LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: NJ Dems Say Trump/Musk Don't Care About the Elderly or Disable
Monday, March 17, 2025
What we are witnessing today at the Department of Government Efficiency is a terrifying tale of bureaucratic malfeasance, unfettered billionaire greed, and the brutal dismantling of the institutions that protect the most vulnerable in our society. The foundation of our government, once tasked with safeguarding the lives of ordinary Americans, is being systematically gutted under the guise of efficiency by Elon Musk’s new agency: the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Under this administration, the people who need Social Security’s support the most — the elderly, the disabled, and the most vulnerable — are being treated as expendable in a fiscal game.
This saga began in February, when 82-year-old Ned Johnson of Seattle received a letter from his bank offering “condolences” for his death. The problem? He’s very much alive. The letter informed him that the Social Security Administration (SSA), under Musk’s newly hired team at DOGE, had seized over $5,000 from his bank account. The government had declared him dead and clawed back payments for benefits he was still receiving.
Mr. Johnson, like millions of other Americans, depends on Social Security. In fact, 42% of Americans over the age of 65 rely entirely on their Social Security benefits to survive. When an administration begins to trample over such a critical service, it risks condemning millions to poverty, hunger, and even homelessness.
But this is not an isolated case. This is part of a much larger trend. The Trump administration, in collaboration with Musk’s DOGE, has made an unprecedented attack on the Social Security system. The Trump-appointed leadership at the SSA has already slashed 7,000 jobs from an agency that was already under strain. This is an agency that processes benefits for millions of Americans, but it is now struggling to meet the demands placed on it. The consequences are dire.
As the baby boomer generation retires in record numbers, the demand for Social Security benefits is higher than ever. This is exactly the moment when the system should be functioning at full capacity to ensure that retirees can access the benefits they’ve earned. Instead, we are watching an intentional dismantling of those services. The Trump administration's cuts to Social Security will jeopardize the benefits that millions rely on to live.
The situation has become so dire that former Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley recently warned that Trump’s actions could break the system and cause delays in payments. A delay, even for a few days, could have devastating consequences for retirees and disabled Americans. As one survey found, 42% of Americans age 65 and older reported that they would not be able to afford necessities like food, clothing, or housing without their monthly Social Security check. With cuts to staff and reduced resources, the SSA is struggling to meet its obligations to the public.
But the attack on Social Security does not stop there. Under the guise of “streamlining” the agency, DOGE is working to cut more essential services. In recent weeks, the SSA abruptly stopped allowing claimants to change their direct deposit information over the phone, a service that many rely on to access their benefits. Instead, beneficiaries are being directed to use the internet or visit local field offices, which are already overwhelmed with cases.
The Trump administration and DOGE have also taken aim at reducing fraud, but their methods have been questionable at best. The administration claims that millions of dead people are still receiving benefits, but the evidence supporting this is scant. Musk’s DOGE has even gone so far as to suggest that the SSA is making payments to individuals who are supposedly 150 years old — an absurd claim that has no basis in reality. This crusade to remove "dead people" from the Social Security rolls has led to further mismanagement, including wrongful death determinations like the one that affected Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Johnson’s ordeal is a prime example of the fallout from this misguided campaign. In February, Social Security mistakenly flagged Mr. Johnson as dead and seized over $5,000 from his account. The bank then informed Mr. Johnson’s wife of his supposed passing. The couple, understandably confused, initially thought it was a scam. But after contacting the bank, they learned that Social Security had removed the money, canceled his Medicare, and stopped payments for February and March.
Despite being very much alive, Mr. Johnson was forced to navigate a bureaucratic maze for nearly three weeks to prove his existence. He called the SSA multiple times, often being put on hold for hours or disconnected entirely. He finally secured an appointment in March, but only after multiple delays. When he visited the SSA office in person, he found it understaffed and overwhelmed, with employees unsure of their future as the agency faces further budget cuts.
The SSA’s failure to process Mr. Johnson’s case quickly is just one example of the systemic problems the agency is now facing. With more than 1 million Americans waiting for initial determinations on disability claims, staffing shortages are exacerbating the problem. As the agency continues to lose employees, the backlog will only grow, leaving Americans in limbo and without the support they need.
Even after Mr. Johnson proved he was alive, the process to restore his benefits took weeks. He has yet to receive his February and March Social Security payments, and his Medicare remains canceled. The delay in payments and the ongoing cuts to the SSA could have devastating consequences for others in similar situations.
While the Trump administration continues to push forward with tax cuts for billionaires and corporations, it is leaving ordinary Americans like Mr. Johnson to fend for themselves. The government is choosing to cater to the interests of the wealthy while stripping essential services from the people who need them most. The time has come to stand up and demand accountability from this administration. The very systems that ensure our elderly and disabled citizens have a safety net are being eroded — and with them, the dignity of countless Americans.
The situation is dire. As Mr. Johnson’s experience demonstrates, the system is not just broken — it is being actively dismantled. We must demand that the Trump administration halt its attacks on Social Security and instead invest in the programs that serve the needs of working-class Americans. The lives of millions of people depend on it.
LISA MCCORMICK
DEMOCRATS FOR CHANGE