Thanks, Cato, But Let’s Not “Re-Imagine” Social Security (It’s Been Working for 90 Years)
What do you get when a libertarian think tank publishes a book proposing to radically change Social Security in collaboration mostly with other right-leaning organizations? You get something like “Re-imagining Social Security,” authored by the CATO Institute’s Ivane Nachkebia and Romina Boccia (who more than once has called the program a ‘legal Ponzi scheme’). Not surprisingly, to these authors, “re-imagining” the program that some 70 million Americans depend on for financial security essentially means altering the program beyond recognition and cutting benefits for future retirees. To which we say: better not to let their imaginations run away with our earned benefits. The libertarian Cato Institute (which never met a federal program it liked) appears to be on a crusade to undermine the existing Social Security program. Just this week, Boccia published a post in Cato’s ‘Debt Dispatch’ blog, claiming that Social Security “operates on the Robin Hood principle in reverse.” This is, pardon the expression, quite rich coming from a think tank whose funders include the Koch network and mega-corporations like Google, Facebook, Philip Morris, the American Petroleum Institute and Chevron.
Latest Social Security Website Crash a Symptom of Trump/DOGE Mismanagement
Seniors trying to access their earned benefit information hit a snag when the Social Security Administration's (SSA) website crashed on Wednesday morning. These sorts of incidents have unfortunately become commonplace since the Trump administration took over, as DOGE’s crusade at SSA has left the agency in chaos. "We continue to get reports of glitches on SSA's website. It looks like this was one of them," said NCPSSM President and CEO, Max Richtman.
Senate Republicans Kill ACA Tax Credit Extension, Spike Health Care Premiums
Senate Republicans just voted to allow Americans' health care premiums to spike in 2026, neglecting the needs of their own constituents. On Thursday, the Senate failed to reach the 60-vote threshold to extend crucial Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, forcing the program's nearly 24 million enrollees to navigate premiums that could double or even triple in 2026. In a Thursday news release, our President and CEO, Max Richtman called ACA marketplace coverage “a linchpin for older adults who often cannot get affordable health insurance any other way.”
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What the Heck is Going on at the Social Security Administration?
In the short period of time that Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE have had their hooks in the Social Security Administration, there have been alarming changes at the agency. The most obvious – and most egregious – is Musk and DOGE’s access to the sensitive personal data of some 70 million Social Security beneficiaries, creating the potential for enormous abuse. This was the first line of attack in Musk’s bogus campaign to expose fraud at an agency where improper payments are less than 1% of total benefits paid.
Trump “Buyout” Offer May Devastate Social Security Administration
Voters may have sent various messages to Washington last November, but they certainly did not include a call to gut the federal workforce that serves American seniors and people with disabilities. Yet, that’s exactly what the Trump administration --- abetted by billionaire advisor ex-officio Elon Musk --- is attempting to do. On Tuesday, federal workers --- including employees of the Social Security Administration --- received an email from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), offering “deferred resignation.” The email said employees could resign now and continue to receive pay and benefits through September --- an offer of dubious legality that was immediately criticized by Democratic lawmakers and labor unions representing federal workers.
The First Social Security Beneficiary Got Her Check 85 Years Ago
Ida Mae Fuller in 1940 The following article is reprinted from the Social Security Administration (SSA) website
NCPSSM Attends Signing of Social Security Fairness Act, Repealing WEP & GPO
Advocates for seniors and labor have been lobbying for decades to repeal two provisions of Social Security law that penalized public sector retirees and their families --- the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). On Sunday, the efforts of the advocacy community paid off, when President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. The new law eliminates the WEP & GPO, allowing some 2.5 million public sector retirees and spouses to collect full Social Security benefits. President Biden praised the law as a “big deal” for teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants “who dedicate their lives to their communities.” He said these retirees now will receive an average $360 monthly increase in Social Security benefits in 2025 --- and would also receive a lump sum payment for benefits they would have earned in 2024. The president said that the new law is in keeping with the basic promise of Social Security, “that all Americans should be able to retire with financial security and dignity.” NCPSSM CEO Max Richtman, political director Luke Warren, and communications director Walter Gottlieb attended the signing ceremony at the White House. Richtman said that the law represents the culmination of lobbying by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and myriad other groups to restore fairness to the system. “President Biden’s signing of the Social Security Fairness Act truly is historic. The new law rights a wrong that has either reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits of certain government retirees. Nearly 3 million public sector employees and families will now be eligible to collect their full Social Security benefits.” – Max Richtman, NCPSSM President & CEO The bipartisan bill passed the House in November, with the Senate vote coming at the very end of the 118th Congress’ in late December. Three of the bill’s sponsors attended the signing ceremony: Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill’s Republican sponsor in the House, Rep. Garrett Graves (R-LA), did not attend. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for paying benefits to newly eligible public sector workers and families --- but has not yet specified how, promising to “provide more information as soon as available.” SSA also says that beneficiaries “do not need to take any action except to verify that we have your current mailing address and direct deposit information if it has recently changed. Most people can do this online with their personal My Social Security account without calling or visiting Social Security. Visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount to sign in or create your account. We will provide ongoing updates regarding implementation.” For more information on the Social Security Fairness Act, listen to our podcast interview with Jeff Cruz of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), one of the most forceful advocates for repeal of the WEP & GPO.
Seven Falsehoods in Senator Mike Lee’s Social Security Post
Earlier this week, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) posted an extensive – and patently ridiculous – diatribe against Social Security on X (formerly Twitter). The thread is full of falsehoods and misleading assertions about America’s most popular social insurance program. Senator Lee incorporates many tired myths that the political right propagates to undermine a successful government program they can’t stand – simply because it is a successful government program.
2025 Medicare Premium Hike Nothing New, Part of Larger Trend
Medicare beneficiaries will be paying a higher premium for Part B insurance in 2025. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Medicare premiums have been rising every year for decades now. The 2025 increase, though, is receiving an unusual amount of attention, probably because of the media’s hyper-focus on inflation in general.