Ok, this post may be starting off a little more aggressive than I should but I am really HOT! In my time as a Social Security Attorney, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to remind my clients that I am not the problem. I have to remind them that YOU hired ME!. I am here for you and my success is contingent upon getting you a successful outcome. It gets even more frustrating when I have clients who don’t understand that their cases have significant problems and it’s my job to fix those problems. Now, don’t get me wrong. People who apply for Social Security Disability benefits are usually in a very tough position. They aren’t able to work. They are relying on a system that will compensate- hopefully – sometime in the future. They’re working with an agency that’s slow. The paperwork is tricky. Their bills aren’t getting paid. So in the end, they take their frustrations out on the one person who is there to help them: me, their representative.
I feel your pain. However, I need you to remember three little points. One, I didn’t create this problem so please don’t treat me like I did. Two, the only way I succeed is if I fix this problem so I don’t benefit from making it worse. Finally, I’m here to fix this problem so please, stay the hell out of my way, and give me a chance to fix it.
Unfortunately, the last point is not always that easy for people who are in pain. They want someone to fix the problem and they want someone to fix it right NOW. The simple fact is, “it is NOT that simple”.
Now, President Obama is trying to take care of this Gulf oil disaster. Unfortunately, we have all of these ‘Monday Morning quarterbacks’ screaming about what THEY would have done differently, or what President Obama should have done. But that’s not helpful to anyone except the talking heads and their publicity hounds. And it causes politics to get in the way of real results. Now, the President and his staff have to spend time worrying about he appears to be responding. The simple fact is that this is a disaster unlike any other we’ve seen before. As it is, he was able to get a commitment of $20 billion from BP. Even as people complain that he didn’t detail how he was going to fix the crisis in his address the other night. In 15 minutes? Really? His critics don’t seem to care about clean fuel or energy conservation efforts (uh, he was basically saying that this can happen again if we don’t change RIGHT NOW). Understandably, those suffering in the Gulf want their money right now and they want this mess cleaned up now.
But has no one given thought to the fact that the $20 billion BP is paying could have easily come from the budget of the American People??? But when given the time to work it out, he got BP to do what they need to do, saving us taxpayers a little money. But it took time. Damned if you do. Damned, if you don’t.
I can tell you that several years ago when I was a Naval Lieutenant, Junior Grade, I was asked to initiate the Hurricane contingency plan for Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune as part of my Office of the Day duties. Now, let me tell you, I looked like a ‘deer in headlights’ when I had that manual in front of me and I did the best I could to figure out what to do. A lot of people weren’t happy when they were called in for emergency duty. And I thought to myself, “Hey, I didn’t tell the hurricane to come here. I’m only here to address the problem.” No one cared about that fact. They were only interested in how this inconvenienced their lives. Again, Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t!
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if it’s a claim for disability benefits, disaster preparedness, or an oil spill. All of these things are problems. And all problems can be fixed. Just remember that when you have someone who is dedicated to fixing the problems, SHUT UP and let them fix it!
