Donovan On SSDI Funding



Does Republican congressional candidate Dan Donovan support congressional Republican efforts to block the use of social security retirement taxes to fund social security disability payments?  It’s hard to say.

The social security disability fund is projected to be unable to pay it’s full obligations as soon as next year.  In the past, social security disability payments have been partly funded with money intended for the bigger and better-funded social security retirement account.  Congressional Republicans have begun moving to block such transfers, with a social security disability funding shortfall projected to occur in 2016.  Donovan often speaks of the importance of “protecting” social security, but without a detailed discussion of what that would entail.  Should he be elected he’ll be part of a House Republican Conference intent on reducing social security benefits, however.

Donovan responded to my question seeking his view on the possible funding transfer by discussing the importance of addressing fraudulent claims.  That’s important, but not a solution to the difficult challenge of funding social security disability payments.  When pressed, he spoke of the importance of preserving the “trust fund”, suggesting that he would not support diverting retirement account money from the “trust fund” to make disability payments.

We spoke at the conclusion of Donovan’s visit to a senior center on Staten Island.