Social Security Disability Benefits

Seriously, why bother. Someone I know is currently applying for early social security benefits due to injury, a requirement by this person's long-term disability insurer. It's a frustrating situation, because the insurer will ultimately reduce benefits dollar for dollar based on how much this person receives from the SSA. They are using government benefits to offset their responsibility, forcing her to apply for benefits she would rather not (she's not the type to want government assistance on principle).

Meanwhile, the SSA is requesting a work history. WHAT?! The Social Security Administration, administrator of benefits ostensibly paid for by employment taxes, has no idea what a person's work history is? Seriously. Government programs are wasteful and stupid, and this is a behemoth example.

Congress, please repeal it. Please satisfy your obligations to the current elderly generation and others and then gut the program. You won't, though, because you're too interested in accruing power via taxation, and the entitlement programs give you too much power. Meanwhile, they also provide a basis (by contract that specifies the requirement for the beneficiary to rely on the government as a primary form of benefit income) for a private insurer to not pay on what would be its full obligations.