Republican Rep. Tom Reed of New York
If the House's new
rule change on Social Security retirement and disability benefits has you confused, you're not alone.
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin told NPR's Ina Jaffe that he too was scratching his head.
You wonder what their ultimate goal is. Do they want to cut people off of disability? Do they want to force a crisis in the Social Security program? I just don't understand the thinking behind this rule.
The new rule prohibits transferring money between Social Security's retirement fund and its disability fund—something that has been done 11 times in the past to shore up both funds at times when they've experienced a shortfall.
But wonder no longer. GOP Congressman Tom Reed of New York made his goals quite clear in the final minute of the NPR story.
Ina Jaffe: Congressman Reed, who sponsored the rule, says he's only focusing on fixing the disability fund, and since he's against raising taxes, he's looking at ways to cut costs.
Rep. Reed: "Things like rooting out the waste, fraud and abuse."
Jaffe: Reed also wants to take a critical look at who is receiving disability benefits. Maybe, he says, some of them can be moved off the program and into jobs. [And] at the same time...
Reed: "…make sure that those who are catastrophically disabled, keep getting those benefits that are there."
That's pretty clear. Reed wants to cut disability benefits for anyone who isn't "catastrophically disabled." Rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse is just code for cutting people off. Why? Because Republicans won't consider raising taxes so they claim the only way to pay for disability benefits is by giving them to fewer people.
On average, people who receive disability get a little under $1,200 per month, just enough to keep people above the poverty line, says Virginia Reno of the National Academy of Social Insurance. About nine million people nationwide are on disability.
Bottom line: you don't have to get into the minutia of the rule to understand what Congressman Reed is saying. And once Republicans cut disability benefits, they are sure to set their sights on retirement benefits next.