75-09-B4
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Government Computers
TranscriptTo err as human. It takes a government computer to really louse things up. I'll be right back. A New Jersey newspaper recently reported a story that bears repeating. It begins with a familiar scene, a woman and her daughter-in-law having a mid-morning cup of coffee at the kitchen table, the woman's husband leaving to go down to the store for a few groceries. He's retired on a six hundred and forty two dollar a month income as a result of serious injuries he suffered, in addition to which he has that curse of the coal miner, black lung disease. Just after his departure the mail arrives. His wife opens a letter from the Social Security Administration. According to the news story it was a good thing she was sitting down. Her daughter-in-law saw the alarm on her face and asked, "what's the matter, mom?" Her mother said, "It's Social Security! They want pop's death certificate! They got him dead!" "Don't tell him! He'll die of a heart attack!" the daughter said. Up to here, the story gets a laugh but not for long. That $642 monthly check has been reduced to 281 dollars. You see the declaration by social security that the head of the household had passed away wipes out the disability benefits to which he's legally entitled. After all, a dead man can hardly be eligible for disability payments. The very much alive deceased and his wife widow, according to Social Security have since been patiently making periodic trips and phone calls to the Social Security Administration offices in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, trying to refute, as Mark Twain once did, the report of his death which he described as somewhat premature. The officials, according to the news story, are sympathetic, courteous and a little embarrassed. They appear also to be unable to solve the problem. Heaven forbid they should tell a computer it goofed. The head of the Perth Amboy office refused to discuss the matter with the press. He said, quote, "Regulation number one forbids such a discussion." Unquote. He did say however that administrative officials in Baltimore had been notified of the mistake and that every effort was being made to restore the victim to the ranks of the living. So far they haven't suggested a trip to the Shrine of Lourdes. One bright note, the family's financial plight has been eased a little. Social Security sent them a check for seven hundred and ten dollars... to cover the cost of the funeral. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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