The Policy of Social Security - Essay Example

Policies and politics Introduction: It was back in the year 1922 when the study of public policy first started by a political scientist called Charles Merriam. (What is public policy?, 2009). From his study the political scientist tried to establish a link between the political theory and its real world application. Since then the public policy of the United States includes many aspects like crime, education, the foreign policy of the country, healthcare, over all social welfare etc. (What is public policy?, 2009). The public policy reform that would be discussed in this report will be based on a previously established public policy called the Social Security in the United States of America. United States of America has developed the policy of social security in the year 1935 right after the Social Security Act was passed. (Rushefsky, 2002, p.100). It was the part of New Deal program initiated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Previously this act included two social insurance programs including the unemployed people and the retired individuals. (“Social security in USA”, N.d). The policy at the beginning also included providing federal grants to the organization who worked for child welfare, public health services, vocational rehabilitation etc. But with time the situation changed and the welfare policy now concentrates on few specific social sectors. Part1: The policy of Social Security was one of the largest federal programs in the year 1999 and the Social Security Administration had spent over US $ 387 billion that year. (Rushefsky, 2002, p.100) Though that year the spending proportion was huge depending on the social benefits the program actually generates the issue remains debatable. The basic suggestion of this report is to extend the branches of Social Security developments to many social sectors, rather than concentrating on few particular ones. Ascertaining the current financial condition of the country it would be advisable for the United States Government to address the basic social needs of the several deprived sections of the society. It is quite evident that the credit crunch, followed by the financial turmoil had affected the population and many people have lost their home as well as their job. The current social security program includes the retired individuals, disabled ones , survivors of the workers who have died and also the dependents of the beneficiaries. (Understanding the benefits, 2005). This report in particular gives emphasis on the inclusion of the homeless people and the people who have lost their job into the curriculum of the Social Security Program. The Social Security Administration Department of the United States Government would be responsible for implementing this program so that this new form of socially deprived people gets benefited by the program. If we analyze the current situation of this public policy there are many organizations who are in favor that unless significant measures and changes are not adapted in the system, the Social Security Public policy would be unable to meet the required obligation. (Rushefsky, 2002 , p.100). After implementing this reform (inclusion of homeless and jobless individual, affected by the credit crunch and the financial turmoil), the role of the Social Security Administration will increase as they have only to guide the funds to the proper destination, but also have asses the viability and authenticity of the beneficiaries. Though the situation is true, the government has to take special care so that the benefit reaches the needy individuals and not the others. Inclusion of the homeless and the jobless in the federal program of Social Security does make sense , as the government should take full responsibility of the consequences of the credit crunch. The general mass of the United States is mostly affected by the deregulation policy of mortgage loans that the United States government adapted few years back. For that reason now in the current scenario, the federal government should take full responsibility of those individuals who are directly affected by this turmoil. Part2: Now inclusion of these individuals under the Social Security norms will have its consequences on the political and the administrative world. If the government takes a thoughtful approach towards the citizens the human welfare and social welfare organization will give their full support. It is a fact that many American citizens were affected either directly or indirectly by this disaster. Many loan borrowers were directly affected as the ratings went down considerably. Even many renters were affected as though they were not directly involved, due to some initial lack in payment they were also forced to leave their property. (Immergluck, N.d). Though this move will not resolve the problem for most of the Americans but still they would feel some sense of justice as their downfall was mostly contributed by the government decision of de-regulating the financial system of America. There is another section of the society who will largely support this move. They are the unemployed section of the population. Following the credit crunch many banks and financial institution including the investment bankers were largely affected. As a result many corporate faced tremendous loss during the next few years of the credit crunch. This loss on the part of the organizations forced them to layoff a huge number of workforces. The gradual process increased the number of unemployed individuals. This section of the society is skilled as well as in most of the cases knowledgeable but they became the scapegoat of the government’s policy. These people will definitely support the move as it would provide them with some oxygen during the crisis period. The compensation though would not allow them to maintain the standard of life they were used to but this social security benefit will temporarily act as a support till they find another reasonable establishment or till the market condition improves, whichever is earlier. There would be certainly some section of the federal government who will be opposing this move as this would necessarily mean injecting more cash into the Social Security issue. In