Warning: Disability trust fund deficit sign of what's come to pass

What do you suppose happens when no one is minding the store when it comes to government programs?

What happens when the numbers are so large and the bureaucracy is so big and unwieldy that no one is really checking to see who needs to be on disability and who doesn't?

And then what happens when a whole legal specialty pops up touting the promise, "Can't qualify for Social Security disability? Call us."

That's right, you get a program that is full of cheats -- recipients and others -- who are sucking up the money while others who really are disabled wait and wait for approval.

And, surprise, surprise, you end up with a program that is one year away from going belly up.

The warning we heard today about the problems with the disability trust fund is nothing new. Experts have predicted its insolvency for years.

But the lesson that can be learned from this mess is one we need to apply across the board when we talk about programs that serve the people but that are badly run by government.

The disability program is broken, in part, because too many people are cheating and too few people are looking to do something about it. Cheating and misuse of benefits are problems in the food stamp program as well.

So, we have too many people on the payroll and too little money to support the program.

The only answer is to get the budget back in line.

We don't have to do it by hurting those who really need the help either.

All we have to do is to clear out the cheats and to cut back on that bureaucracy. Getting the system straight will allow us to figure out what we really need to make it a viable program and to keep it out of the red.

Then we can get back to helping those who played by the rules and yet can't seem to get the help they need.

But to accomplish any of this, we need the bureaucrats and those who have control over those bureaucrats to see the problem and to be willing to do what it takes to solve it.

One can always hope.

Published in Editorials on July 23, 2015 10:52 AM