The Politics of Disability

Have you ever wondered how you would survive do if you were suddenly unable to work and earn money? In the United States, all workers contribute a portion of their income to maintain a safety net program that we can fall back on in times of need, but how easy is it to access these funds that we are entitled to receive if we become disabled? Not so easy, according to Spencer Bishins, a former employee of the Social Security Administration. This week on Coup Save America, our podcast begins with the story of Emily, a woman currently struggling to obtain disability status. Sean talks with Emily about her 'invisible disabilities' and the difficulties she's encountered while trying to prove the validity of health issues such as fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, anxiety, and depression. Spencer Bishins, author of the book Social Security Disability Revealed: Why it's so hard to access benefits and what you can do about it, confirms the sad truth of Emily's experiences as he explains how and why the system is specifically designed to prevent people from receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, keep them disheartened, and drive them to simply quit trying. 

Other topics discussed during Spencer's interview include: Destroying the stigma associated with collecting SSDI, Universal Basic Income, why cannabis is steadily achieving legal status, and what covid-19 has done to pave a road for change.