Overview of the Policy under Analysis

Policy (number and title) to be analyzed 

The policy to be examined is the Social Security Act (SSA), which was developed in 1935. SSA was enacted by the 74th Congress of the United States of America. The policy was adopted under the then president of the country, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Olshansky, Goldman & Rowe, 2015). The plan targeted the United States labor laws, which had been developed in the country at the time. The then president Roosevelt signed the bill into law in the same year. The law formed the foundation of the modern day labor laws in the United States of America that look into the welfare of the workers. The analysis of the policy will look into the purpose of the system in the country and especially regarding how it revolutionized the approach of the labor of the Americans. The analysis will also look into the achievements of the policy in the labor department of the United States. 

Purpose of the policy 

SSA was enacted to influence the labor laws in the USA. Mainly, SSA helped the unemployed people to have insurance plans. In 1935, the rate of unemployment in the USA was so high that the majority of the people either lacked formal employment or lacked employment at all. Such people did not have any insurance policies to safeguard their lives and their interests at a later age (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). SSA was also to come up with the systems that were to help the old aged workers to have benefits. The older members of the American society that were almost retiring had to have elaborate retirement benefits plans that would come in handy when they were old enough to retire from their jobs. The policy was also to provide benefits to the victims in industrial accidents across the United States (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Context of the policy 

The context of SSA is in the national labor laws in the USA and especially those that took care of the employed and the unemployed in the country at around the same time as SSA was enacted. The United States of America had an exponential growth in the population of the country and with the working class rising in numbers; laws had to be enacted to ensure that they did so conveniently and comfortably. SSA had policies similar to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which was also passed in 1935. The NLRA, just like SSA, took care of the American workers on matters concerning insurance, safety, and benefits. Having a closer look at the NLRA, the policy also came up with the laws governing how the employees of the various upcoming companies in the USA related to the organizations, and the trade unions. They addressed the issues together. 

Historical Background of the Policy 

Historical problems leading to the creation of the policy 

The SSA was passed by the Congress at a time when the great depression was at its best. Unemployment in the USA was affecting more than 20% of the population at the time. The unemployed population did not have any form of insurance while they were living in the danger of lacking their basic needs such as appropriate healthcare and shelter (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). Some of the older members of the society who had no employment required care in their old age. Giving them benefits at such a time would be vital to their wellbeing. The other problems that were in the country at the time affected the women and children. Such issues were mostly experienced in public health and proved difficult for the government to eliminate. Thus, the SSA came in handy at helping the United States of America overcome such challenges (Olshansky, Goldman & Rowe, 2015). 

Historical importance of the problems 

The significance of lack of insurance policies for the unemployed has been evident in the history of the United States. Since the transatlantic slave trade period, millions of Africans who moved to the country and settled had no access to quality healthcare, food, and shelter. Their descendants, the African Americans faced similar problems during the great depression since they were not as educated as their white counterparts in the USA to acquire formal employment were. The majority of the African Americans did not have any insurance plans either due to the lack of education on their importance or due to the complete lack of access to it. The older members of the American society did not also have a safeguarded future and retirement from their jobs, therefore, meant that they would soon run out of cash and fall into the dependency bracket, which the country was trying to eliminate. 

Previous handling of the problem 

Some of the efforts that the United States of America's government implemented before 1935 addressed the problem of the lack of insurance policies previously. The lack of insurance policies was an issue that was brought into the limelight in the 19th century because of the American social politics that were trying to look for a solution into it. The social politics, however, did not talk about the lack of insurance for the unemployed as a matter of national concern. That slowed down any possible efforts that would have been given to address the issue that had deeply encroached the American society. The activists discussed the issue of unemployment among the American citizens and especially those from the African American origins. That left the problem of lack of insurance to be addressed by the social politics that were not that effective. 

Values influencing the handling of the problem 

One of the values that influenced the handling of the problem of lack of insurance for the unemployed American citizens was the need to promote equality among the citizens. There was urgency in the need to create a sense of balance for the Americans of different races to alleviate some of the sufferings the Americans were going through at the time. The racial discrimination had been an issue that was affecting the United States of America for several centuries even before the twentieth century. Modernization was, therefore, a move to reduce the cases of racial discrimination at work. The other value was the need to maintain the autonomy of the American citizens during the great depression. With the employment rate being so low and the industrial revolution still taking place, the few employees who were working needed to work extra for their companies in a bid to promote their economic welfare. 

