Ginnie, Janke was not claiming the system is perfect in that other post. But it isn't completely broken either.

It took me several years to get approved. Along the way my attorney did some questionable things. My local office lost paperwork. The national 800# gave me bad information. Instead of getting bitter, I learned how to safeguard against many of these things. I put my energy into learning what documentation was required for me to have a successful outcome. I expended so much energy providing information I thought was important, and just wasn't! Part of this is understanding the system. It means digging in to SS policies. It means being brutally honest about not only your abilities, but how you appear to others.

Amusingly enough, I've been accused of being paranoid when I've given out advice to try and help people avoid problems I experienced... (If you have reports that are vital to your SSD application, walk them in to your local office. Have them provide you with a dated stamp on a copy, so you have recourse. They need to be submitted early in the process. It's better to gather all your documentation before you apply. It's better to understand what you'll need to prove before you apply. Approval is a complex medical/legal decision. Many people are successful after a 2nd or even 3rd application, because they finally provide the documentation that is required for a FF decision.)

Social Security is grossly understaffed. It is an incredibly complex system. (And simplifying won't improve things IMO.) The appeals system is fair and works to check and balance. You can't blame SS for the cultural shift of entitlement. I will grant there is a weird sense that SS employees forget applicants have to survive while waiting on decisions. The reality is, if a person is in the application process, they need to apply for aid, get help from family, etc. (I started a thread that became a sticky on this topic.) I do feel the government "plays chicken" to see who will return to work rather than go homeless... Which is harsh. But they're not psychic.

Janke is one of the most knowledagble posters in this forum and is here consistently, providing solid information. Anyone that wants to learn useful SSD info should research her posts, btw.