The Social Security Thread (4 Viewers)

[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/

 

[Sendai]

That’s a definite problem. They’ve already removed stuff from the website. I needed to change our withholding amount today - there’s no way to do so on the website, nor is there a way to contact the Social Security Administration any longer. No way to send a message or request, only a bot to help you if you’re having trouble logging in or finding something on the page. No way to request an appointment.

If they take away phone service they will have essentially shut the whole damn thing down.

Okay: update. I had signed in to My Social Security page. And couldn’t find any way to request an appointment or change my withholding amount. I’m pretty sure that all used to be there. There’s a lot of stuff that seems to be gone from that site.

If you go to the website without signing in to your account it appears to have those features. However, to ask them to withhold taxes it says to call them. If you cannot call them it has a form to fill out and mail to them.

I don’t know how they expect to eliminate phone service.

Update No. 2:
Upon further checking on the website, the only way to make an appointment is to call them.

If it weren’t so absolutely STUPID and IDIOTIC it’d be funny.

I did the W4 tax withholding a few years back. The only way was to not be signed in and simply print it from the web site, fill it out and mail it in.

 

[MT15]

I did the W4 tax withholding a few years back. The only way was to not be signed in and simply print it from the web site, fill it out and mail it in.

Do you know how many people don’t have printers any longer? The majority.

Also, to go to the office and get a form you have to make an appointment and the ONLY way to make an appointment is to call them.

Eliminating phone service is idiotic, or done on purpose to make the system fail.

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[Sendai]

Do you know how many people don’t have printers any longer? The majority.

Also, to go to the office and get a form you have to make an appointment and the ONLY way to make an appointment is to call them.

Eliminating phone service is idiotic, or done on purpose to make the system fail.

Actually 62% still have printers. Also public libraries provide computer and print services. And the form, w4v, isn't a social security form. So you can get it printed at a public library or have a friend print it and mail it to the social security administration. You don’t need to go to the office. I didn’t.

 

[MT15]

Actually 62% still have printers. Also public libraries provide computer and print services. And the form, w4v, isn't a social security form. So you can get it printed at a public library or have a friend print it and mail it to the social security administration. You don’t need to go to the office. I didn’t.

Where did you get that number? In my immediate family we are the only one who has one.

Good for you. Please explain how eliminating phone service for Social Security is going to increase efficiency? The department already runs on a ridiculously low 0.5% administrative overhead. Also please explain how a very poor, very elderly, or handicapped person should be expected to go to the library and get a form and mail it in as opposed to a phone call? How is that more efficient?

This move isn’t intended to do anything but make Social Security inefficient, and keep people from getting the benefits they deserve. Musk is just evil.

The richest man in the world wants to punish normal people.

 

[DaveXA]

Actually 62% still have printers. Also public libraries provide computer and print services. And the form, w4v, isn't a social security form. So you can get it printed at a public library or have a friend print it and mail it to the social security administration. You don’t need to go to the office. I didn’t.

So, 38% don't have printers. That's a hell of a lot of people. And they don't all have equal access or means to obtain the forms they need. Social services should be accessible, widely available and reasonably obtainable.

There's really no reason to make social services less accessible to the most vulnerable in our country. There's no reason an individual can't obtain and submit applications, request forms and documents and re-verify their eligibility through the website and over the phone.

People can renew their driver's license and obtain a host of other services on state motor vehicle sites. We file taxes online. Many of us almost exclusively utilize online banking.

Heck, I bought my house almost entirely online after I found the house I wanted. The only thing that was done in person was closing.

For no good reason, the current administration is crippling the agency's ability to provide critically needed services that a lot of people survive on. My wife and I were on SSI and SSDI for a lot of years because of our situation at the time and we wouldn't be were we are today without it.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

The Governors better watch what they say about the Dear Leader or his minions will punish them for their words.

 

[longtime lurker]

Republican legislators are still acting as if they will let Trump and Musk take the brunt of the blame, and voters will not hold them responsible when they start slashing SS and Medicaid…if that’s their plan, then I believe that they are very sadly mistaken come ‘26 and ‘28.

Top Republicans say they're out of the loop as DOGE downsizes Social Security Administration

They aren’t complaining about it, at least publicly. But some would like a heads-up on office closures, staffing cuts and other changes that affect their constituents.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[bird]

Republican legislators are still acting as if they let Trump and Musk take the brunt of the blame….voters will not hold them responsible when they start slashing SS and Medicaid…if that’s their plan, then I believe that they are very sadly mistaken come ‘26 and ‘28.

Top Republicans say they're out of the loop as DOGE downsizes Social Security Administration

They aren’t complaining about it, at least publicly. But some would like a heads-up on office closures, staffing cuts and other changes that affect their constituents.

www.nbcnews.com

Yeah, I call bullschlitz on that too. They know and applaud what Trusk and Mump are doing with Soc. Sec. and Medicaid.

 

[bird]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/25/social-security-phones-doge-cuts/

The headline for the article reads "Social Security is Breaking Down".

No, it is not. It is being destroyed deliberately.

The media needs to stop with the bullschlitz.

 

[MT15]

Horrible idea

DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse

Social Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

www.wired.com

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Horrible idea

DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse

Social Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

www.wired.com

It's not when you consider their ultimate goal of destroying Social Security. They are already sabotaging SS by shutting down offices and eliminating personnel, infiltrating its computer system is the next logical step towards breaking the system.

 

[coldseat]

A lot of cursing in this video, just fyi. But this is exactly what is going on now with Social Security and how I'm feeling.

 

[MT15]

 

[DaveXA]

Horrible idea

DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse

Social Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

www.wired.com

I mean, if you want to break SSA...

 

[MT15]

Someone else who said they specialize in converting legacy systems said this is the kind of project a 20 year old coder thinks is easy because he doesn’t know any better.

He also said COBOL is still supported and really good at what it is needed for by SSA. He says when looking at legacy systems you need to weigh what is working and if it’s working you leave it alone.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Someone else who said they specialize in converting legacy systems said this is the kind of project a 20 year old coder thinks is easy because he doesn’t know any better.

He also said COBOL is still supported and really good at what it is needed for by SSA. He says when looking at legacy systems you need to weigh what is working and if it’s working you leave it alone.

The Dunning-Kruger effect of computers.

 

[SFIDC3]

Someone else who said they specialize in converting legacy systems said this is the kind of project a 20 year old coder thinks is easy because he doesn’t know any better.

He also said COBOL is still supported and really good at what it is needed for by SSA. He says when looking at legacy systems you need to weigh what is working and if it’s working you leave it alone.

As a retired IT project manager in the govt I have some experience with this same process, the most important part of this kind of undertaking is a good (complete is better) understanding of the requirements, there is no way you get that in weeks or months even.....

This behavior is consistent with DOGE's operation, they don't care about the requirements, systems, folks that are dependent upon it, they just want to break it, another step in dismantling the "deep state" regardless of the consequences....it's like the old SNL skit.....gunfire, man down, then you here "stop or I'll shoot!!!"

I don't know what it's going to take but Congress needs to wake up....