Historical background of the policy 

Historically, Human beings have had various threats to economic security. Some of the risks that humankind has had include loss of employment, illnesses, disability, old age, and death. Such dangers to the economic security had to be dealt with. The United States of America was at the forefront of addressing such concerns that led to the development of the SSA. With the skyrocket in the technological advancement in the United States, the people had to look into the issue of formal economic security in detail. Therefore, the social security act of 1935 relied on the concept of social insurance. Both the employed and the unemployed citizens required insurance of some sort and thus their needs based on the formation of the SSA. Additionally, there were many veterans and disabled people from the civil war. They lived in a way that would not provide them the guarantee of a better life in future. SSA would later address that. 

Policy origination 

The policy was made into a law in the year 1935. The plan originated at a time when the world was faced with the great depression, a decade-long period of economic strife. The economies of the various countries such as the United States of America were severely affected by the strife, and therefore the unemployment level shot up and economic security drastically reduced (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). The SSA was developed around seventy years after the decline of the American civil war. During that time, the effects of the civil war were still evident among the American citizens with many disabled and old aged people. Such people did not have any form, of insurance to safeguard their lives. In June 1934, President Roosevelt informed his cabinet of his decision to come up with a social security act. The detailing of the policy was conducted in the next year, and the enactment of the policy took place in 1935(Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Change of the original policy over time 

The original Social Security Act of 1935 has been faced with several adjustments to fit the economic security needs of the American citizens. Initially, SSA only provided retirement benefits to the worker. In 1939, amendments were made to the law to provide the retirement benefits to the spouse and the children of the worker. The changes in the same year increased the monthly payment benefits. In the year 1950, the SSA was amended to raise benefits and target the virtual international coverage that it has to date. The other amendment happened in 1983. The changes that were made to the original SSA included the raising of the retirement age coming next century. The social security and the Medicare programs were adjusted to include the taxation of the social security benefits. The first coverage of the federal employees by the social security policy was also done in 1983(Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Legislative history of the policy 

The state and federal level governments in the united states of and the state and federal level governments in the United States of America have had a lot to do with the policy. The governmental rules and regulations have shaped the functionality of the SSA on different platforms in the USA. However, the Supreme Court and the Congress have had more power over the SSA, its legislation compared to what the federal and the state governments have had. To begin with, the SSA depended on the votes of the Congress to be made into a law. Therefore, the Congress has continuously affected the operations of the SSA and its coverage (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Description of the Problem that Necessitated the Policy 

Nature of the problem 

The old aged people living in the United States of America and the unemployed citizens of the country had been faced with the lack of representation when it came to insurance matters in the nation. The country did not have established systems and policies to safeguard their lives as they did not have a stable source of income and therefore were assumed unable to contribute to the insurance and pension plans. Unlike today, healthcare insurance was not well developed at the time. The workers' unions were also less formally recognized as they are today. Therefore, the majority of the jobless and the older members of the society had to battle with the problems of the lack of a safeguarded future. In as much as the old aged people accounted for less than five percent of the entire American workforce, they needed to have a retirement benefits plan of some sort since they would soon retire from their jobs. 

How widespread is the problem? 

The issue of the lack of insurance for the unemployed and the lack of retirement plans for the old aged came at a time when the USA was fighting for other rights. For instance, in the 1930's the members of the African American racial origin were pushing for their recognition and the extension of the human rights to favor them as much as they favored the other races in the United States. Additionally, the women at that time were fighting for the rights that would place them at the same level as the men in the various matters affecting the country. The struggle of the women in obtaining their rights may have influenced the issue of the insurance and retirement benefits in different ways. In the 1930's, most of the workers in the United States of America would take home a hundred dollars a month, and 17.5% of the pay was supposed to be remitted to the insurance and the retirement plans. Therefore, the working Americans during the great depression kept the policies away from them since they were receiving a meager pay. That kept more Americans away from the retirement and the insurance plans. 

