#social security administration

[saywhat-politics]

Trump's Social Security Administration commissioner has called for a 50% staff reduction. This would gut SSA field offices and potentially jeopardize benefits for the program's 72.5 million beneficiaries. Make no mistake: this is an attack on Social Security itself.

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

🤦‍♀️

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

"Just when you thought it hit rock bottom..." as drawn by Edith Pritchett

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

February 18, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Feb 19, 2025

In a court filing last night, the Director of the Office of Administration in the Trump administration, Joshua Fisher, clarified the government position of billionaire Elon Musk. In a sworn declaration to the court, Fisher identified Musk as “a Senior Advisor to the President.” He explained: “In his role as a Senior Advisor to the President, Mr. Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors. Like other senior White House advisors, Mr. Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself. Mr. Musk can only advise the President and communicate the President’s directives.”

Fisher’s statement went on to say that Musk is neither an employee nor the service administrator—that is, the leader—of the Department of Government Efficiency.

The statement is in response to a lawsuit filed by 14 states—New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—contending that Musk’s role is unconstitutional because he has such sweeping power in his role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency that the Constitution requires that his position be confirmed by the Senate.

President Trump has routinely referred to Musk as DOGE’s leader, and the media routinely refer to “Elon Musk’s DOGE.” Musk has flooded his social media site with claims that DOGE is cutting programs that he claims are wasteful or fraudulent, although so far he has yet to provide any proof of his extravagant claims. In the early hours of Monday, he reposted a picture of a leaner, meaner version of himself dressed as a Roman gladiator with the caption: “I vowed to destroy the woke mind virus.” Musk added: “And I am.”

Beginning on Friday, the Trump administration began mass purges of federal government employees. As Hannah Natanson, Lisa Rein, and Emily Davies reported in the Washington Post, the firings were haphazard and riddled with errors, but apparently most of those firings were of employees in the probationary period of employment, typically the first year of service but a status that’s triggered by promotions and lateral transfers as well. About 20 FDA employees who review neurological and physical medical devices were fired, hampering the agency’s ability to evaluate the devices produced by Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink. Employment lawyers say the mass firings are illegal because they ignore employee protections.

Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, had noted: "This is essentially a private citizen directing an organization that's not a federal agency that has access to the entire workings of the federal government to hire, fire, slash contracts, terminate programs, all without any congressional oversight." Now the Trump administration is attempting to protect Musk by saying he is simply an advisor.

Department of Justice lawyer Joshua Gardner told Chutkan that he could not independently confirm the firings of thousands of federal employees last week, prompting her to note that his ignorance seemed willful: "The firing of thousands of federal employees is not a small thing,” she said. “You haven't been able to learn if that's true?"

Peter Charalambous of ABC News noted that lawyers from the Department of Justice are also unable to explain what, exactly, DOGE is. They won’t say it’s an “agency,” which, as U.S. District Judge John Bates wrote, would be “subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedures Act.” On Friday, Charalambous points out, when reporters asked senior advisor to the Treasury Department’s general counsel Christopher Healy, who runs DOGE, he answered: “I don’t know the answer to that.”

What is clear, though, is that the DOGE team is vacuuming up data from government agencies. It began its run shortly after Trump took office by accessing the Treasury Department payment system, prompting the resignation of career civil servant David Lebryk. Then on February 2 the DOGE people moved on to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) where they struggled with security officers trying to stop them from accessing classified information. By February 12 they were at the General Services Agency, which oversees the government’s real estate.

That pattern has continued. Over the weekend, Fatima Hussein of the Associated Press reported that DOGE was trying to get access to taxpayer data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), specifically the Integrated Data Retrieval System that enables examinations of tax returns, deep troves of information about hundreds of millions of American citizens and businesses. Access to individuals’ bank account numbers and private information has, in the past, been tightly guarded. Indeed, compromising access to that information is a felony.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), the top Democrat on the Committee on Finance, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the top Democrat on the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, wrote to Douglas O’Donnell, acting commissioner of the IRS, demanding information about DOGE’s access to taxpayer information and noting that the request for access raises “serious concerns that Elon Musk and his associates are seeking to weaponize government databases containing private bank records and other confidential information to target American citizens and businesses as part of a political agenda.”

DOGE worked over the weekend to get access to Social Security Administration databases as well. Amanda Becker of The 19th notes that these records contain information about individuals’ income, addresses, children, retirement benefits, and even medical records. Lisa Rein, Holly Bailey, Jeff Stein, and Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post reported that acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration Michelle King, who had been with the agency for decades before Trump elevated her to acting commissioner last month, resigned after a clash over access to the data.

