As Trump-Musk Target Social Security, Seniors Share Stories of Benefit Cutoffs

[alwaysinasnit]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/social-security-benefits

"DOGE is a disaster of incompetence."

That's how one political scientist responded to Saturday reporting about a Washington state man fighting for his Social Security benefits as U.S. President Donald Trump and the head of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), billionaire Elon Musk, attack the federal bureaucracy, including the agency that administers payements to seniors like Leonard "Ned" Johnson.

Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat shared the story of 82-year-old Johnson. In February, his wife received a notification from their bank that the Social Security Administration (SSA) requested a return for benefits paid out after the supposed death of her husband. She figured it was a scam—as Johnson was alive—but the request was real and $5,201 was pulled from their account.

As Westneat detailed, after making multiple calls to SSA, during which Johnson was "put on hold and then eventually disconnected," and securing an appointment that was ultimately rescheduled for next week, "he went to the office on the ninth floor of the Henry Jackson Federal Building downtown," one of several sites across the United States that DOGE wants to shut down.

snip...

Well worth the read. I am terrified for all those seniors who have no resources to fall back on if their benefits are interrupted or summarily suspended.

[Scrivener7]

1. This is really important. These are going to start to multiply, and the stories

need to be everywhere.

I suspect that when the shit hits the social security fan, some magats will start to wake up.

But I also suspect Mump will do everything they can to keep the stories from spreading. So it needs to be on social media.

[alwaysinasnit]

2. +1000

[Scrivener7]

3. And yes, it is terrifying to think of the seniors out there with no other options.

[slightlv]

6. Even more terrifying to

Know you're one of those seniors.. and are disabled to boot.

[3Hotdogs]

8. And keep in mind, just because you ain't a senior now, ........

[Scrivener7]

9. I'm so sorry.

[snot]

4. Even without any firings,

back ca. 2014 when I was helping a friend apply for SSI benefits, the only SSA office in my friend's city was only open a few days per week, and the line to get in to see someone in person was around the block.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. Random Social Security cutoffs have always happened,

and those it happens to find it incredibly difficult to convince SSA that they are really alive.

I'm VERY grateful that yes, I do get Social Security, it is approximately one third of my income, as it is supposed to be. Lucky me.

[Meowmee]

7. There need to be massive demonstrations starting now

[orangecrush]

10. Already started

The video shows protest speaker confronting red hat MAGATs who jeered.

This is what's coming but in a massive scale.

youtu.be/A69GtWE5OU4?...

Cliff Cash

Massive Protest at
The Heritage Foundation
Sunday 3/16/26

#Resist

— Democracy Daveâ„¢ (@guitardave.bsky.social) 2025-03-17T06:55:50.222Z