A Glimpse of 2009 Town Statistics.
The History of SSI in America Saving for the Rainy Day was not a brand new concept. Roots 19 th Century industrialization in Europe. Some 1900s politicians favored the system created by Von Bismarck of Germany and Empire building. Otto Von Bismarck Theodore Roosevelt
Development of more progressive attitudes regarding the workforce. If workers contribute to a county's greatness it is the governments duty to care for them as they age But Teddy's Bull Moose Campaign fell short.
The Great Depression The economic disaster served to accentuate the needs of all workers not just those in industry.
The New Deal It would be in August of 1935, the heart of the Great Depression, when the provisions of the Old Age Insurance Plan would be signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was a start. But there were huge gaps in the coverage to those in need. What about those who were injured on the job? Widows? Children?
The Push for Compensation. Industrial hazards abounded in the early factories and those in Essex County were typical of the times. Textile mills, tanneries, and firearms manufacturing plants were dangerous places. So too was the fishing industry.
World War II and beyond Elements of Resistance Unions with established pension funds Railroads Medical Professionals Rural farm owners And those who basically RESENTED TAXES
Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Amendments 1939 1940 Benefits awarded to Widows Children Work related injuries Veterans disabilities Brought the amount of citizens covered to around 60%
Presidential Administrations and Program Expansions. Truman: Attempted medical insurance inclusion. Eisenhower: Veterans home loans highways Kennedy/ Johnson: Age 62 retirement. Medicare signed. Nixon/Ford: Miners Disability(Black lung), and the yearly cost of living allowance, (COLA). Carter: Gender disparities, Disabled work incentives.
Continued Reagan: Federal employees gain access after 50 years. Recent administrations continue to modernize and restructure, to attempt to compensate for economic fluctuations, life expectancy and political conflict. In 75 years 4 separate funding shortfalls.
Essex County and the Spatial Distribution of OASDI Recipients.
Mapping the Request of the Essex County Community Foundation. Questions Are some towns more likely to have higher counts or concentrations of fixed income elderly, and are they urban, coastal, inland or a combination. Make several map layers using OASDI categories, and see if any patterns become apparent. LET S FIND THE OLD FOLKS!
Over 65 Highest town numbers are to the south and west. Peabody, Methuen, Lawrence, Andover Gloucester to the east is significant. The Newbury/Newburyport and surrounding towns seem younger no pickup shuffleboard games?
Follow the money This layer roughly followed the pattern of the Over 65 layer, despite using the funding numbers for ALL OASDI recipients. But a funding map with dollar amounts may be useful tool for someone, down the road.
Percentages Used a join with Census Factfinder data and the SSA field office information to apply population percentages. Indicates a shift eastward. Noteworthy is the disappearance of Methuen/Lawrence and the city of Lynn. However, Peabody remains. The emergence of Rockport, Ipswich, and Manchester.
Conclusion The hunch was a coastal pattern might emerge. It did, but not overwhelmingly so. Southern presence of Saugus, Peabody, Lynnfield and Danvers. Saved Survivors Category for another day, but I wanted to use the data on the DISABLED, (not in the over 65 Category) Normalized with POPULATION TOTALS. Lower Merrimac River Basin becomes dominant. A very unique result.
References Beland,Daniel. 2005. Social Security: History and Politics from the New Deal to the Privatization Debate. University Press of Kansas Bourne, Larry S., 1981. The Geography of Housing New York, New York. V.H. Winston & Sons. DeWitt, Larry W., Beland, Daniel. Berkowitz, Edward, D., 2008. Social Security: A Documentary History. Washington D.C. Congressional Quarterly Press Inc. Schottland, Charles I. 1970. The Social Security Program in the United States. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentiss Hall, Inc.
Websites Social Security Administration Master Beneficiary Zip file. U.S. Census Fact finder site MassGIS