Jason Koebler of 404 Media reported today that workers at the General Services Administration resigned in protest after Musk ally Thomas Shedd, who now runs the group of coders DOGE has embedded in that agency, requested access to “all components of the Notify[DOT]gov system.” That system is used to send mass text messages to the public. Information about it is highly sensitive and gives anyone with access “unilateral, private access to the personal data of members of the public,” according to Koebler. That includes not just names and phone numbers, but information about, for example, whether individuals are enrolled in public benefit programs that are based on financial status.

A White House spokesperson defended DOGE’s access to the IRS by saying that “waste, fraud, and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long,” adding: “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it.” But DOGE has been unable to document what it claims are cost-saving measures. On Monday it listed what it said were $16 billion in canceled contracts, but Aatish Bhatia, Josh Katz, Margot Sanger-Katz, and Ethan Singer of the New York Times corrected the record, noting that a contract DOGE valued at $8 billion was actually closer to $8 million. Further, they noted, claims of $55 billion in savings lacked documentation.

Musk’s recent claims that the Social Security Administration is sending out payments to tens of millions of dead people more than 100 years old—a claim echoed by President Trump—were wrong: the software system defaults missing birthdates to more than 150 years ago and the Social Security Administration decided not to spend more than $9 million on upgrading its system to include death information. Right-wing podcaster Trish Regan warned DOGE that “it’s critical to present the math CORRECTLY” and noted: “Looks like the team got out over its skis on this one.”

Aside from the many legal problems with the argument that the opaque DOGE can alter programs established by Congress, and the problems with documenting its actual work, it is undeniable that Musk’s team has had access to a treasure trove of information about Americans and American businesses and the ways in which they interact with the government. This information can feed the AI projects that Musk envisions putting at the center of American life. It also opens the way for Musk and his cronies to weaponize private information against business competitors as well as political enemies.

In addition, it can also feed a larger technological project for controlling politics.

The story of how Cambridge Analytica used information harvested from about 87 million Facebook users to target political ads in 2016 is well known, but the misuse of data was back in the news earlier this month when Corey G. Johnson and Byard Duncan of ProPublica reported that the gun industry also shared data with Cambridge Analytica to influence the 2016 election.

Johnson and Duncan reported that after a spate of gun violence, including the attempted assassination of then-representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona and the mass shootings at Fort Hood in Texas, a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, had increased public pressure for commonsense gun safety legislation, the gun industry’s chief lobbying group, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, worked with gun makers and retailers to collect data on gun owners without their knowledge or consent. That data included names, ages, addresses, income, debts, religious affiliations, and even details like which charities people supported, shopping habits, and “whether they liked the work of the painter Thomas Kinkade and whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.”

Analysts ran that information through an algorithm that created a psychological profile of an individual to enable precise targeting of potential voters. Ads based on these profiles reached almost 378 million views on social media and sent more than 60 million visitors to the National Shooting Sports Foundation website. When Trump won in 2016, the NSSF took partial credit for the results. Not only was Trump in office, it reported, but also, “thanks in part to our efforts, there is a pro-gun majority in the U.S. House and Senate.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[socialjusticeinamerica]

Treasury, Social Security, IRS…hmmm.

The DOGE boys belong to hacker collectives so this isn’t going to turn out well.

[askgildaseniors]

Social Security and Medicare are two programs that help support us as we age. Social Security provides financial support in retirement, while Medicare ensures access to healthcare services.

Social Security offers income for retirees or those unable to work due to health reasons. It also extends support to families who've lost loved ones, providing survivor benefits.

Meanwhile, Medicare steps in to offer health insurance for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as those with certain disabilities or illnesses.

When it comes to enrolling, the Social Security Administration (SSA) partners with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to guide older Americans through the process. SSA sends out enrollment packages before your Medicare enrollment period begins, typically three months before you turn 65.

If you're already receiving Social Security benefits at age 65, you'll likely be automatically enrolled in Medicare. But if not, you'll need to apply through the SSA website.

Now, on to payments. Once enrolled, most individuals pay monthly premiums for Medicare Part B, that covers outpatient treatments. Social Security simplifies this process by deducting Part B premiums directly from benefit payments. If you have Medicare Advantage or Part D plans, you can also set up deductions from your benefits.

[gwydionmisha]

Republicans believe a contract with a rich person is carved in stone, but a contract with a union is written on water as workers have no rights those in power need respect.

[saywhat-politics]

The top official's departure is the latest in a wave of exits from senior officials whose agencies have come into the crosshairs of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

Feb. 17, 2025, 8:26 PM MST

By Yamiche Alcindor and Raquel Coronell Uribe

Michelle King, the top official at the Social Security Administration, left her position this weekend after she refused a request from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to access sensitive government records at the agency, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields confirmed that King was no longer the head of the agency in a statement.

