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This comment is overly reductionist -- 'disabled' is a code word for long-term un-employable. Just eyball the proportion of working adults in the 50 to 60 year

by 001sky 11y ago

This comment is overly reductionist -- 'disabled' is a code word for long-term un-employable. Just eyball the proportion of working adults in the 50 to 60 year range. It is only ~5x the number of disabled. In other words, that is a huge %--maybe 20%--of potential workers in that age bracket. Any employment process that disables 20% of its workforce would be normally considered a problem. But instead we call the un-employable 'diabled', to sweep the data under the rug. It almost certainly helps keep other people in their jobs, tho (like burecrats and academics).

intopieces 11y ago
>'disabled' is a code word for long-term un-employable. Correct. This is the legacy of the Clinton era 'welfare to work' program: we moved people from welfare to disability. This will grow as automation takes hold of ever more industries. "Disability" is the U.S.'s first step toward guaranteed minimum income or a negative income tax. We will never have enough jobs for everyone in America, so we need to figure out what we're going to do to keep the economy going.
- mynameishere 11y ago
  It really has nothing to do with "keeping the economy going". The purpose of "disability" insurance is just like that of Social Security originally--keeping people from destitution and poorhouses. It's not a good thing, but an unavoidable thing.
  - intopieces 11y ago
    >It really has nothing to do with "keeping the economy going". Not sure what you mean. When we give poor people money, they spend it. That's good for the economy. Welfare and disability are definitely good things.
BadCookie 11y ago
Right. I also wonder how many people are only in school because a decent job is out of reach. If you're older and can't find a job, you go on disability. If you're young, you take out loans and go to school. It's a huge generalization, but I think there's some truth to it.
deleted 11y ago
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by 001sky 11y ago

intopieces 11y ago

>'disabled' is a code word for long-term un-employable. Correct. This is the legacy of the Clinton era 'welfare to work' program: we moved people from welfare to disability. This will grow as automation takes hold of ever more industries. "Disability" is the U.S.'s first step toward guaranteed minimum income or a negative income tax. We will never have enough jobs for everyone in America, so we need to figure out what we're going to do to keep the economy going.

mynameishere 11y ago
It really has nothing to do with "keeping the economy going". The purpose of "disability" insurance is just like that of Social Security originally--keeping people from destitution and poorhouses. It's not a good thing, but an unavoidable thing.
- intopieces 11y ago
  >It really has nothing to do with "keeping the economy going". Not sure what you mean. When we give poor people money, they spend it. That's good for the economy. Welfare and disability are definitely good things.

BadCookie 11y ago

Right. I also wonder how many people are only in school because a decent job is out of reach. If you're older and can't find a job, you go on disability. If you're young, you take out loans and go to school. It's a huge generalization, but I think there's some truth to it.

deleted 11y ago

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