The Social Security Thread (1 Viewer)

[Saint Jack]

What’s the likelihood this actually happens?
I imagine if this happens under a GOP president, you’re never going see a Republican in the White House again.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5173332-social-security-cuts-risk-collapse/amp/

 

[MT15]

Even so look at the numbers, 42% at a low is a disturbingly high buffoonery statistic.

Agreed. But we have to keep reminding ourselves and everyone else that he’s not all powerful and a lot more people don’t like him than those that do.

 

[MT15]

No link for this - it was in a social media post from someone I don’t know, so I’m not sure it’s accurate. A woman says her husband recently passed away (about 4 mos ago) and she is supposed to be able to receive either her SS benefit or his, whichever was larger - it’s called Survivor’s Benefit, and has been an automatic switch once informed of the death of a spouse.

When she still was receiving her benefit instead of his after 4 months she called. Had to wait until 9 pm to get a call back. She was told she has to apply for the survivor benefit and had to be approved. She was asked what she intended to do with the money, and was told she would have to make an appointment to talk to someone else and provide copies of documents to prove she was married at the time of his death. She asked what documents would prove they were still married and was told he couldn’t tell her that ahead of time. So once she had been told which documents she would then have to make another appointment to come in person and bring the documents. Then her “application” would be considered but it wasn’t guaranteed she would be able to receive the larger amount.

Oh, and he also questioned her about why there was a 14 year gap in her employment history, which he said “looked bad” because it was a very large gap and implied that might create a problem for her being “accepted” to receive her husband’s survivor benefit. She told him it was a decision she and her husband had made to have her stay home with the kids for the good of the family.

I didn’t think that survivors benefits could be changed like that, I thought they were codified. Does anyone know anything about this? Many many women depend on that money if their husbands die.

 

[MT15]

We can use this thread for Medicaid as well I suppose.

 

[MT15]

 

[Optimus Prime]

Fifteen Republican members of the House of Representatives have warned the Trumpadministration about the repercussions of further cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been spearheading efforts to drastically reduce excess federal funding and waste by cutting agencies’ staff numbers and funding. Still, it is lawmakers who will have to answer to voters in their constituencies if services cease to function smoothly.

The SSA announced in late February that it would reduce its “bloated workforce” by 12 percent from 57,000 employees to 50,000. This step attracted criticism from its former commissioner, Martin O’Malley, who warned that it could mean some of the 70 million people who depend on benefits going without their checks.

Now, in an open letter to O’Malley’s newly-confirmed successor, Frank Bisignano, the GOP collective led by New York Representative Nicole Malliotakis called for the body not to make any additional cuts that might “further deteriorate customer service that has been subpar in recent years.”……….

Fifteen House Republicans warn Trump about Social Security cuts

GOP collective issues open letter to new commissioner calling for end to cutbacks that might ‘further deteriorate customer service’ and impact constituents

www.independent.co.uk

 

[bird]

How Christian of Mike “Moses” Johnson.

 

[DaveXA]

How Christian of Mike “Moses” Johnson.

It's disgusting how they bow before money over anything else. They're precisely the hypocrites who worship the golden calf, who Jesus was talking about in the parable of the rich man passing through the eye of a needle and the verse talking about serving both God and money.

Most of these idiots are Christians in name only. The very definition of wolves in sheep's clothing.

 

[MT15]

CBO has analyzed the GOP plan for Medicaid cuts. All to give billionaires a tax cut.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5287540-republican-plan-health-insurance-millions/

 

[Optimus Prime]

The wealthiest man on earth was so distrustful of the nonpartisan experts at the Social SecurityAdministration that he and his allies insisted on giving a 21-year-old former Silicon Valley intern sweeping access to personal data on hundreds of millions of Americans, living and dead, in hopes of proving his outlandish claims about fraudulent payments passing though the agency.

Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency team made no attempt to understand data the tech billionaire was citing when he began claiming that “massive fraud” was allowing Social Security payments to flow to “illegals” in a series of X posts in early February, despite warnings from Social Security officials who told them they did not know what they were talking about, the The New York Times reported.

Instead, he ordered 21-year-old Akash Bobba, a former Palantir intern who’d been hired as a programmer for DOGE, be granted access to Social Security data without proper training so he could run his own analysis, the Times reported

When the acting commissioner, Michelle King, declined to do so, Musk had her fired and replaced with Leland Dudek. Dudek, brought back from a suspension on the DOGE team’s recommendation, got Bobba the access.

But according to the Times, Bobba knew the Musk fraud claims were bunk………….

Musk left Social Security payments in the hands of a 21-year-old DOGE tech bro

The former Palantir intern has acknowledged that Musk’s claims about rampant fraud at the agency were false

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Optimus Prime]

The wife of one of President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted advisers, Stephen Miller, served in the White House for only a brief time, but in that period used her position to pressure the Social Security Administration to lie on behalf of the White House and its then-special government employee, Elon Musk, according to a new report.