How many people are affected by the problem? 

About twenty percent of the Americans who could work did not find jobs in the 1930's due to the slowing down of the American economy, one of the negative implications of the great depression. That was around three million people in total. In only three years, more than thirteen million could not find jobs in the United States. The wages of the working Americans also decreased rapidly up to 60% decrease (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). That discouraged more people who had been previously working, and they had to resign from their jobs or move to other places hoping to find greener pastures. Foreign competition for the local farmers increased exponentially, and their earnings had a downward spiral. The economic situation of the United States at that time could not sustain flexible employment and insurance policies for the population (Olshansky, Goldman & Rowe, 2015). 

Who is affected by the problem and how? 

The government was affected by the problem in the sense that it could not control the economic situation or provide retirement and insurance plans for the population. The federal government had to focus on the external financial circumstances affecting the American economy adversely. The other affected stakeholders were the American population. It was estimated that seventeen percent of the whites and thirty-eight percent of the blacks in the USA could not support themselves financially without requiring a form of assistance. The more African Americans suffered since most of them could not afford to educate themselves and did not have formal employment that would shield them from economic strife. Generally, the American population was affected in the sense that they could not raise their medical bills, rent, and education. 

Evidence existing regarding "causes" of the problem 

Researchers from in and out of the United States of America have attributed the issue if the lack of insurance for the unemployed and the old aged to the existence of the great depression that negatively influenced the economy. The researchers have however failed to explain the root cause of the great depression fully. The researchers have yet been able to discuss why the great recession affected America the most. To begin with, the great depression started in the USA before spreading to the other countries across the globe. The financial institutions in the United States controlled the financial systems in the country, which were controlled by the Federal Reserve Bank at the time. The Federal Reserve and the intervention of the then president Roosevelt may have contributed heavily to the great depression, which brought about the increasing denial of the human rights, poverty, the lack of insurance and retirement benefits, and the insufficiency of the income in the country. 

Policy Description 

How is the policy expected to work? 

The Social Security Act of 1935 was expected to provide the insurance plans for the unemployed Americans at the time, come up with the retirement benefit plans for the old aged, and come up with the welfare programs for the other disadvantaged groups in the USA such as the disabled. SSA was later expected to include the closest family members of the workers. In the year 1939, SSA extended the benefits to the workers to cover their spouses and children (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). The welfare programs were supposed to target both the working and the non-working citizens of the United States of America. The policy was expected to increase the opportunities and income for the American workers. Overall, the policy was supposed to target the American populace and help it to recover from the adverse effects of the great depression (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Resources or opportunities expected to be provided by the policy 

The amendments that were made to the original SSA increased the number of opportunities and the number of resources that the policy provided to the American citizens. Nonetheless, President Roosevelt controlled the policy, and it did not have significant deviations from the original SSA enacted in 1935. Many of the programs that were put in place with the SSA of 1935 gave the policy a particular amount of power that would place in an excellent position to increase the insurance and retirement benefits to the American populace. The SSA in its later stages provided the old age reserve accounts to bank on the old aged people across the United States of America. Furthermore, the SSA created grants in the various states across America for the unemployed and the people living with disabilities. 

Who will be covered by the policy and how? 

Since the introduction of the SSA of 1935, the policy has extended its coverage in the United States of America. Primarily, SSA targeted the old aged American citizens. The old aged members of the American society were to benefit from SSA mostly regarding the retirement benefits schemes to safeguard their future lives. The policy also targeted the unemployed members of the American community. SSA was to provide insurance plans for the unemployed American citizens, many of those that had lost their jobs during the great depression. Later on, SSA extended its coverage to the dependents of the old aged and then, later on, SSA extended its coverage to the dependents of the old aged and the American workers such as their spouses and children. SSA also covered the people living with physical disabilities in the USA. 

How will the policy be implemented? 

President Roosevelt signed the SSA policy into law in the year 1935. The policy had requirements for eligibility of the members that cut across those of the various states in America. After it became a law, SSA began making the social security cards that were distributed to the members to be collected at the post office as they submitted the required forms for eligibility (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

What are the short- and long-term goals and outcomes of the policy? 

