Your tax dollars at work!

[gridlore]

Everyone knows I'm currently on SS benefits, right? Can't do my regular line of work, need to get retrained to be more office ready, so I'm currently enjoying life as a leech on the hard-working taxpayers of this nation.

Or so I'm told by Fox News.

But anyway, after my state benefits ended, I got a really neat letter from the SSA detailing what they'd now be paying me and when. Cool. We budget based on that.

Today, I get another missive from the Grey Men in their Grey Suits. Another Notice of Award. For almost a hundred dollars less. Panic. Flail. Scream at the injustice of the world. Then take a closer look at the latest letter.

It was mailed on June 20th. Six months ago, and the benefit amount was right for what I was getting before.

Thanks for the heart attack.

Comments

[guppiecat]

I'd rather my tax dollars go towards getting you back up and functioning as opposed to killing people in foreign lands and promoting TV messages of hate and intolerance.

Well, that and space travel. Space travel is cool too.

[patrik holmström (from livejournal.com)]

I do watch very little American TV while it's still American (I'm Swedish so lots of US shows - very little news or ads) but aren't many of those messages of hate and intolerance (political ads) subsidized by the very odd scheme used in the USA where corporations pre-bribe politicians?

[guppiecat]

Many are, but there is also a funds-matching program for the "real" candidates. In theory, it exists to give challengers a more fair chance against an incumbent... but in practice it means that about half the time my tax dollars are spent on messages that are expressly contrary to my opinions.

[kengr]

SSA sent me a letter notifying me about the back benefits I'd be getting. Notifying me that I'd be getting the first installment on June 6(?). Dated June 10th. Mailed June 14...

And I'm told that sort of thing is *common*.

[dalen-talas.livejournal.com]

Several years ago, my aid programs were cut of because I did not arrive for an interview. The letter notifying me of this interview arrived between two weeks and one month after the interview date.

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Eeeep. (Am so glad it's actually OK, but yeah, they do tend to like to fuck with people. Or so it seems.)

(Am on SSDI. Every couple of years or so they decide to review it, with their default assumption being that I'm able to work, and requiring a list of every doctor and psych visit in the past two years, and why I went each time. Among other things. Also anxiety-making; especially since I can't *remember* any of that crap. Last time, I had the clinic give me a printout of all the dates I'd been there, then faked reasons, and let my doc know what was going on. Next time will be harder - changed docs, had some specialist visits, yadda yadda.)

[freyjaw.livejournal.com]

Their Practical Joke dept. is large.

[chaotic-nipple.livejournal.com]

"See, that sort of tardiness in mailing you such an important form PROVES that Private Enterprise would be more efficient!"

There, I've saved a genuine wingnut the effort of posting. :-)

Incidentally, I've heard claims that such lateness is actually intentional, like sending out an interview appointment letter too late for it to reach the person in time, thus giving them an excuse to drop them. Sounds plausible?

After Tammy was born

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I started getting these gigantic "bills" from the hospital, with tiny print at the bottom saying, "This is still being negotiated with your insurance company." It wasn't paid off until shortly before Mindy was born.