Katie Miller allegedly instructed the head of the SSA to tell reporters that 40 percent of all calls placed to SSA phone lines were linked to fraudulent Social Security claims — a number the president and Musk plucked out of thin air as the White House and Musk’s DOGE effort set about making cuts to a wide range of federal agencies this year, the New York Timesreported.

“The number is 40 percent,” Katie Miller reportedly told the acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek in an April 1 call, the Times reported. “Do not contradict the president.”

“Mr. Musk’s team mobilized dozens of Social Security employees to affirm their views about fraud and began a project to ensure dead people were properly classified so they weren’t mistakenly paid — even though DOGE officials acknowledged in an internal memo that payments were not being made in those cases,” the Times wrote.

While Miller left the government in late May alongside Musk, the new head of the SSA refuted that figure directly in a statement to the Times.…..

Stephen Miller’s wife told Social Security staff to cover up a lie from Musk: report

Former White House aide remains at Tesla chief’s side even after barrage of Epstein allegations

www.independent.co.uk

 

[MT15]

The wife of one of President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted advisers, Stephen Miller, served in the White House for only a brief time, but in that period used her position to pressure the Social Security Administration to lie on behalf of the White House and its then-special government employee, Elon Musk, according to a new report.

Katie Miller allegedly instructed the head of the SSA to tell reporters that 40 percent of all calls placed to SSA phone lines were linked to fraudulent Social Security claims — a number the president and Musk plucked out of thin air as the White House and Musk’s DOGE effort set about making cuts to a wide range of federal agencies this year, the New York Timesreported.

“The number is 40 percent,” Katie Miller reportedly told the acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek in an April 1 call, the Times reported. “Do not contradict the president.”

“Mr. Musk’s team mobilized dozens of Social Security employees to affirm their views about fraud and began a project to ensure dead people were properly classified so they weren’t mistakenly paid — even though DOGE officials acknowledged in an internal memo that payments were not being made in those cases,” the Times wrote.

While Miller left the government in late May alongside Musk, the new head of the SSA refuted that figure directly in a statement to the Times.…..

Stephen Miller’s wife told Social Security staff to cover up a lie from Musk: report

Former White House aide remains at Tesla chief’s side even after barrage of Epstein allegations

www.independent.co.uk

It’s horrible when 2 evil, damaged people find each other.

 

[LA 2 L.A.]

The wife of one of President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted advisers, Stephen Miller, served in the White House for only a brief time, but in that period used her position to pressure the Social Security Administration to lie on behalf of the White House and its then-special government employee, Elon Musk, according to a new report.

Katie Miller allegedly instructed the head of the SSA to tell reporters that 40 percent of all calls placed to SSA phone lines were linked to fraudulent Social Security claims — a number the president and Musk plucked out of thin air as the White House and Musk’s DOGE effort set about making cuts to a wide range of federal agencies this year, the New York Timesreported.

“The number is 40 percent,” Katie Miller reportedly told the acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek in an April 1 call, the Times reported. “Do not contradict the president.”

“Mr. Musk’s team mobilized dozens of Social Security employees to affirm their views about fraud and began a project to ensure dead people were properly classified so they weren’t mistakenly paid — even though DOGE officials acknowledged in an internal memo that payments were not being made in those cases,” the Times wrote.

While Miller left the government in late May alongside Musk, the new head of the SSA refuted that figure directly in a statement to the Times.…..

Stephen Miller’s wife told Social Security staff to cover up a lie from Musk: report

Former White House aide remains at Tesla chief’s side even after barrage of Epstein allegations

www.independent.co.uk

The only thing I found surprising in that article is that Stephen Miller has a wife. I would never have had that on my bingo card. Just goes to show that women are not inherently kinder or wiser than men.

 

[Optimus Prime]

CNN) — Social Security will not be able to fully pay monthly benefits to tens of millions of retirees and people with disabilities in 2034 if lawmakers don’t act to address the program’s pending shortfall, according to an annual report released Wednesday by Social Security’s trustees.

The combined Social Security trust funds – which help support payments to the elderly, survivors and people with disabilities – are expected to be exhausted in 2034, one year earlier than previously forecast, according to the trustees’ annual report.

At that time, payroll tax revenue and other income sources will only be able to cover 81% of benefits owed.

The deterioration in the forecast stems from several factors, including a law passed by Congress last year that increased benefits for certain workers and the trustees’ assumption that it will take longer for the nation’s fertility rate to recover from historically low levels.

Average earnings are expected to grow somewhat more slowly over the coming decade, according to the report.

Medicare’s fiscal outlook also worsened. Its hospital insurance trust fund, known as Medicare Part A, is expected to be able to cover scheduled inpatient hospital benefits until 2033, compared to 2036 in last year’s report from the program’s trustees.

At that time, Medicare will only be able to pay 89% of total scheduled Part A benefits, which also cover hospice care, short-term skilled nursing facility services and home health services following hospitalizations…….

