Robert Ball, Grand Poobah of Social Security, dead at age 93

Robert M. Ball, an indefatigable champion of Social Security who waspresent practically at its creation in 1935 and rose in the bureaucracyto become its commissioner under three presidents, has died. He was 93.  Ball, a resident of suburban Maryland, died Tuesday night after a briefillness, according to the National Academy of Social Insurance. Ballwas the founding chairman of the organization.  Active virtually until his death, Ball was a key player on a packagethat rescued Social Security from financial ruin in 1983 and asrecently as last year was writing alternatives to President Bush’sproposal to privatize the program, an approach that Ball abhorred.  “No individual has done more to advance American social insuranceprograms than Robert M. Ball,” said Lawrence Thompson, chairman of theNational Academy of Social Insurance.  “He led the Social Security program for more than 20 years, and he hasbeen its most influential and articulate advocate, architect andphilosopher.” 

Source/more:  LA Times.