Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick suggested this week that only "fraudsters" would complain about missing a monthly Social Security check, and that most people wouldn't mind if the government simply skipped a payment.
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This is an idiotic statement from a person who is seriously disconnected from the 70 million people who depend on their monthly SSI payment. A large portion of which SSI is their sole means of support.
In the September 11 attacks, Cantor Fitzgerald, where Lutnick was chair, lost 658 employees. I suspect many of their families were and still are Social Security recipients. And not potential fraudsters.
Just wait until they have the stupidity to cause Social Security payments to to be delayed. The arrogance of these wanna be Nazis will be their ultimate downfall. Let them eat cake is not winning message.
So if my Social Security check failed to show…what am I suppose to tell the bill collectors? Trump and Musk, both billionaires, both oligarchs took my SS money-money I saved from every paycheck throughout my 51 years work?! NO! NO! NO!
That’s stealing
MY savings! 💵
MY hard earned money! 💵
I call BS. If I miss a SS check, I'm screwed. This is a targeted op against the most vulnerable among us: the disabled, and Seniors. Call it "Operation Ice Floe."
Keep dreaming.
This only shows how disconnected from reality they are.
Together with canceling Medicaid and Medicare, that is one of the few things that is certain to get millions of people on the streets. Many wouldn't be able to pay rent or buy food without that chek.
… but he is shilling Tesla on FOX because the multi-billionaire behind the disruption and his shareholders are complaining that they are taking a financial hit.
Therefore, using logic, if only fraudsters complain about missing checks, then Musk must be a fraudster!
I'd like to hear from Lutnick's Mother-in-Law as to her relationship with him. Does he always treat her kindly and with respect. Is she sure he will come to her aid if she needs money? Would she feel comfortable asking him? If she asked for money would HE determine whether it was need vs want?
First and foremost, that Soc. Security check IS NOT a "benefit" it is an interest or dividend check from money WE deposited into the US Government's Insurance Plan for Older and Disabled Americans. Lutnick would scream if one of his investments did not pay the expected DIVIDEND or INTEREST!
I say everybody changes their withholding allowances to 47, in honor of our current president! (seriously, if I were socially adept and artistically talented this would be a movement.)
As cravenly callous as his comment is, it’s also flat-out stupid. Fraudsters would be LESS likely to complain, because any attention to their account would risk uncovering their fraud. Still, all in all, SS fraud is miniscule.
you know how Americans have lots and lots and lots of guns well when you stop paying them guess what they're not going to sit by nicely and fold their hands they're going to be at your front door
How about the federal government not charging ALL Americans born 1990 until the end of this hellish finality of trump's administration. No one would call them fraudsters? Soon, the old ass richwhite guys will soon be going by the ways of all creatures.💀death. No more musk and trump madness in the 🌍🌍
NOT a good idea .... A U.S.-Israeli startup called Stardust Solutions that plans launch reflective particles into the stratosphere. This is how sci-fi movies start but this is real.
Trump & his Admin are certainly totally out of touch with how the majority of Americans continue to survive.
What is really strange is that didn't stop a plurality of grievanc-filled, bigoted, self-entitled 2024 US voters from enabling Trump's 2nd coming.
Lutnik thinks everyone has his level of resources. A lot of us cannot afford to skip payments or even have them delayed. (The landlord and utilities want their money on time.) Lutnik doesn’t get it.
It’s the fraudsters who WON’T complain. They’re not dependent on the $$ and they won’t want to bring attention to themselves. It’s the seniors living check to check that need to be protected.
Someone here in NM,near me, posted on "NextdOOR" THAT HER CHECK WAS ONLY 62 cents!! So she is going to have to spend time on the phone--except there are nophones?? ASSHAT!! This has ot be illegal. How's it Doge dodo has not been arrested?-for trespassing, threatening folks, stealing data???etc.
I suggest that Trump, Musk and any Republican who wants to take SS away from the people who have paid into it will have a bad day musk and trump didn’t pay for SS,,
He literally has never met a person who survives on social security benefits, so it’s beyond his comprehension that such people exist. And as a fraud himself, he projects fraud onto others.
Wealthy landlords also don’t care at all if you skip a rent payment — the ones who complain are cheating slumlords! Oh, wait — it sounds just as stupid when you put it that way. How’s this - no one feed Howard Lutnick for a month, he’ll be fine.
Bullshit! It would definitely hurt many people financially and some would not be able to eat, pay rent or mortgage, pay gor water and electricity. Some would go without meds that they need to live. This privileged white guy needs a reality check.
Mr. Lutnick has a lot to learn about pissing of an old man. We don't pee well, consequently don't sleep well. This makes us very irritable with no patience.
We've seen it all, done it all, and don't give a shit about incarceration.
Beware of the "Old Man" Mr. Lutnick.
So many of the elderly and disabled have a routine, they have rent and food to pay for all calculated to the penny on the day the bank releases the funds…I know plenty of people who would be in an absolute panic if they couldn’t pay rent on time…and also the late fees now are astronomical!!!
All media needs to start calling this what it is: A COUP. If this were happening in any other country, that is exactly how you @axios.com would be reporting on this.
Just tried to call my two Senators [unfortunately, both are Republican] about Social Security, no VM and no answer. They are even hiding from phone calls!
America's Seniors are NOT fraudsters, Commerce Secretary Lutnick. Shame on you! A missed Social Security check is a catastrophe to so many Americans. You are a billionaire!