Social Security won’t be able to pay full benefits in 2034 if Congress doesn’t act | CNN Politics

Social Security will not be able to fully pay monthly benefits to tens of millions of retirees and people with disabilities in 2034 if lawmakers don’t act to address the program’s pending shortfall, according to an annual report released Wednesday by Social Security’s trustees.

www.cnn.com

 

[MT15]

CNN) — Social Security will not be able to fully pay monthly benefits to tens of millions of retirees and people with disabilities in 2034 if lawmakers don’t act to address the program’s pending shortfall, according to an annual report released Wednesday by Social Security’s trustees.

The combined Social Security trust funds – which help support payments to the elderly, survivors and people with disabilities – are expected to be exhausted in 2034, one year earlier than previously forecast, according to the trustees’ annual report.

At that time, payroll tax revenue and other income sources will only be able to cover 81% of benefits owed.

The deterioration in the forecast stems from several factors, including a law passed by Congress last year that increased benefits for certain workers and the trustees’ assumption that it will take longer for the nation’s fertility rate to recover from historically low levels.

Average earnings are expected to grow somewhat more slowly over the coming decade, according to the report.

Medicare’s fiscal outlook also worsened. Its hospital insurance trust fund, known as Medicare Part A, is expected to be able to cover scheduled inpatient hospital benefits until 2033, compared to 2036 in last year’s report from the program’s trustees.

At that time, Medicare will only be able to pay 89% of total scheduled Part A benefits, which also cover hospice care, short-term skilled nursing facility services and home health services following hospitalizations…….

Social Security won’t be able to pay full benefits in 2034 if Congress doesn’t act | CNN Politics

Social Security will not be able to fully pay monthly benefits to tens of millions of retirees and people with disabilities in 2034 if lawmakers don’t act to address the program’s pending shortfall, according to an annual report released Wednesday by Social Security’s trustees.

www.cnn.com

You know what could certainly help fix that? Not deporting people who are here working jobs and paying into the system. Welcoming more people to come work here and pay into the system. And quit exempting high earners.

 

[faceman]

You know what could certainly help fix that? Not deporting people who are here working jobs and paying into the system. Welcoming more people to come work here and pay into the system. And quit exempting high earners.

I was always a supporter of making congressmen retire under it. It would get fixed in a hurry.

 

[bird]

The wife of one of President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted advisers, Stephen Miller, served in the White House for only a brief time, but in that period used her position to pressure the Social Security Administration to lie on behalf of the White House and its then-special government employee, Elon Musk, according to a new report.

Katie Miller allegedly instructed the head of the SSA to tell reporters that 40 percent of all calls placed to SSA phone lines were linked to fraudulent Social Security claims — a number the president and Musk plucked out of thin air as the White House and Musk’s DOGE effort set about making cuts to a wide range of federal agencies this year, the New York Timesreported.

“The number is 40 percent,” Katie Miller reportedly told the acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek in an April 1 call, the Times reported. “Do not contradict why the president.”

“Mr. Musk’s team mobilized dozens of Social Security employees to affirm their views about fraud and began a project to ensure dead people were properly classified so they weren’t mistakenly paid — even though DOGE officials acknowledged in an internal memo that payments were not being made in those cases,” the Times wro

While Miller left the government in late May alongside Musk, the new head of the SSA refuted that figure directly in a statement to the Times.…..

Stephen Miller’s wife told Social Security staff to cover up a lie from Musk: report

Former White House aide remains at Tesla chief’s side even after barrage of Epstein allegations

www.independent.co.uk

The wife of one of President Donald Trump’s closest and most trusted advisers, Stephen Miller, served in the White House for only a brief time, but in that period used her position to pressure the Social Security Administration to lie on behalf of the White House and its then-special government employee, Elon Musk, according to a new report.

Katie Miller allegedly instructed the head of the SSA to tell reporters that 40 percent of all calls placed to SSA phone lines were linked to fraudulent Social Security claims — a number the president and Musk plucked out of thin air as the White House and Musk’s DOGE effort set about making cuts to a wide range of federal agencies this year, the New York Timesreported.

“The number is 40 percent,” Katie Miller reportedly told the acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek in an April 1 call, the Times reported. “Do not contradict the president.”

“Mr. Musk’s team mobilized dozens of Social Security employees to affirm their views about fraud and began a project to ensure dead people were properly classified so they weren’t mistakenly paid — even though DOGE officials acknowledged in an internal memo that payments were not being made in those cases,” the Times wrote.

While Miller left the government in late May alongside Musk, the new head of the SSA refuted that figure directly in a statement to the Times.…..

Stephen Miller’s wife told Social Security staff to cover up a lie from Musk: report

Former White House aide remains at Tesla chief’s side even after barrage of Epstein allegations

www.independent.co.uk

Why is Stephen Miller’s wife even a thing?

 

[LA 2 L.A.]

Why is Stephen Miller’s wife even a thing?

I mean, she's probably not the most pleasant person to be around, but I think calling her a thing is a bit much.

 

[bird]

I mean, she's probably not the most pleasant person to be around, but I think calling her a thing is a bit much.

Not directed at her as a person but directed at why is she involved in anything to do with government.