One of the objectives of the SSA was to increase the insured American citizens who were not employed. The other goal of the policy was to create a solid benefits plan for the old aged people living and working in the United States of America. The SSA also aimed at reducing the economic risk of the American citizens who either had no employment or had unstable jobs. One of the outcomes of the policy in the United States of America is the adjustment of the cost of living such as the 2% adjustment that took place in the year 2018. The other outcome of the policy is the increase in the taxable income of the American working class. 

What are the administrative auspices under which the policy will be lodged? 

The original SSA had to be enacted by the then president Roosevelt. Therefore, the president supported the policy and the federal government controlled its activities. The Congress of the United States of America had power over the SSA in that they are the people behind its approval as a policy even before it was signed into law. The economic downfall of the United States of America led to the great depression, which led to the need for the creation of a policy that would safeguard the economic interests of the Americans which in this case was the SSA. Therefore, the administrative bodies in the various parts of the United States of America had a bearing on the SSA and its operations. 

Funding mechanism of the policy 

Initially, President Roosevelt had planned that SSA of 1935 would be a self-supporting program that would not depend on the revenue from the government. The funding of the policy was supposed to come from the payroll taxes that were dedicated to it. For the pensions, the committee in charge of it at SSA started a reserve fund that could be used to raise the income required to meet the future costs that would be incurred in providing the benefits for the old aged people in the united states of America (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). That became a problem since SSA had not yet initialized the concept of the social security fund. The other plans in the policy took place generally with the people who had contributed towards the insurance schemes receiving their funds at a time when they would not support themselves (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

The agencies or organizations charged with overseeing, evaluating, and coordinating the policy 

The SSA has a board consisting of three members that carry out the management operations of the company. The bipartisan board carries out its functions independently from the executive branch. The head of state of the United States of America usually nominates the members of the board. They are appointed with the advice from the Senate. The social security board chairman reports directly to the president (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). The other members of the administration are also appointed by the president to perform the various duties at SSA. Once the SSA becomes independent again from the governmental interference, it will have a variety of resources such as the branch and the regional offices, and the employed people who will extend the outreach of the organization (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

Formal or informal criteria that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the policy 

The policy has been reported to be effective since its inception back in 1935. Both formal and informal factors have influenced change in the policy's statement and purpose, and the coverage in the USA. The formal factors that have molded SSA include the different lawsuits that have either favored or disadvantaged the efficiency of the policy. Such factors have in the long run led to increased effectiveness of the policy (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). Informal factors have also contributed to changes in the policy. For instance, the informal data collected in the various stages of the development and the operations of the policy has led to the increase in the effectiveness of the policy at the various capacities in the United States of America (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). 

For what length of time is, the policy expected to be in existence? 

The planners and the creators if the Social Security Act of 1935 Did not anticipate that the program would exist for long given that the USA is known for the emergence of innovations and better problem-solving techniques for the daily problems that affect the populace. Having been in existence for the last more than eighty years, SSA has dealt with the issues of the lack of insurance for the unemployed and the benefit schemes for the older members of the American working society. SSA might be in existence for a long time since there has not yet been any other program that is better in dealing with the difficulties that SSA does. 

Knowledge base or scientific grounding on which the policy rests 

The SSA is a knowledge base network that is comprised of different networks and systems that work together in the country to bring about the commonly desired goal for the betterment of the lives of the American citizens. The SSA has been targeting individuals from different sphere of the American economy such as health, both personal and public, revenue systems, insurance policies and the federal and state governmental rulings (Olshansky, Goldman, & Rowe, 2015). Therefore, the SSA becomes a knowledge base with the integration of the different areas that the individuals who are targeted by the policy come from in the country. The ability of the policy to solve the economic crises that have affected the American is another reason for the policy to be regarded as both a knowledge base and a scientific grounding. 

References 

Olshansky, S. J., Goldman, D. P., & Rowe, J. W. (2015). Resetting social security. Daedalus , 

144 (2), 68-79.