The Assault on Social Security

Under the guise of the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, the Social Security Administration has been undergoing significant changes. The agency has sought to downsize and reorganize its operations, and this week, it made the highly controversial decision to eliminate identity verification over the phone. This policy shift will force millions of seniors, many of whom have limited mobility, to travel to field offices to receive their benefits. However, the Department of Government Efficiency has been closing SSA field offices nationwide, making it increasingly difficult for beneficiaries to access these offices.

Organizations Fight Back

Organizations like Social Security Works are mobilizing to combat these changes, with the goal of sparking a wave of activism that can convince the government to reverse course. Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, believes that the SSA’s recent policy change will have immediate and devastating impacts on the agency’s ability to deliver retirement benefits to Americans. "We know exactly how it will impact benefits," Lawson said. "There will be tragedies, people will be harmed, people will die." Lawson is convinced that the goal of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is to dismantle the Social Security program from the inside out.

Destroying the Social Security Program

The SSA, currently led by a new director linked to the Department of Government Efficiency, claims that the policy shift is aimed at preventing fraud and abuse within the program. However, critics argue that the real intention is to drive the agency into dysfunction. "Many people will just not be able to get benefits," Lawson said. The changes under the Department of Government Efficiency are threatening to destroy the agency’s operations and its ability to dispense benefits. "Now you have firings, buyouts, they’ve closed 45 offices, they’ve instructed GSA to end the leases on all of them," Lawson said. "It’s all aimed at creating a crisis, at collapsing the system."

Admitting Disruption of Service

The administration appears to have acknowledged that recent policy shifts could disrupt service delivery. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on TV that an occasional drop in retirement benefits is not a significant issue, citing his 94-year-old mother-in-law as an example. However, this comment has been met with criticism, as it downplays the severity of the situation.

A Strategy to Attack Public Systems

Lawson believes that the tactics employed by the Department of Government Efficiency are a classic strategy used by private actors to attack public systems. "Kneecap the mailman, complain that the mail is late, suddenly remember that you’ve got a cousin in the private mail delivery service and that they’ll do it for twice as much and deliver half." The goal is to "lower public confidence" in Social Security as a program, Lawson said. "If you can convince people that they’re going to get nothing, they will be willing to accept less than they’re owed."

Musk’s Misunderstanding of Social Security

Lawson thinks that Musk does not comprehend the benefits of Social Security because he comes from a background where economic security was never a concern. "He was born with an emerald mine," Lawson said. "Not even a silver spoon. An emerald mine. He’s not a normal person." Although Musk has denied that his family owned stakes in South African emerald mines, his own father has stated that the family was involved in the emerald trade.

The Truth About Social Security

Musk has referred to Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme," which Lawson finds ridiculous. Social Security is funded by Americans’ money and often returns more than retirees actually pay in. "A Ponzi scheme is a criminal enterprise based on fraud that benefits one or a group of criminal actors at the top," Lawson said. "Social Security is a very transparent—you can find out where every nickel and dime goes—social insurance, pay-as-you-go system. It’s wage insurance. There’s nobody who’s profiting from Social Security."

The Consequences of Privatization

Lawson compared the goal of privatizing Social Security to America’s previous transition away from defined benefit pension plans and towards 401ks. Americans are much less secure within the 401k system, which is tied to the stock market. The private sector cannot provide the same benefits as the Social Security program because it is designed to make a profit. Social Security is not intended to generate profits; its purpose is to ensure that people can enjoy their old age without working themselves to death.

The Human Impact

Cuts to the Social Security program will create real, tangible harm to countless individuals, Lawson said. He has spoken with many seniors who are frightened about the implications of the cuts. "You miss one check and people are like, ‘I can’t fucking eat. What am I supposed to do? It’s all I’ve got, I’m going to get thrown out.’" Lawson’s organization hopes to convert Americans’ fear into rage, motivating them to get involved politically and support their crusade against the Department of Government Efficiency.

A Call to Action

The goal is to inspire a large number of people to join their cause and participate in a national day of action on April 5th. "This is a guy stealing our money," Lawson said. "I don’t think little Elon Musk understands the magnitude of what he’s fucking with right now." Social Security Works is urging Americans to take action and protect their benefits.