Would that Virginia could apply its state motto to itself: “Sic semper tyrannis.” Sadly there is no Virtus to stand over a very vigorous body of Tyranny, especially in northern VA whose very life blood runs through D.C. and back. Ross Perot’s “giant sucking sound” is all those bureaucrats sucking at the government teat. “All the best” as PM would say. 😎.
As I read the original article, I was prepared to be outraged, but a careful reading indicated that the SSA has on their records over 11M people over 110 years old who would be ELIGIBLE for SS if they were to apply. It did not indicate how many over that age are actually receiving benefits. It turns out that the SSA does have some controls in place to ensure that people receiving benefits are still alive. At age 66 I started receiving benefits when the pandemic hit, and a little over a year ago, payments were suspended. I live outside the US, and had to visit the US Consulate with my passport to prove that I was still alive. I'm not sure what the process is in the US, and I have no doubt that some are able to game the system, but I really doubt that billions are going to dead people.
I would be more concerned about those receiving disability through the SSA whose condition does not merit it, but again, I really have no data to indicate whether it is a major problem or not.
Thanks Joel. I've not been that surprised. The whole Federal Government, Big Corporation and NGO sham has struck me for quite a long time as designed for corruption. The funneling of these dollars to absurd projects and NGO's is just a jobs/skimming program for friends, family and loyalists in the grift with a decent share of the monies being circulated back to those who initiate. Doge as investigator is great but Congress allowed this to happen and it is Congress that needs to stop it through actual recessions from the federal Budget. We'll watch and see...
The "billions to Methuselehs" Social Security scandal turned out to be another premature brag. Meanwhile, please also list the food programs, Healthcare clinics, nuclear facility employees and park Rangers that have been kicked out. Sure, the waste should go, but throwing everyone out like garbage because your 20 somethings don't know what they do is BS.
None of which are listed specifically in the constitution of the United States of America. Article 10 of the Constitution specifies that anything not specifically listed in the document are the province of the states and the people therein.
If we go back to 1789 so is voting by women and blacks and people who don't own property. Setting the states up to compete with each other might be the way to.go, though - you have a good point. If Texas lives up to our words we'll be sending a lot of our construction industry home for starters. Helps bring those house prices up to national levels.
You obviously don’t understand the extent of our fiscal problems. A false economy with fake money has been created over the last two decades. Taking every penny of income from the wealthiest wouldn’t cover the spending. Now we pay the price for negligent overindulgence.
I understand the extent of "our" fiscal problems all too well. We complain about Congress yet keep voting for the same people for literally decades. That's collective insanity. Bigtech soothes us by telling us they'll make things easier - hey, you won't even have to think anymore! See 'Wal-E" for where this ends. Those guys basically paid for a stay out of jail card for Trump - otherwise he'd never put up with Musk in the Oval.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Xi and Putin will support cutting the US "defense" budget by half. Whether their own "defense" budgets will be cut by half remains to be seen.
P.S. Good quote by Shaw, I've always liked that one.
Social Security making payments to 200-year old people was a meme circulated by DOGE and has been debunked. Government offenses are bad enough that we don't have to make shit up for sensationalist purposes...
Doug, If I remember correctly and I could be mistaken, the 150 was a place holder when they did not have full information on a person. Why are they cutting checks when they don’t have all the information? Also the IG did find massive evidence of wrongdoing over the years. But nothing was done about it.
Oh cmon. Lest we protesthat not even a farthing or shilling or special beach shell will be doled out to me? I shall become even less of a person still while as the line in the famous Doors song sang, ‘wallowing in the mire’ even more so so.
Would that Virginia could apply its state motto to itself: “Sic semper tyrannis.” Sadly there is no Virtus to stand over a very vigorous body of Tyranny, especially in northern VA whose very life blood runs through D.C. and back. Ross Perot’s “giant sucking sound” is all those bureaucrats sucking at the government teat. “All the best” as PM would say. 😎.
As I read the original article, I was prepared to be outraged, but a careful reading indicated that the SSA has on their records over 11M people over 110 years old who would be ELIGIBLE for SS if they were to apply. It did not indicate how many over that age are actually receiving benefits. It turns out that the SSA does have some controls in place to ensure that people receiving benefits are still alive. At age 66 I started receiving benefits when the pandemic hit, and a little over a year ago, payments were suspended. I live outside the US, and had to visit the US Consulate with my passport to prove that I was still alive. I'm not sure what the process is in the US, and I have no doubt that some are able to game the system, but I really doubt that billions are going to dead people.
I would be more concerned about those receiving disability through the SSA whose condition does not merit it, but again, I really have no data to indicate whether it is a major problem or not.
The stuck PIGS will squeal the loudest. Just keep poking Joel, I’ve waited 60 years for the chainsaws to come out.
Thanks Joel. I've not been that surprised. The whole Federal Government, Big Corporation and NGO sham has struck me for quite a long time as designed for corruption. The funneling of these dollars to absurd projects and NGO's is just a jobs/skimming program for friends, family and loyalists in the grift with a decent share of the monies being circulated back to those who initiate. Doge as investigator is great but Congress allowed this to happen and it is Congress that needs to stop it through actual recessions from the federal Budget. We'll watch and see...
The "billions to Methuselehs" Social Security scandal turned out to be another premature brag. Meanwhile, please also list the food programs, Healthcare clinics, nuclear facility employees and park Rangers that have been kicked out. Sure, the waste should go, but throwing everyone out like garbage because your 20 somethings don't know what they do is BS.
None of which are listed specifically in the constitution of the United States of America. Article 10 of the Constitution specifies that anything not specifically listed in the document are the province of the states and the people therein.
Your list is mostly unconstitutional.
If we go back to 1789 so is voting by women and blacks and people who don't own property. Setting the states up to compete with each other might be the way to.go, though - you have a good point. If Texas lives up to our words we'll be sending a lot of our construction industry home for starters. Helps bring those house prices up to national levels.
You obviously don’t understand the extent of our fiscal problems. A false economy with fake money has been created over the last two decades. Taking every penny of income from the wealthiest wouldn’t cover the spending. Now we pay the price for negligent overindulgence.
I understand the extent of "our" fiscal problems all too well. We complain about Congress yet keep voting for the same people for literally decades. That's collective insanity. Bigtech soothes us by telling us they'll make things easier - hey, you won't even have to think anymore! See 'Wal-E" for where this ends. Those guys basically paid for a stay out of jail card for Trump - otherwise he'd never put up with Musk in the Oval.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Xi and Putin will support cutting the US "defense" budget by half. Whether their own "defense" budgets will be cut by half remains to be seen.
P.S. Good quote by Shaw, I've always liked that one.
Social Security making payments to 200-year old people was a meme circulated by DOGE and has been debunked. Government offenses are bad enough that we don't have to make shit up for sensationalist purposes...
Doug, If I remember correctly and I could be mistaken, the 150 was a place holder when they did not have full information on a person. Why are they cutting checks when they don’t have all the information? Also the IG did find massive evidence of wrongdoing over the years. But nothing was done about it.
Oh cmon. Lest we protesthat not even a farthing or shilling or special beach shell will be doled out to me? I shall become even less of a person still while as the line in the famous Doors song sang, ‘wallowing in the mire’ even more so so.
Nice read Joel, but the numbers must have names to reveal as well. Just curious (and over taxed ).