portray. It is appalling that they did a
piece criticizing Social Security Disability claimants without interviewing a
single disabled person.
As I helped Carlos get out of
his chair and ushered him carefully to the front door for fear that he might
fall, I became and angry and wondered: “Why isn’t Steve Kroft here filming
this? Why doesn’t he come over to
Hartford and Springfield and film the dozens of Carlos’s that are desperately
waiting to receive benefits? Why doesn’t
Kroft have the courage to stand in front of people like my client --who lives in
constant pain and has obvious difficulties walking--, and ask in his FoxNewesque and arrogant tone: “Hey Carlos, isn’t it really easy to get SSDI
benefits?”
The story that Kroft would get
from people like Carlos is far more convincing that the campaign of hate waged
against the disabled by a few powerful figures like Senator Coburn. Carlos’ story is the farthest thing from that
of a person who is trying to “game” the system.
Before Carlos became injured, he was a driver of eighteen wheeler
trucks. He put in many hours of overtime,
driving all over the snowy roads of Western Massachusetts and Worcester County. (He got badly injured in an accident. His shoulder is now almost completely frozen.)
He is the proud father of two children. No one can call him a freeloader. In fact, after driving trucks, he went to
school to learn how to be a diesel mechanic. He eventually found a higher paying job fixing
large trucks. Unfortunately, he got reinjured
shortly after starting the mechanic job and, after thinking it over for a long
time, he had no other option but to apply for disability.
As Carlos was leaving, he
asked the usual litany of questions that most my clients ask me: why do people like
me have to wait two years to get to a hearing?
Do you think we will win the case?
Will I get food stamps?
I should not have to listen to
these questions all by myself. Is there
anyone from the news media willing to join me?
Forget about CBS; they have lost all credibility. Are there any responsible journalists brave
enough to listen to the questions raised by those who have been abused by the
Social Security Disability bureaucrats? Are
they willing to talk to thousands of people like Carlos whose voices are not
being heard?
Important note: Michael Hiltzik a
Pulitzer winning business columnist for the LA Times has written an outstanding
article debunking the baseless allegations made by 60 Minutes and Republican
Senator Tom Coburn. Please read: “60Minutes” A Shameful Attack on the Disabled.
