Voters flood town halls with fears of Social Security cuts, putting heat on GOP over Musk and DOGE

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI
Updated 9:48 AM CDT, March 15, 2025

HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) — One after another, callers on a telephone town hall with U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga pressed the Michigan Republican about possible cuts to Social Security. Among them was a retired teacher and coach from West Michigan who said he and his wife, both with disabilities, have struggled to access their benefits.

The man, identified only as Michael from Allegan, said he feared that office closures and massive layoffs of federal workers — part of an effort by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to slash government spending — will make it even harder.

“We worked our entire life,” he said. “But we can’t get any help because we can’t get through to anybody.”

Huizenga pledged throughout the meeting: “Let me just reiterate, Social Security is not being touched.”



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6

[leighbythesea2]

1. Hoping Dems go into

These areas & do live town halls. I’m in Michigan, this dude is top of my list to attend his area town hall.
My sister lives in the area. I’m further away but would protest outside his office, etc.
heard he wasn’t going to do even a call in.
So am glad people got to speak to him. Chump.

[creon]

2. no guarantee

There is no guarantee that SS will not be cut.
Trump and Musk are liars and the GOP is a poltroon.

[slightlv]

4. I don't care what they "say"

they ARE touching SS. They're cutting staff positions to the bone, they're closing local SS offices, things you used to be able to handle by phone aren't being allowed to be fixed that way any longer -- and that's if you can even GET someone to answer your call! People with non-normal birth situations are having their checks held from them. This last one worries me... if they can say a person born on an American Army base, of two American parents, one of which is stationed at that Army base, isn't an American... what are they going to do with my "corrected" birth certificate. Each time I have to present it I have to explain that my mother wrote down her mother's husband's name, instead of her father's. She had been doing that all through school and it just came natural to her. But her mother's husband never adopted her, so she wasn't legally allowed to use his name, of course. So, after screwing up my first birth certificate, she had to do an amended certificate. It's got the seal/stamp and all info, but it looks completely different from the original. I keep them stapled together to show, in case anyone has questions... and they do... they almost didn't accept that BC at the first step of the Real ID I still can't successfully get. How in the hell to clear that up if they ever call me on it? It's such a dumb thing, I seriously have questions whether they will let it pass or not in DOGE.

I say again, at our age, after paying into OUR retirement accounts for all our lives, it is OUR money and no one should have the ability to withhold it from us or deny it to us. The only generation, it seems, to have the "security" of social security was my Mom's generation. My grandma got SS, but it came in late in her life. I'm seeing it stripped away from me and people in my generation because of an illegal alien being allowed all up in our personal business. That must make him feel SOOOOOO special. ARGH!

[creon]

9. I know

[GardenGnome]

6. It occurs to me

that it doesn't matter if Social Security isn't going to be cut, what matters is that people perceive that it's going to be cut.

It's certainly what I perceive.

[creon]

8. that is true

[GardenGnome]

11. So if rightwing sites

we're flooded with posts by people expressing fear and concern about how they, or family members, etc. were at risk of losing their homes, their medical care etc., might not that fear be contagious to people whose thinking is already fear-based? And might that be a good thing?

[underpants]

3. Let's see some pitchforks or don't waste your time.

[slightlv]

5. How about some Tridents from the Magick Faires?!

Let them tangle with Poseidon, as well as us elders with canes!

[Hieronymus Phact]

7. They won't cut the program

They will take a sledgehammer to the apparatus that provides it. That way they won't have to go on record with a vote.
It will be like trying to get unemployment benefits in Florida. Technically they exist but good luck accessing them.

[OldBaldy1701E]

13. BINGO!

They won't 'touch' it, they will just make it impossible for the department to function.

Like you said, then they get to say they didn't do anything to the program.

[NBachers]

10. Hey Democrats - Your opportunity is calling . . . Democrats? . . . Democrats??

[Initech]

12. Good! Trump and DOGE are illegal AF!

They need to get their evil and illegal regime out of our government now!

[lark]

14. Huizenga is a stone liar - they are most certainly intending to gut SS, Medicare and Medicaid!

Then cut taxes on the rich and effectively steal all the money that was going to help the needy and common folks - can't have that!!

[Rebl2]

15. Long before

trump got back in office, calling the SS office was challenging. They would either not answer the phone or I would be put on hold. To think it’s going to be even worse is depressing.