[snarp]

ohhhhhh this shit is pathetic

Lawyers: "will the SSA start using email any time soon"

SSA: "oh gosh this modern technology stuff we would LOVE to get in on that"

Lawyers: "does the SSA know about the concept of "law firms""

SSA: "we don't believe in those."

[furyblaze76tm]

🪐🗽🇺🇲QTNATURäL

@socialjusticeinamerica @socialsecurity-soiknowitsre-blog

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[justinspoliticalcorner]

Arthur Delaney at HuffPost:

WASHINGTON — The leader of the Social Security Administration under President Joe Biden says President Donald Trump’s staff cuts could cause such disruption in the agency that seniors might miss benefit payments. Martin O’Malley, who served as commissioner of Social Security from December 2023 to November 2024, said the current administration’s efforts to shrink the workforce will send away essential personnel and jeopardize the agency’s most basic functio “I think for the first time in 90 years, we’re going to see an interruption of benefits,” O’Malley told HuffPost on Monday. “I hope that doesn’t happen, but I believe it will. And at the very least you are going to see wait times skyrocket.” More than 73 million people, including 56 million seniors, rely on the Social Security Administration for monthly benefit checks. Missed payments could cause hardship for recipients and political trouble for the president, whose opposition to Social Security benefit cuts has been a signature issue. Already, Democrats have hammered Trump and Elon Musk — the White House adviser leading Trump’s purge of the federal workforce via his so-called Department of Government Efficiency — for seeking major reductions of the Social Security Administration’s 60,000 employees. Musk’s young DOGE disciples have been posted in SSA conference rooms and reportedly have sought access to sensitive payment information. “Make no mistake: Trump and Elon are breaking Social Security to enrich themselves. It’s seniors who will pay the price,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Friday. Democrats have long said the agency needs more administrative funding, which currently amounts to just half a percent of its total cost.

Former SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley give a dire warning that the Trump/Musk regime’s so-called DOGE cuts to Social Security could harm benefit payments.

[elkgrovecabendorgrinchsightings]

HOW MANY DESCENDANTS OF OLAF GRINCH ARE ON THE PLANET, AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT?

[atypicalstrong]

can someone please explain to me why the fucking ssa.gov website has hours of operation. why is this a thing. i am nocturnal and just want to check on my mcfreaking disability application

[askgildaseniors]

What do you do if you need to replace your Social Security card?

The Social Security Administration advises that you don't need your physical card; knowing your number is usually sufficient. But if you want to replace it, you can do so at no charge, either online or in person at your local Social Security office.

For the online option, you'll need a My Social Security account. We have another video explaining how to set up your account here: https://youtu.be/826nBxt1gbU

Once you've set up your account, you can request a new card online as long as you're 18 or older, have a U.S. mailing address, and possess a valid driver's license or government-issued ID. You must visit your local Social Security office if you don't meet these requirements.

After you've submitted your request, your new Social Security card should arrive by mail within two weeks.

[enbyhyena]

Friendly reminder that disabled people claiming SSI are not allowed to have more than $2,000 in combined income AND assets at any time. And even before getting anywhere near that limit, at any $ amount above $63, every other dollar is subtracted from your allowance.

The current MAXIMUM amount you can be issued is $914. So even if you COULD somehow acquire and attempt to save $2,000 (which is basically impossible in the current economy) your benefits would immediately stop cold turkey, trapping you in poverty.

Trying to work through your disability is often punishing, especially for hourly wages where income can vary drastically. This is because SSI takes 2-3 months to process your paychecks, and so if you do really well one month and really poorly the next, you won't get the support you need due to the delayed response time from the government.

Also, 10,000 people die a year waiting to hear whether or not they qualify for benefits. The average waiting time is 2-3 years. You are not allowed to work AT ALL while you wait or they will throw out your case completely. Most people are denied at least once before being accepted, if they ever get accepted at all.

There are a record amount of homeless people in the United States right now. A staggering amount of them are disabled and/or LGBT. And our rights are being stripped away en masse, making everything even more perilous.

Happy Disability Pride Month.

[snarp]

They'd scheduled the speakers from furthest-right-leaning (noncommitally-smile-grimacing SSA senior officials calling the "30,000 people/year die while their disability claims are being processed" situation a "customer service" problem) to furthest-left-leaning (volunteer lawyers for people who have been mistreated by the SSA + severely-disabled woman who has been mistreated by the SSA), to ensure that the people with the most-serious grievances didn't speak until 2/3 of the room had left for lunch. Will be interested to learn if AppalRed gets any new volunteers.