You don't hear about it as often anymore, but the House Republicans are still attempting to implement austerity measures on weekly basis. Each measure easily passes through its relevant committee, but is then shelved or watered-down before being inserted into a larger omnibus bill to avoid conflicts with the Senate.
Their latest bright idea that will never (probably) see the light of day is to obliterate the funding for Social Security programs aimed at reducing waste and abuse, and according to Social Security’s chief actuary, the resulting increase in waste would cost five to six times more than the current budget for the programs.
An appropriations bill that last week cleared a GOP-led subcommittee slashes 2013 funding for disability reviews and eligibility redeterminations, which seek to ensure that seniors and other eligible beneficiaries don’t receive more funds than they are entitled to. The proposed cuts would shave this specific budget item from the $1.024 billion agreed upon in the debt limit law last year to $272 million, saving nearly $800 million.
In a Thursday letter responding to inquiring House Democrats, Social Security’s chief actuary Stephen C. Goss concludes that cuts will cost taxpayers “between $5 billion and $6 billion more over the lifetime of those who would not be reassessed due to the reduced funding.”
We'll cut 80 percent of the $1 billion budget for reducing waste, and the resulting increase in waste will cost 5 to 6 billion! That's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?
This is the legislative equivalent of trolling. For the lulz.