Stop Complaining!

The Obamacare Website Might Finally Be Getting Better and Social Security works fine.

I am a man of a certain age where one gets interested in social security especially since I have been paying in for years.

So on the first day after the shutdown, I call the SSA toll-free number. It answers on the first or second ring with a "We are very busy. It's about a 40 minute wait. You can stay on hold or we can call you back."

Obviously I ask to be called back. Well within 40 minutes I get a return call.

I tell the person that I don't have social security and whether I am eligible and for what etc etc.

She asks me the obvious questions: name, SS #, date and place of birth, mother's maiden name etc etc.

In about 60 seconds -- I guess she doesn't have to run to the filing cabinet -- she tells me that the estimated $$ amounts will be ABC and XYZ. If I want to sign up I should go to the Welcome to the Social Security Benefit Application, Benefit Application, Social Security web site -- she had already asked me if I have web access -- and sign up for the fine details etc etc.

Whole conversation? Maybe 4-5 minutes. Quick. Efficient. Courteous. etc etc In fact I have checked out the SSAsite and it seems to work fine...just not sure whether to sign up or not. You know, rugged individualist and all that.

If the Republicans hadn't insisted on the cobbled-together goofy Obamacare system, we'd have something much simpler....some sort of public option...maybe along the lines of Medicare which so far as I can tell also works very smoothly.

So if you have any complaints about Obamacare, talk to John Boehner and company.