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.

    • TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      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
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        2 days 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
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        2 days 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.

      • tal
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        2 days ago

        Email and similar electronic messaging kind of did a number on the demand for the USPS.

        kagis

        https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/first-class-mail-since-1926.htm

        This says that their peak year was 2000, when 103.5 billion pieces of mail were sent.

        In 2024, it was down to 44.3 billion. So 57% of the service’s usage went away over that 24-year period.

        In that same timeframe, the population also increased, so that decrease is despite the US population rising from 281 million to 340 million, a 21% increase.