At people who seem heartless enough to marginalize the disabled of whom I am one. Yes, I'm on the Social Security disability rolls after suffering a massive stroke. So, here's the skinny on me...
I worked my entire adult life from 16 on up to 48. I served my country during six of those years. I never ever drew an unemployment check when I found myself out of work for whatever reason. I grabbed my bootstraps and found another job.
Sure, there are those out there who are milking the system but there are a lot more who would either die or turn to a life of crime to get by. Not a situation any of us wishes to face.
Social Security was invented as a safety net and it was a good idea in principle. At least until the senators and congress critters got their grubby paws on the surplus of cash that was forcefully deducted from mine and your paychecks. Nearly every recipient of SSD has their money invested in it and yes they are entitled to it no matter what anyone else thinks of their plight or the state of the federal finances. If DC hadn't been stealing from the trust all these years there would be plenty of money to keep it solvent for decades to come. But, that's not the case anymore. With the loss of so many jobs to the greedy corporations who moved operations to foreign soil to get cheap labor it was inevitable that the Social Security Trust fund would take a hit. As well as the tax rolls.
Basically, our elected leaders have driven the bus into a mire and it's too heavy to be pulled out of the muck without a super sized tow truck. Maybe if we put enough of the disabled on the rope and make them pull, it can be saved for future generations. Or, as some would have it, put the disabled on the end of a rope with a noose.
If you fellows think I need my neck stretched a bit, have at it. I don't care. Maybe I will go back to work(against doctor's orders) if threatened in that fashion. Just don't put your car in the blind spot of my left eye while I'm hauling ass down an interstate with 40 tons under my butt.
As for SSI...
SSI will keep you alive but just barely. It's no way to actually live. If you can get past having your dignity shoved in the dirt during the sign up process, go for it. Now the states who are as strapped for funds as the Feds want to kick the sucker fish off their budgets and onto the Fed budget I say shame on them. There are VA agents out there doing the same thing as this PCG outfit. I overheard one at a diner one evening trying to convince a vet to sign up for disability because he had stomach problems during and after his service. Not exactly kosher in my book. Lie cheat and steal seem to be the zeitgeist.