The Plan to Pull the Plug on Social Security
Plus, tips on how to protect YOUR Social Security account.
There’s a reason Social Security is called the third rail in American politics. Like a subway car where the third rail is the electrified one that powers the train the saying means that if you mess with that one, you die. Or blow up like a Tesla. Either way, your life in politics is over.
And there’s a good reason for that, too.
Social Security is one of the most popular programs in American history. After it was passed in 1935 it radically altered the lives of a vast majority of Americans. Before it, the majority of seniors lived in poverty. That meant no nursing homes unless you were rich. And that meant your parents likely moved in and died in your house. Really. For millions of people. No mom and dad going on a cruise. It was mom and dad laid out in the parlor. Imagine the freedom for seniors when they could afford to downsize to an apartment and go see the Smokey Mountains. And be cared for in retirement homes when the time came. Imagine what that did to the lives of their children.
So, yeah, Social Security is a big deal.
Just in case you don’t know, Social Security isn’t an entitlement or welfare. Basically, it’s a forced 401k or savings account that the government won’t let you touch until you retire. It’s also a generational pact — my taxes are now paying my mother’s Social Security. Sometimes (like now) there are birthrate difference that drain the trust. They call them the Baby Boomers for a reason, because there are so many and it’s taking a toll on the Trust Fund.
You’d think that that would be a major problem, but, in reality it’s not. The trust fund isn’t in dire shape but any problems could go away tomorrow. While it fluctuates a little, everyone in America only pays Social Security taxes on the first $176,000 and that’s it. Raise that number to $200,000 for, say, 10 years then phase it out. Boomer problem solved. Literally, that’s all you have to do.
So, don’t believe Republicans who say Social Security needs to be privatized. It never has and it never will. But, they’ve always wanted to kill it, mostly without admitting it. Now Musk and DOGE seem to be taking a run at it — doing what can only be described as purposefully cripple it as an excuse to make another run at privatization.
Because it still is the third rail this whole thing has been done in fits and starts. Crashing the website with new Musk code, getting rid of offices, then bringing them back, requiring seniors to go to offices, then not. Taking away phone services then giving them back. Maybe. It’s all by design or ineptitude. Wired reports that the ultimate goal is to cut 87% of staff at Social Security Regional Offices. And the website (reportedly with new and improved Musk coding) is crashing. Sometimes for days at as time.
And what about illegal immigrants you ask? Well, they pay into Social Security but get no benefits. None. So, they actually help the bottom line of the system. Trying to kick them out is not just a way to track down hard-working immigrants keeping our economy afloat, but gut they system so it can be privatized.
Needless-to-say, millions of seniors are freaked out about all of this, as they rightfully should be.
That’s where the “protect yourself” part of the email subject line comes in. I read a great article here on Substack that goes through an easy check-list of things you can do to get your correct Social Security information and have it as proof in case anything accidentally happens.
It also covers Medicare and has all the numbers you need, scripts to use when you call, where to find free legal assistance if you need it, and a bunch of other really helpful information.
It’s called Centered America: Social Security Crisis Plan and you can read and print it HERE.