Tag Archives: SSI

‘Pay It Backward’ Is a Time-Honored Government Gambit

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Campaign Outsider

The federal clawback is back – this time for the California National Guard. From Saturday’s Los Angeles Times: Thousands of California soldiers forced to repay enlistment bonuses a decade after going to war Short of troops to fight in Iraq … Continue reading →

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The Redemption Unit (Complete Edition)

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Campaign Outsider

The Redemption Unit, that zany tale of hijinx and humanity in a 1970s Boston SSI office (previously serialized in this space), is now available in one convenient, well, unit. Ask for it by name.

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The Redemption Unit, VII

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Campaign Outsider

(Previously on The Redemption Unit: I, II, III, IV, V, VI) Pay It Backward When the last claimant’s benefits had been redetermined and the government added up its losses, it immediately decided to recoup them by initiating the Overpayment Recovery Program. Letters went out – … Continue reading →

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The Redemption Unit, V

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Campaign Outsider

(See I, II, III, and IV) Interlude My nom de plume in The Free Nameless News was J. Redmond Tardi, largely because I was late for work all the time. Part of the reason was that I took public (as … Continue reading →

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The Redemption Unit, III

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Campaign Outsider

(The Redemption Unit Act One and Act Two) Act Three: Woodrow Wilson’s League of Notions There was a union steward at the Boston DO who would end almost every conversation by saying, “Let he who is not without sin cast … Continue reading →

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The Redemption Unit, II

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Campaign Outsider

Previously, on The Redemption Unit: There were 4.3 million people collecting $6 billion in SSI at the time, and all those benefits needed to be “redetermined,” a four-syllable word for cut. SSI claimants – every one of them – had … Continue reading →

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