Summary

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that most seniors would not complain if Social Security checks were missed, suggesting that only “fraudsters” would object.

His remarks sparked backlash as Social Security is a critical income source for millions, including 15% of women and 12% of men over 65 who rely on it for 90% of their income.

Amid rising concerns, Maryland Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander criticized acting SSA head Lee Dudek for threatening to cut IT access, escalating fears of disruptions.

    • PNW clouds
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      22 months ago

      I think they are counting on 2024 being our last elections.

          • @peoplebeproblems@midwest.social
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            32 months ago

            This is one thing you don’t fuck with. Every time it has been tried, senior citizens say “fuck it, if I’m dying I’m bringing the bastards down with me.”

            Boomers don’t need us for this fight. If the government skips out on social security, the absolute worst people to piss off, get pissed off.

            You know what Boomers have? Free time. You know what Boomers are acutely aware of? They’re running out of time.

            Medicaid? Honestly, they can cut that with minimal fear. Medicare? Same thing.

            Social Security? That’s pulling the pin on a grenade and playing hot potato with it.

  • celeste
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    32 months ago

    Even if you only care about the economy, it’s so stupid. All that money won’t circulate because people can’t spend what they don’t have. so businesses get less, they have to let people go, and now they can’t spend. giving money to poor people is great for the economy, because it instantly recirculates and doesn’t sit in an account. it’s not even ‘giving,’ in this case, either. people pay into it for a purpose.

    But they don’t care about the economy, and of course they don’t care about the human cost. They care about ‘fraud,’ as in, how to commit it and enrich themselves through theft of the money people pay for services.

  • @Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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    32 months ago

    It’s obvious from this if it weren’t already that Lutnick has never worked in a customer-facing position.

    • Drusas
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      32 months ago

      That’s what they want for all of us who aren’t “productive”.

  • @leadore@lemmy.world
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    22 months ago

    They won’t be able to complain because you’ve turned off all the phones and shut down most of the SSA branches.

  • @ragingdachshund@lemm.ee
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    22 months ago

    Maybe his rich cushy mom won’t, but once all those poor, fat, fraudulent whale welfare queens in the South don’t see their monthly “disability” check, it’ll be a different story.

      • @TronBronson@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        He’s saying Trumpistan is the biggest welfare recipient. They are also armed, angry, and uneducated. At some point they will discover its not Brandon taking the social security checks. If they are hungry enough it won’t matter. The trumpers across the street form me had 3 generations of adult men living with their 95 year old grandmother. Who’s income do you think that was?

  • @tabularasa@lemmy.ca
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    22 months ago

    'Where did you get all the money?” “The Government. I didn’t earn it, I don’t need it. But if they miss one payment, I’ll raise hell!”

    • Grampa Simpson
    • @CorneliusTalmadge@lemmy.world
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      12 months ago

      Well Grampa Simpson more then likely didn’t need social security because of the pension he received after working 30yrs as a night watchmen at the cranberry silo.

      according to this survey: in 2023 only 64% of retired people age 65+ received any income from pensions. I can’t he but think that number is probably inflated as they note “Sources of income include the income of a spouse or partner.”

  • @Triasha@lemmy.world
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    22 months ago

    Seniors could be dying of hunger on state capitol steps and they would be saying “it’s just a few bodies, they were old anyway”

  • Lexam
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    22 months ago

    There are a lot of armed seniors out there. Give them nothing to lose. Go on.

    • @ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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      12 months ago

      Who are you suggesting that they shoot? The mailman or bank clerk that has nothing to do with it? Who do you imagine these people have access to?

      • Lexam
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        12 months ago

        You would be amazed where a senior citizen can get. Old people can be invisible.

    • manxu
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      12 months ago

      Reminds me somewhat of when Paul Bremer, Bush Jr’s “vice-roy” in Iraq, decided to disband the Iraqi Army overnight, leaving tens of thousands of heavily armed Iraqis stranded without a job or source of income. IIRC, that’s how the Iraqi insurgency started.