the current scenario also there is a constant debate which is going on within the American Society about reforming the Social Security policy. (Thomson, Upp,1997, p.3). The issue of controversy is the improvement of rates of return of the higher earners reducing the overall federal budget to some extent. (Thomson, Upp,1997, p.3). That means there is currently a crunch that can be observed in the federal budget intended towards social security reforms. It will be very difficult to convince one portion of the federal government to increase on the spending for Social Security. Debates are still going on about the adequacy of the program. The public agenda of Social Security is indeed very critical, but alongside with it has to be taken care of the fact that that the country’s economical priorities are also met. (Gramlich, 1997, p. 150). Social Security budgeting becomes an issue of concern and the governing body of the nation must act accordingly so that adequate amount of funds are only provided to the people who actually needs them. The Social Security must support the overall economical policies of the country and should continue on providing assistance to the targeted mass. Both the government and the Social Security must work in tandem to bring about the harmony. The government has to look at it as more of a reform measure for the financial wound that the country’s economy has currently undergone. To avoid the financial crunch the federal government can use this program as a temporary or short term process to benefit few distinct elements of the society. It may not be necessarily a long term or continuous process of funding, but injection of few funds for the time being would help in the foundation of the social structure on which the American society laid its foundation. Part3: The main issue backed on which this proposal of expanding the coverage of Social Security benefit would be presented is that in the current scenario the social structure of the United States is degrading and it requires quick reforms. This change in the policy structure will directly contribute to this reform by helping the needy individuals. With the subprime crisis affecting in a drastic manner America saw many vacant neighborhoods across most of he cities and towns of the nation. The financial Institutes were also affected and for that reason the entire business sector collapsed. By taking possession of those properties the financial institutes were also not benefited much as the price of real-estate eventually went down to a considerable extent. This situation quite naturally stimulated the rate of crime in the surrounding areas. (Immergluck, N.d). The mortgage crisis hit the cities of the country like an infectious diseases. According to a study in a journal “Emerging Infectious Disease” the mortgage crisis has actually made some people of United State sick. (“Mortgage crisis is sickening”, 2009). These are the main causes for which the government should take more initiative to accept the proposal. According to a survey report the worst hit of this turmoil is the city of Bakersfield, located in the central part of California. About 300 percent of home owners in that city failed to pay back their mortgages. (“Mortgage crisis is sickening”, 2009). This rapid increase in the number of defaulters also saw the emergence of a typical disease in that part of the country called the “West Nile Fever”. (“Mortgage crisis is sickening”, 2009). This shows a chronic depression among the general mass which is hampering their social lifestyle. The government or the Social Security Administration Department should be approached with these facts and figures and a formal presentation should be made about the necessity of the program. Along with the facts to properly market the concept, ways and means regarding the tracking of the actual needy person should also be presented to the Social Security Administration Department. The Social Security Administration must allocate the actual channel through which they can supply the funds to the actual target mass. The concept should incorporate the information about the rights channels and the places thorough which the federal body will get access to the proper data about the people. The proposal will also contain a financial justification of the concept. With lesser number of individuals actually employed in the economy the government is losing on the opportunity to earn extra tax income and social security deposit. For that matter it should be advisable for the government to help these individual in time of distress. Focus should also be given in the proposal about the fact that most of these individuals represent the intellectual capital of the country. And it would be a loss for the nation if these individuals move away from United States in search of better career opportunity. If the country provides them with security funds in time of their distress the temporarily unemployed mass will feel grateful to the country. Eventually when the market conditions will improve this unemployed intellectual capital will be again absorbed in the business sector of the country and they will start contributing by providing tax and social security deposits to the country’s government. References 1. Rushefsky ME. (2002). Public policy in the United States: at the dawn of the twenty-first century: M.E. Sharpe, USA 2. Social Security in USA”. (N.d.) Rapidmmigration.com. website:< http://www.rapidimmigration.com/usa/1_eng_coming_social.html> (accessed on November 18, 2009) 3. Understanding Benefits. (January, 2005). Socialsecurity.gov, website:< http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/fed_prog/ssundben/ssundben.pdf> (accessed on November 18, 2009) 4. Immergluck D. (N.d). Private Risk, Public Risk: Public policy, market development and the mortgage crisis. 5. Gramlich EM. (1997). “How does social security affect the economy?”: Oxford University Press, USA 6. Thompson LH, Upp MM. (1997). “The social insurance approach and social security”: Oxford University Press, USA 7. MORTGAGE CRISIS IS SICKENING. (Feb 27, 2009). Current Science, ProQuest Education Journals, pg.12. 8. “What is Public policy?”. (2009). Wisegeek.com. Website: (accessed on November 18, 2009) Read More