One Sane Decision

I had heard the other day on the news that a young child whose father died from leukemia was being denied her Social Security benefit. Just another example of government stupidity and incompetence, I figured. But then I heard the whole story.

Bruce Beeler died in 2001. In 2003, his widow decided to be artificially inseminated with sperm the couple had preserved.  If she couldn't afford to raise the child on her own, she shouldn't have been inseminated. The intent of this law was to provide for dependent children who survived the father, not innumerable children that might be born years in the future. What if Mrs. Beeler has 20 sperm samples saved up, and she becomes pregnant from them all? Should we pay for 20 children? An already overburdened system will almost certainly be forced to reduce payments to legitimate beneficiaries if we allow that.

Thankfully, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the SSA decision to deny the benefit.

"Girl conceived after dad died can't get benefits." The Dallas Morning News; September 1, 2011; p. 7A.