Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and DOGE staffers falsely claimed widespread Social Security fraud, despite the actual fraud rate being extremely low (0.00625%). This rhetoric, echoing similar statements by Commerce Secretary Lutnick, is part of a broader Republican effort to dismantle the program through service cuts and staff reductions. Critics argue this orchestrated chaos, including website crashes and long wait times, is a precursor to privatizing Social Security, despite assurances from President Trump to the contrary. These actions, including new verification rules causing significant delays for beneficiaries, are seen as a backdoor method to effectively reduce benefits.
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Late Friday, approximately 300 employees of the US Institute of Peace were terminated via email, following President Trump’s executive order to close the organization. The firings, overseen by Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency,” were executed after a legal battle resulting in a judge’s rebuke of Doge representatives’ actions but not the reinstatement of the institute’s leadership. Employees were given until April 7th to vacate their offices, and are now exploring individual legal recourse. The White House cited the institute’s alleged failure to deliver on its mission as justification for its closure.
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Indiana Republican Congresswoman Victoria Spartz’s town hall meeting was disrupted by angry constituents loudly booing and yelling during her discussion of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk. Spartz’s attempts to discuss economic policies, including tax cuts and anti-fraud measures, were met with similar resistance, as was her mention of President Trump. This incident is one of many protests occurring at Republican town halls nationwide following DOGE’s controversial budget cuts and resulting job losses. The widespread backlash suggests significant public discontent with the current administration’s policies.
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A new report reveals that Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are likely to increase, rather than decrease, the national deficit. Despite initial claims of $2 trillion in savings, actual savings are estimated to be far lower, around $2 billion. These cuts, particularly to the IRS, are projected to significantly reduce tax revenue, outweighing any purported savings. Furthermore, legal battles and the privatization of government functions are expected to generate substantial additional costs. The overall effect is a weakening of government functionality without fiscal improvement.
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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to cut nearly $500 million in grants from Kentucky and Indiana’s state health departments, as announced on March 23, 2025. These cuts, totaling $481 million, encompass numerous federal grants, impacting programs such as food distribution to underserved communities and crucial health services. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has denounced the cuts as unlawful, citing concerns about clinic closures and impacts on public health initiatives like the response to avian flu. The cuts follow broader federal Department of Health and Human Services reductions and raise concerns about the accuracy of DOGE’s reported savings.
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The revelation that a DOGE staffer, known only as “Big Balls,” allegedly provided technical support to a cybercrime ring is deeply disturbing. This isn’t just a case of a rogue employee; it points to a potentially systemic problem within the organization and, more broadly, within government cybersecurity. The casual way this is being discussed suggests a level of normalization that should be deeply concerning.
The sheer audacity of this situation is striking. The fact that someone with such a potentially compromising history—and with a nickname that itself highlights a lack of seriousness—was given access to sensitive systems is appalling. It raises serious questions about the background check procedures in place, or rather, the glaring lack thereof.… Continue reading
DOGE’s struggle to uncover fraud within the Social Security Administration (SSA) isn’t a matter of incompetence alone; it points to a deeper issue – the inherent scarcity of widespread fraud within the system. The very notion that a significant search is needed suggests a pre-existing bias towards finding fault, a tactic often employed to undermine an institution. This approach focuses on exceptional cases rather than the rule, a strategy commonly used to discredit established systems. Much like the repeated failed attempts to prove widespread voter fraud, this search for Social Security fraud may be driven by a desire to justify pre-conceived conclusions.… Continue reading
Acting SSA Commissioner Dudek threatened to shut down the agency after a judge blocked the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to SSA data, citing a “fishing expedition.” This followed a lawsuit filed by labor and advocacy groups challenging DOGE’s data access. Critics, including several advocacy groups, condemned Dudek’s actions as a reckless attempt to please Elon Musk and the Trump administration, jeopardizing the benefits of millions of Americans. The threatened shutdown underscores the escalating conflict between the SSA and DOGE over data access and raises serious concerns about the agency’s future.
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Acting Social Security Commissioner Lee Dudek threatened to shut down the agency’s IT systems, potentially halting Social Security payments, in response to a court order restricting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive personal data. The order, issued after the SSA’s granting of “unbridled access” to DOGE violated privacy laws, prohibits access to non-anonymized data. Dudek claims compliance with this order, which allows access only to redacted information, is impossible and necessitates a system shutdown. This action jeopardizes the benefits of 71 million Americans and follows DOGE’s plans to close SSA offices and limit services.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood