General Discussion

dalton99a

(88,492 posts) Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:24 AM Mar 17

Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/business/social-security-doge-ssa.html

https://archive.ph/QLOGq

Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE
Current and former employees, both Republican and Democratic, are raising alarms about the damage cost-cutting efforts could do to the agency’s ability to serve the public.
By Tara Siegel Bernard
March 17, 2025, 5:02 a.m. ET

When Eleanor H., 66, called the Social Security Administration last month seeking details about her retirement benefits, she didn’t expect to comfort the representative who answered. The woman started sobbing.

“I asked her what was wrong, and she said she and her co-workers were informed by email to accept a taxable $20,000 payout or risk termination,” said Eleanor, who lives in New Jersey (she asked to use only her first name out of privacy concerns).

The rep still answered all of Eleanor’s questions. “Through her tears she said, ‘What am I going to do?’”

The Social Security Administration, which sends retirement, survivor and disability payments to 73 million people each month, has long been called the “third rail” of politics — largely untouchable given its widespread popularity and role as one of the country’s remaining safety nets.

But in recent weeks, the Trump administration, led by Elon Musk’s crew of cost cutters at the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has taken its chain saw to the agency’s operations. The agency has announced plans to cut up to 12 percent of its work force, at a time its staffing is at a 50-year low. It has also offered early retirement and other incentives, including payments up to $25,000, to the entire staff.

...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Nazi parasite must be destroyed

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE (Original Post) dalton99a Mar 17 OP

Wow. Passages Mar 17 #1

When elderly folks are panhandling at every red light and dropping over dead flying_wahini Mar 17 #2

Local businesses will suffer Hope22 Mar 17 #4

Exactly! Elon is assuring business fail along with retirees. It's a ROBBERY ! What aren't businesses screaming ? Attilatheblond Mar 17 #6

And just how long is that $25,000 supposed to last? flor-de-jasmim Mar 17 #3

"led by elon musks crew of thieves..." mwmisses4289 Mar 17 #5

"Risk" being fired is lingo that skirts the 2 federal courts' rulings on firings. She should refuse to opt to retire, ancianita Mar 17 #7

To destroy a country, slightlv Mar 17 #8

I'm retiring from social security. Puppyjive Mar 17 #9

Passages

(2,726 posts)

1. Wow.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:25 AM

Mar 17

flying_wahini

(8,066 posts)

2. When elderly folks are panhandling at every red light and dropping over dead

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:40 AM

Mar 17

The GOP will rejoice.

Hope22

(3,942 posts)

4. Local businesses will suffer

Reply to flying_wahini (Reply #2)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:59 AM

Mar 17

And landlords will soon begin to feel the pinch. Communities will feel this!

Attilatheblond

(5,818 posts)

6. Exactly! Elon is assuring business fail along with retirees. It's a ROBBERY ! What aren't businesses screaming ?

Reply to Hope22 (Reply #4)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 11:49 AM

Mar 17

Not only is democracy being destroyed, but CAPITALISM is going down too. We are now entering the Trickle UP phase of the ultra rich. Poverty is trickling up and anybody with less than several million will be in trouble. Anybody running a business will be in trouble, sooner than they think.

flor-de-jasmim

(2,210 posts)

3. And just how long is that $25,000 supposed to last?

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 09:49 AM

Mar 17

mwmisses4289

(1,011 posts)

5. "led by elon musks crew of thieves..."

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 11:48 AM

Mar 17

Fixed it.

ancianita

(40,426 posts)

7. "Risk" being fired is lingo that skirts the 2 federal courts' rulings on firings. She should refuse to opt to retire,

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 12:11 PM

Mar 17

and force them to fire her in violations of the MD federal court orders.

Anyone who talks to SSA employees should tell them this.

slightlv

(5,456 posts)

8. To destroy a country,

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 05:52 PM

Mar 17

kill each department depended upon by the people. Tell the people it's for their own good. Demoralize the people so much that they begin to die from lack of consideration by whatever department, and if not from that... from suicide because they simply cannot take it any longer.

To advance this timeline, outlaw all SSRI's and other medications used to alleviate depression and anxiety. (Which they've already proposed to do). At this point, people will either commit suicide, or they'll kill everyone they come into contact with, at which point the state can then take it upon themselves to kill the person who wouldn't commit suicide because the state failed them.

Gods, we're for horrendous times. This man HAS to be taken out... not just out of office. This man must be taken out of office and somehow "disappeared" where he can never again harm another living being. We used to have a process for this... it was called Judicial System. Too bad Garland failed us so badly. I hope he's happy living with his millions of dollars of soft landing money... while everyone he dissed with his non-actions lives and dies horrendous lives.

Puppyjive

(698 posts)

9. I'm retiring from social security.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Mar 17, 2025, 08:48 PM

Mar 17

Taking the early retirement. The loss of employees is what will bring social security down. You can only do so much in a day. Employees are burnt out and they will not replenish the workforce with new employees. I can't take the stress anymore. Leaving the agency next month.

Reply to this discussion