Summary
Despite Donald Trump’s promise to avoid Social Security cuts, recent signals from the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, suggest reductions may be forthcoming.
The department, aimed at streamlining federal spending, has sparked concern among advocates worried about potential impacts on the program.
Trump’s mixed messaging and DOGE’s focus on cost-cutting have intensified scrutiny as officials prepare policy recommendations.
Oh good, that’s me. 9/11 in middle school, wars through high school, '08 housing crash in the middle of college which pushed me to pivot to an AA instead of bachelor’s, COVID wedding at 31, insane inflation through now. We finally bought our first house a few months ago and I turned 36 a few days ago. Things were starting to seem like they might turn out okay after all. Serves me right for having a whisper of optimism in my brain for once.
Pensions in this country are nearly non-existent. Without social security either, only the wealthy can retire. Thankfully, I’ve had retirement accounts for years, but they’ll be wiped out by the first late life medical emergency I experience. Without social security to look forward to, I think a lot of people would rather live through total societal collapse than give their everything just to prop up this system that gives nothing back. It’s a bad fucking deal.
My retirement accounts just got wiped by 5 months out of work. I’m over fifty and starting that shit over. I’m very lucky in that my father in law will supposedly leave us around a million dollars when he dies, but that’s a morbid and fragile situation. If, deity forbid, we got a divorce, I’m guaranteed to have to work until I keel over. Also if he experiences long term hospitalization, that’ll eat that up super quick.
Even if we get full social security, that’ll drop our income by something like 80% and our house isn’t going to be paid off until we’re close to 80.
My wife is blissfully ignorant and considers our retirement to be “taken care of.” I hope, babe, because kibble is going to be hard to chew once we can’t afford dental care…
Listen to some soft jazz to calm down. I suggest Mangione.
When the fuck did I write this?
But seriously, we’re boned. Doing everything I can to give my family a good life and have cushion for the future. You’re 100% correct though, almost don’t care if society collapses at this point.