this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
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Summary

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are falsely claiming that tens of millions of dead people collect Social Security to justify cutting “waste” and “fraud.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed this, calling Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid “wrong” while supporting Musk’s plan to slash $1 trillion in spending.

Despite Trump’s public assurances, House Republicans’ budget proposals include deep cuts to these programs while prioritizing massive tax breaks for the wealthy.

Experts note improper Social Security payments are minimal, contradicting Musk’s claims.

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[–] ohitsbreadley@discuss.tchncs.de 30 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

If it's wrong, then I want my money back. If they revoke the promise of returning what is due to me in retirement after years of paying into the system, then fuck them, I want it back. Every cent.

[–] plaineatin@lemmy.today -3 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

LOL, welcome to every government service, and all those immigrants people wanted for cheap labor are on our bill, be behind them for medical, while paying for their homes. WTF i'm libertarian and was like damn, I barely get shit, why are we letting more leeches like me in? Seriously wtf, we are all leaching, and let in more leeches is our policy? FUCK THAT! Sure let me just share my 180 dollars of food stamps, and now i get 130 and food is higher priced, fucking dumbasses.

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 6 points 18 hours ago

Helping Americans in their time of need is wrong!... We should be trying to find ways to pay more for healthcare and give up our houses to those who can work and give money to Elon.

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 128 points 1 day ago (7 children)

As a masochist, I still regularly check Facebook comments. The vast majority of Republicans are calling this "fake news" and still claim that Trump would NEVER cut their social security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, disability, etc. They're in for a wild ride. And I say that with an incredibly heavy heart, knowing how many people this will hurt.

[–] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 75 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Sometimes, people only learn when they get kicked in the dick.

Sometimes, they get violent. Guess we will see what happens because this administration is creating a lot of desperate people in a country awash in firearms.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 day ago

The second amendment was supposed to be about the citizens protecting themselves against a fascist government, right? (Though I don't think the term existed back then)

Here's the fascist government, Americans. What are you actually using your second amendment for?

[–] kylie_kraft@lemmy.world 50 points 1 day ago

Guess we will see what happens because this administration is creating a lot of desperate people in a country awash in firearms.

What happens is likely to be violence against trans people, immigrants, and minorities who will be scapegoats for breaking the social safety net.

[–] JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

They can't attack the govt so they'll attack their supporters. If you're foreign, it might be a good idea to keep away from the US for a while.

[–] BestBouclettes@jlai.lu 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And when it finally happens, they'll probably blame it on someone else

[–] finder585@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

They already are blaming Democrats and immigrants for everything that is currently happening :(

[–] stardust@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'm surprised they are even calling it fake news instead of celebrating about how it's going to own the libs with how they will gladly suffer if it means others do too.

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yeah, I've heard that half of Trump voters receive some sort of government assistance, and if true, this will hit them hard. These folks won't be able to put food on their table or get the medical care they need without bankruptcy. I'm torn between "haha face eating leopards" and feeling incredibly defeated because humans are going to suffer, and I never want to see that. It's such a complicated mess.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I'm a school bus driver and most of my colleagues (and me for that matter) are either already collecting Social Security and Medicare or working towards that in a few years. They are also mostly trumpers and love what is currently happening. They are certain the republicans won't cut SS or medicare because then 70 million people would be marching on Washington - which is pretty laughable coming from people that have trouble climbing into their buses in the morning.

My fear is that the Muskovites will keep these benefits in place for their supporters and cut them off for democrats, something they could easily do with their control over information technology and social media.

[–] Brodysseus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Selective benefit canceling is a wild idea but I would not be surprised at all if it happened

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 3 points 17 hours ago

I'm sure people will say "they can't do that!" lol. They can do anything they like with nobody to stop them.

[–] Dogiedog64@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Trumpers would gladly destroy their own lives to see me and mine dead (Queer folk), I'd feel somewhat bad for them too. However, they've shown time and again that they want us dead for the pettiest and most made up reasons, so I'll feel nothing but contempt for them as they burn. As for everyone else... for them, I will weep openly, as they do not deserve this fresh Hell.

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[–] dev_null@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

So they will fight the fraud, and all the saved money instead of going to dead people will go to living people, meaning people will get more under these programs?

Right? /s

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

When I was 20, I also didn’t comprehend that you could have incomplete data so assumed the real world was wrong.

Imagine dealing with data tracking hundreds of millions of people across multiple generations starting from before the time of computers and having to deal with the reality of missing or lost data/documentation. We can’t confirm your birthdate because that hospital burned down 80 years ago? FRAUD. /s

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 42 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A bunch of people who fucked around bout to find out

[–] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (21 children)

I just want those morons who thought sitting it out was a good idea, to feel this.

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[–] Sanctus@lemmy.world 58 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Remember the Great Depression? This guy doesnt.

[–] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 39 points 1 day ago (3 children)

They are about to gut the USPS. The ramifications to the economy will be astronomical.

Small businesses exist because of it. So along, and thanks for the fish, I guess?

[–] JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

The govt is in the process of deporting 18 million illegal workers, that's gonna drive inflation through the roof.

Then Trump will order the Fed Reserve to lower interest rates (like Erdogan did in Turkey). Inflation will go nuts.

Wild times ahead.

[–] Sanctus@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

I got this cadence inside of me that says "go to your capital"

And whether thats the state or nation I dont care.

If everyone followed that cadence, we could fix this.

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[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 49 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But but the Boomers kept telling us Trump would never go after Medicare!

[–] SmackemWittadic@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago

The boomers also said that they need the Affordable Care Act, but that they don't support Obamacare, so...

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

The Boomers all have lead poisoning and the entire group should be declared mentally unfit for any sort of office, public or private.

[–] skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 36 points 1 day ago

this is the kind of shit that didn't ever happen even in the most brazen ripping-copper-from-the-walls years of 90s privatization in eastern block. yall elected your own yeltsin and now you'll deal with consequences

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This entire endeavor, basically the work they've been doing for the last century, is to undo the entirety of the new deal. We didn't lock them up and execute them after the business plot like we should have. Just a bunch of robber barons trying to take us back to the Gilded Age.

[–] HasturInYellow@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

This time we should televise it.

[–] oyo@lemm.ee 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So I'm going to get a refund plus interest for everything I've paid into the system, right?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

I'm thinking Libertarians will be celebrating until they find out the answer is no.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I guess that’s what happens when you appoint a Bond villain as commerce secretary

[–] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Phew! I thought it was the insurrectionist rapist felon grifters fault. Good thing we didn't vote Kamala!

/s for the triggered fuckers

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