Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Video & Multimedia
Related: About this forumTwo segments from Friday's Chris Hayes show debunking the NPR disability report
NPR's "Unfit for Work" special report that has been widely criticized hereFirst Chris Hayes segment criticizing the report
second segment
Guests in both segment from Friday's All In with Chris Hayes:
Michael Astrue, former Social Security commissioner (2007-2013)
Rebecca Vallas, attorney & disability advocate
Avik Roy, fellow of the conservative Manhattan Institute and author of Forbes.com blog "The Apothecary"
From a companion MSNBC.com article:
Recently, a handful of conservative commentators such as Fox News Chris Stirewalt and the National Reviews Jonah Goldberg have cited disability benefits for people who could be working if they hadnt become accustomed to relying on checks from the government.
The source of this line of argument may be a recent Planet Money feature by NPRs Chana Joffe-Walt. In Unfit for Work: The startling rise of disability in America, Joffe-Walt writes that an entire disability-industrial complex exists to (p)ush more people onto disability, whether theyre actually fit to work or not. As a result, the number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed.
Catherine Ruetschlin, one of the authors of the Demos report, described disability benefits as a red herring.
Its not a problem with the disability program, she said. Its a problem of there not being adequate jobs. She said that people would naturally rely more on their disability benefits or other sources of income when the only jobs available were ones they would be physically unable to perform.
The source of this line of argument may be a recent Planet Money feature by NPRs Chana Joffe-Walt. In Unfit for Work: The startling rise of disability in America, Joffe-Walt writes that an entire disability-industrial complex exists to (p)ush more people onto disability, whether theyre actually fit to work or not. As a result, the number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed.
Catherine Ruetschlin, one of the authors of the Demos report, described disability benefits as a red herring.
Its not a problem with the disability program, she said. Its a problem of there not being adequate jobs. She said that people would naturally rely more on their disability benefits or other sources of income when the only jobs available were ones they would be physically unable to perform.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 2201 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (8)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Two segments from Friday's Chris Hayes show debunking the NPR disability report (Original Post)
alp227
Apr 2013
OP
The RepubliCONS have now moved on to trying to destroy our disability program.
fasttense
Apr 2013
#1
fasttense
(17,301 posts)1. The RepubliCONS have now moved on to trying to destroy our disability program.
They hate Social Security, they hate welfare, they hate food stamps, they hate lunch programs, they hate meals for impoverished elderly and now they are attacking disability. They wont be happy until Obama has wiped out any support for the poor and funnels all our tax dollars to welfare for the corporations and the uber rich like Mitt Romney.
unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)2. K&R