7 Questions for Trump’s Social Security Commissioner Nominee

President Trump’s pick to head the Social Security Administration, Frank Bisignano, will have his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday morning.  The financial services CEO and Republican donor has been waiting in the wings since the Trump administration took over in January. In the meantime, Elon Musk and his DOGE squad have invaded the Social Security Administration (SSA) and wreaked considerable havoc on the agency --- alarming seniors’ advocates and a sizeable swath of the general public. In the absence of a confirmed commissioner, Acting SSA chief Leland Dudek has abetted Musk and DOGE every step of the way, allowing them access to the sensitive personal data of 73 million Americans for no justifiable reason, radically reducing the workforce that serves Social Security customers, closing field offices, and slashing services on the agency’s 1-800 phone number that seniors rely on.  He claims to be “following orders” from President Trump and Elon Musk. Dudek threatened to "shut down" SSA after a federal judge ruled against the agency's decision to grant Musk and DOGE access to beneficiaries' private data. Bisignano has no appreciable experience in public service in general --- or Social Security in particular --- but Trump wants him to run one of the federal agencies that most closely touches Americans' lives every day.  We don't know much about what Bisignano thinks of Social Security or what he will do to the program if confirmed.
2025-03-24T17:55:00-04:00March 24th, 2025|Categories: Bernie Sanders, President Trump, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA)|

Ohio Forum Focuses on Cutting Vs. Expanding Social Security

National Committee president and CEO Max Richtman brought the organization’s message of expanding and strengthening Social Security to Ohio today.  He participated in a forum in Sandusky, OH, co-sponsored by the local nonprofit, Serving Our Seniors. The forum, entitled, The Future of Social Security Retirement Income and Medicare Part A forum, was attended by more than two hundred citizens, mostly seniors who are already collecting Social Security.
2023-04-12T16:11:28-04:00April 12th, 2023|Categories: Bernie Sanders, Boost Social Security, Democrats, GOP, Rep. John Larson, Social Security|

Senators’ “Bipartisan” Social Security Plan Would Slash Benefits

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare has sent an urgent letter to Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Angus King (I-ME) expressing deep concern over a Social Security proposal reportedly taking shape under their names. The Cassidy-King plan would put Social Security on a slippery slope toward privatization — and ultimately cut benefits for future beneficiaries.

Nikki Haley’s Call for Mental Competency Tests Proves that Ageism is Alive and Well

Upon kicking off her presidential campaign this week, Nikki Haley said politicians 75 years of age or older should be subject to mental competency tests. It was a cheap political shot at President Biden and her rival in the primaries, Donald Trump. But it was more than that. Haley’s statement is blatantly ageist. Of course, of all the -isms (racism, sexism, able-ism, classism, etc.), the targeting of older people remains one of the most socially acceptable – probably leading Haley to believe that her jab at senior politicians was safe. That doesn’t make it any less offensive.
2023-02-17T13:36:01-04:00February 17th, 2023|Categories: ageism, Bernie Sanders, Election 2024, seniors|
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