Posted on 05/21/2022 6:45:11 PM PDT by 4Runner
We cannot believe this has happened. We sent business correspondence to our local U.S. Social Security Administration office two weeks ago by certified mail, return receipt requested. The documents were received by the Office, as we received the green Cert Mail card in return verifying same.
Included in the envelope we had sent to SSA was an official SSA form whose instructions were to return the form to the local SSA office. Along with the SSA form was a detailed cover letter, and documentation SSA requested confirming legal status.
Ten days later, we received an envelope in the mail from the local SSA office. The envelope contained every single document we had mailed them. The originals. There was no SSA cover letter, no SSA explanation as to why our documents were being returned to us, no SSA reference to the matter we were communicating about, nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Two pages were stamped as "Received", the other pages were not stamped.
This has to be someone's definition of institutional insanity. Someone had to be working really, really hard for a very long time, to bring us to this level of malfeasance. We are truly, truly lost as a nation. And these government employees earn six figure salaries? Good God almighty.
Social Security is a welfare program (since all the funds given to it was spent long ago), so the government can set whatever rules they want, and do as they please.
“...And these government employees earn six figure salaries...”
And are nearly imposable to fire. They can do whatever they want. It’s not like the agency has any competition from the private sector. There is no chance of them going out of business so the employees don’t care.
Check with your Senators, too - if they're redstate friendlies.
These jons are largely welfare jobs. Its a way to give people who are idiots in special protected groups welfare claiming its pay for doing work.
Look at who makes up these govt welfare jobs around you.
They are mostly on the lower end of the Bell Curve. Government-sponsored dunces who’d otherwise be on welfare - if that hadn’t run out already.
I’ve not had any problems with them.
Same here. Any contact has been handled efficiently.
1. Keep copies of all paperwork.
2. Call you congressman.
You will not get to speak to your congress critter personally, but the government gives him money for a fairly large staff, and one of the things his staff does is help constituents with problems with government agencies.
The correct staffer will not answer the phone, but sooner or later you will get to talk to the correct person, or maybe even just get to send an email. But the staffer has the power and experience to get results.
Prepare yourself by thinking about what outcome you want (no, having the SS idiot flayed alive is not one of the possibilities). Ask for a reasonable outcome favorable to you but not humiliating to Social Security.
I have only done this twice in my life, but it has worked like a dream both times. Seemingly impossible problems just melted away like ice in a blowtorch.
I have found both grossly incompetent petty bureaucrats of the worst, most caricatured sort, and very helpful, normal people there. You might try a phone call, and if you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall, wait a while and try again, to see if you get someone else. It can be maddening, and we deserve better.
Excellent post.
I beat up on Congress like a drum, but every Congressperson does have smart and hardworking staff dedicated to constituent service.
Social security issues are a particular priority for them because they know seniors vote and have the time and contacts to affect other senior voters.
Nope.
No more then your tax refund is welfare because the money was spent long ago.
Invalid argument.
Please try again.
I really resent your comment that it is welfare. I maxed out FICA for many, many years. If they mishandled the funds doesn’t make me a welfare recipient. If we had been allowed to invest the money we paid we would be receiving much more substantial benefits. If your bank goes belly up does that mean you never had any savings?
I am a bookkeeper for a construction company and for a church.
I have concluded that SSA and IRS are uncommonly disorganized and make a lot of mistakes. A lot.
A roomful of 3 year olds are more dependable and trustworthy.
The amazing is not that it is so screwed up, the amazing thing is that it works at all.......................
Keep trying.
Bottom line: Will it be there for the millennials(under 40)? We all know the answer. No one will answer because they don’t have to. Kick the can.
I always get highly competent and extremely helpful SSA reps on the phone when calling for assistance. I think they are great, quite honestly.
In your case they probably should have included a form letter in your packet stating they are returning your original documents for your continued maintenance, and a thank you for temporarily providing them proof of citizenship and address verification documents. I’m sure they return thousands of documents to all different households all day long. One thing for certain for us though, they know their stuff and its wonderful to get such great subject matter expertise when calling SSA.
Move the D.C. office to an underdeveloped downtown out west, even Hilo, Hawaii. Everything’s online so go for it. Plenty of them will resign rather than move. A good way to downsize government. Then there are the other departments-get it?
Social Security is a welfare program (since all the funds given to it was spent long ago), so the government can set whatever rules they want, and do as they please.
The government makes their own rules as they go along.. They don’t follow the law.
Social Security has always been an old age welfare program. From the very beginning the money payed in by workers went out to pay for those workers' elderly relatives. That money you payed in never went into an account with your name on it. Instead, it was payed out to Grandma and Grandpa and your parents. Any excess was sucked up into the general fund.
Whatever Social Security you receive will be payed by your children. Social Security is simply a scheme of transfer payments from the young to the old.
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