Government doesn’t inspire confidence when it delays accessing Social Security benefits
Editor:
On September 1st, I officially started the process of applying online for Social Security benefits at the age of 65 ½. After hearing nothing for weeks, I was shocked to learn (after waiting on-hold for over an hour) that I could not likely expect to have my application reviewed by the Social Security Administration until after the 1st of next year!
If I had I been applying for disability benefits, I would easily expect to wait 250 days to a full year just to be considered. Sickening.
But not to worry folks, benefits are retroactive to the date when you first apply regardless of how long it takes the government to “get around to it” and thankfully, we’ve all got Donald Trump and the Republicans putting us first for a change right? Oops, my bad, sorry … I forgot that the fourth Republican government shut down in history is imminent – if so, who knows how long we can expect to wait. Death?
Which makes me wonder, considering the record numbers of Americans now reaching retirement age (boomers), how much $$$ does the government expect to save if people happen to die while waiting an exorbitant length of time for their earned benefits? In short, why risk the wrath of voters by formally cutting social security benefits if you can get away with gaslighting and denying them access and accomplish the same thing? I know, I know … it’s only a conspiracy theory until we hear it on Fox News.
In reality, the truth is even more disgusting. When Trump was inaugurated last January, the Social Security Administration (SSA) was already facing a record-breaking backlog of 5.2 million pending cases.
To address the crises head-on, the moment Trump’s hand left the Bible his second administration immediately began eliminating staff at the SSA with a 2025 target of cutting the workforce by about 7,000 employees. This represents a 12% reduction from the approximately 57,000 employees at the start of the year. Now, Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has already taken steps to streamline and consolidate regional & local SSA offices across America for even deeper staff cuts and longer delays in 2026!!! Gee … thanks Republicans! Put us any farther “first” and we’ll be chasing the bus right after it rolls over us.
Fortunately, on a happier note, thanks to RFK Jr. (secret service code: “wormhole1”) we now know that Tylenol causes autism – despite the lack of causal clinical evidence as definitive proof. See: Trump links autism and Tylenol: is there any truth to it? But, so what? Who needs all those so-called scientists gettin’ all sciency and stuff with their buffoon, PhD wokery (Republicans, not the Chinese fry pan) when we already have the eminent Dr. Oz on board right?
All kidding aside, he does deserve some credit for the amazing discovery that, like Viagra (originally developed for high blood pressure), Tylenol has now been shown to be efficacious in doing the exact opposite. Meaning, the softening of the Epstein files. Too bad Donald didn’t take a little extra along with him on all those “getting down to risky business” meetings with Jeffrey and Ghislaine on that island.
So, is it time to consider adding thievery and sexual abuse to that esteemed list of RCV (Republican core values) or, should we just wait to see those files first?
Who knows, maybe Hillary’s emails and Barack Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate might finally show up in there, too. Worth a look don’t you think?
Next up: Is using the “F” word constantly in public and in front of children an up & coming new RCV?
Tom Graham
Rochester
Mr. Graham is an Albion graduate.
