Dear MoveOn member,
Red alert: The New York Times is out with a serious warning from Martin
O'Malley, the most recent Social Security commissioner before Donald Trump
took over: Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE are laying the groundwork for a
total system collapse of Social Security.^1
Social Security is one of the most effective and popular programs in
American history.^2 It's so popular that it's been referred to as the
"third rail" of politics—too risky to be touched by politicians. So it
wasn't surprising that on the campaign trail, Donald Trump had pledged not
to cut it.^3
But now, Trump, Musk, and DOGE are doing everything they can to dismantle
the program by starving the Social Security Administration of staff and
resources.^4 They're finding ways to stop paying out benefits that people
have earned over decades of work and are legally entitled to. And they're
making wait times for customer service seemingly endless.
"Everything they have done so far is breaking the agency's ability to
serve the public," warns O'Malley.^5 The New York Times sums it up as "the
actions necessary to create a total system collapse, whether in
skyrocketing wait times for customer service, system interruptions, or a
timely payment of benefits."^6
This is an emergency situation for those who rely on Social Security. This
week, while elected officials are in their home states and districts,
MoveOn members are sounding the alarm. We're putting up billboards,
flooding lawmakers with phone calls, holding rallies outside their
offices, and confronting them at constituent meetings.
Can you chip in $5 a month to help MoveOn's emergency
campaign to defend and protect Social Security? Your donation will ensure
that we can continue organizing, getting the truth out about the grave
harm Trump and Musk are doing, and supporting MoveOn members with the
resources they need to make their voices heard in communities all across
the country.
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month. If you've saved your
payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through
immediately.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
For nearly a century, Social Security has delivered on-time payments to
the seniors, disabled Americans, and families who rely on it. Until now.
This is a hostile billionaire takeover, and we won't stand for it.
It's not just cuts. Musk and Trump want to shred the program
entirely—pushing a dangerous agenda that could force Americans to work
longer for less, all while handing $4.5 trillion in tax breaks to the
ultra-rich.^7,8 Billionaires don't need Social Security to retire, but the
rest of us do.
Musk has called Social Security the biggest "Ponzi scheme" of all time.^9
Trump and Musk are falsely claiming there is fraud.^10 But, in reality,
this is a made-up excuse to not pay out benefits that people are owed and
to undermine confidence in the program.
Take Ned Johnson, an 82-year-old retiree from Seattle. One day, out of
nowhere, the Social Security Administration declared him dead—canceled his
Medicare insurance, stopped his benefits, and reversed benefits transfers
to his bank account.^11
Why? Because Musk's DOGE team sent 10 private "efficiency experts" to dig
through Social Security's databases, looking for so-called fraud. But
instead of catching dead beneficiaries—who, statistically, are a rounding
error—they trapped real people like Johnson in a bureaucratic nightmare:
"Johnson called Social Security two or three times a day for two weeks,
with each call put on hold and then eventually disconnected. Finally
someone answered and gave him an appointment for March 13. Then he got a
call delaying that to March 24."^12
This is absolutely outrageous, and our elected officials have to act. Now.
That's why this week, while lawmakers are in their home districts, MoveOn
members are sounding the alarm about Social Security.
Can you chip in $5 a month to help MoveOn put up billboards,
flood lawmakers with phone calls, and do more to stop Musk's
out-of-control DOGE?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month. If you've saved your
payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through
immediately.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Nearly 40% of America's seniors rely on Social Security for the majority
of their income—and almost half of Americans 55 and older have zero
retirement savings.^13 The average Social Security check is just $1,688 a
month—barely enough to cover rent and groceries, if that.^14
Instead of gutting the program, we should be expanding it. That's not just
MoveOn's position; a majority of Americans agree.^15 We should be
increasing benefits, making the rich pay what they owe, and ensuring that
every American is able to retire with dignity.
MoveOn members have fought against Social Security cuts for more than 25
years. We will continue to fight cuts—and push for policies like the
Social Security Expansion Act, which would expand Social Security, while
making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share.
But first, we need your help to stop Trump and Musk's reckless attacks.
Can you chip in $5 a month to help MoveOn members come
together to stop the attacks on Social Security—just like we have before?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month. If you've saved your
payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through
immediately.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Thanks for all you do.
–Nakia, Olga, Kelly, Amy, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE," The New York
Times, March 18, 2025
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2. "Policy Basics: Top Ten Facts about Social Security," Center on Budget
and Policy Priorities, May 31, 2024
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3. "Trump breaks promise not to cut Social Security," The Pennsylvania
Independent, March 4, 2025
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4. Ibid.
5. "Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE," The New York
Times, March 18, 2025
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6. Ibid.
7. "What Trump and Musk Want With Social Security," The Atlantic, March
14, 2025
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8. "Despite DOGE, Trump's agenda calls for adding trillions of dollars to
U.S. debt," NBC News, February 19, 2025
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9. "Elon Musk calls Social Security a 'Ponzi scheme,' sparking Dem
concerns over key benefit," USA Today, March 3, 2025
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10. "Trump, Musk fuel fears of Social Security cuts with 'fraud' talk,"
The Hill, March 12, 2025
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11. "Here's a 'dead' person on Social Security in Seattle, with plenty to
say," The Seattle Times, March 15, 2025
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12. Ibid.
13. "Social Security Expansion Act Fact Sheet," Senator Bernie Sanders,
accessed March 17, 2025
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14. Ibid.
15. "Americans' Views of Social Security," National Institute on
Retirement Security, July 2024
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Want to support MoveOn's work? Donald Trump and his MAGA allies expect us
to give up. But we will not give them what they want. We will never stop
working to defend our fundamental freedoms and protect our democracy.
MoveOn has been leading the movement against right-wing extremism for 26
years, and we promise you that we will still be here every step of the way
forward.
Will you start a monthly donation to sustain MoveOn's work to protect our
freedoms and democracy under Trump's administration?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
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