By Martha Burk | By now we all know that President Trump’s various policies and announcements have targeted immigrants, institutions with DEI programs and several federal agencies, including ones that focus on media, libraries, museums and ending homelessness.
But one of the biggest groups caught in his crosshairs is older women. He’s going after their well-being big time by all but demolishing Social Security through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE is not an actual government agency, but a made-up advisory body created by Trump to recommend federal spending cuts and root out so-called fraud and improper payments. Billionaire business owner Elon Musk heads up the initiative.
As pointed out in The Washington Post, Social Security is hardly a prime target for finding improper payments and is “among the most scrutinized and audited agencies in government, with frequent probes by its 500-person Office of Inspector General. It pays outside auditors to examine its books. Last year, a major focus in congressional hearings led by the GOP wasn’t waste or fraud—it was about Social Security being too aggressive in clawing back accidental benefit overpayments.”
Here’s the truth: Social Security is the foundation of retirement security for most American seniors, and the damage, especially to women, is likely to be severe. Women account for more than half (56 percent) of the total beneficiary population aged 65 or older; they are the vast majority (78 percent) of widowed retirees. About 13 percent of widowed women are in poverty compared with 7 percent of widowers based on the latest figures available. (Click here to read more) |