This is what happens when U put Billionaires in charge of gov't. Lutnick could care less about people who depend on SS 2 pay 4 expenses such as Assisted Living. If U call 2 complain screaming (say b/c RentIsDue & your landlord is threatening U) then UR a FRAUDSTER according 2 Lutnick & his pal Musk.
Let us not forget that most folks pay into social security all their working life. This is not muskrat’s or anyone else’s money! It belongs to the people!!
Here is the phone # for the Secy. of Commerce office. Stand up and let them know how wrong he, and the rest, are. They are testing the waters to see if people will push back. PUSH BACK-MAKE THE CALL. Yes, I did. 800-424-5197.
Please share this as much as possible. We CAN and Must make a difference.
Our government today is stocked to the brim with smug pricks who have nothing but disdain for the concept of public service. They truly have tyrannical ambitions.
May I make a suggestion? go to your Social Security account and download and save all of your account documents - ie. payment history paid in and credits, any information on your monthly benefit amounts - I worry that this information will come up among the missing at some point-I’m not a fraudster
He’s a frickin idiot and the dems should call for his impeachment. Even though they can’t do it they should still be screaming about this. I haven’t heard anything??!!! Anyone?
Gotta love how Billionaires don't understand why someone would panic if a couple thousand dollar deposit just did not show up. It's not like it is real money, more like a rounding error that nobody would miss.
Cheato and Muskrat want to line their pockets with our money. By having our personal info, they’ll be breaking into our bank accounts too. Closing offices, reducing staff and not taxing benefits is their plan to weaken Social Security and eliminate it. Again, this is OUR money!!! Fight back!
A sure sign the current Admin is composed of BILLIONIARES and their toadies. We complain if an Amazon package isn't on the porch, but the USPS said it was delivered.
Lutnick speaks from his experience as an investment banker at Canter-Fitzgerald where those who complained the loudest were probably fraudsters. He is projecting his experience over to the Social Security Administration.
That comment was purposeful. He wants those who rely on their SS to live, to feel they cannot complain because then others will think they are frauds. Trying to scare those who rightfully deserve to get their money to not complain. If people don’t complain then do we really have a need?
It sounds like DOGE broke something at SSA and he Admin is trying to spin things preemptively. See also Dudek’s efforts to come up with an excuse for shutting SSA down.
That's because his mother is living with her son and his wife in an upscale New York City apartment, doesn't need the benefit and he thinks that everybody else on Social Security has a situation that is exactly the same as his. He couldn't be more wrong.
This is insane
SSI is my only income. I'm not a senior citizen, I'm disabled due to childhood abuse, stroke, fms that's debilitating, and a frontal lobe tumor that causes an imbalance and severe migraines. I live daily the best i can. I provide for my children on this income. Lutnick is cruel
I know many senior citizens that really on their monthly earned social security payments as their sole income to pay their bills. Be assured there will be millions of complainers if social security payments are “simply skipped”.
At this point if you don't realize that they are self describing then you are lost. They don't care about you. They only care about what they can take FROM YOU.
It’s their way of telling their base to shut up. “Only cheaters complain”, so if you complain you’re a cheater. It’s that simple. And their base is going to be the most affected by it, and some will listen
Only a preivleged idiot would make such a statement and profe they have no understanding of the reliance on a commitment made by the US goverment based on a requirement impressed upon all workers in the country.
My granny didn't really need hers, cuz g'pa got a sweet co. stock deal & left her quite comfortably off, as in "multiple int'l trips per year" well off. TBS, if her check had not come, she'd have gone ballistic. 😉 He doesn't understand how anyone but the top 1% net worth ppl think.
So is he telling every retiree that if they call in and complain they will be seen as a "fraudster"? Is there ANY evidence to support his statements? There is a pattern here. Create a problem, spread outrage about it, then use that created issue to attack what you want.
Grocery stores will complain when 70 million customers don't buy food. Water departments will complain when 70 million people don't pay their water bill. Electric companies will complain when 70 million people don't pay their electric bills.
This seems like they are already planning on missing payments. And then taking that opportunity to remove anyone who complains because it must be "fraud."
A perfect example of the lack of compassion consistently shown by the GOP.
This Canadian cannot believe you could have had
Harris/Walz and instead chose these maniacal wrecking balls.
I did declare, Tim Walz was left in the closet and Kamala Harris has no charisma whatsoever. Had Tim Walz been at the top of the ticket with Beshear or Whitmer as VP, democrats would've been +5 in Texas.
Well he admitted that he was doing the tampon thing. He stumbled visibly on the debate stage with the China thing. It may not have had an negative impact, I just dont know why he didnt tell the truth up front.
Honestly, I'm not sure we actually did. All seven battleground states combined with the fact that most of the battleground states chose the Democratic candidate for Senator when there was also a Senate race.
Over 30% of eligible voters in America couldn't be bothered to turn in a ballot in November, and because of them we have Trump. Maybe if their parents get cut off of funds and their disability gets shut off, they'll give a damn.
And how long would it take for an uprise after that? Us “old” people remember all too well, say15-20 years ago-anyone of Trumps character who dared to put themselves in the race for president, would’ve been run out of Dodge about as fast as he came in- a lot of people are gonna be really pissed!!
These are the words of someone who has lived a comfortable life. This is someone who has never had to worry about paying rent, for medical bills, medications, or food. This is someone who not only didn't experience this, but never encountered people who did.
He never said there would be another payment after the "skipped" one. How many months would his Mom wait before saying something (because we're pretty sure he won't help)?
So then mr lutnick should be ok with footing the bill for any missing payments to all US SS recipitents. Otherwise he needs to shut up or find himself at odds with the entire US and that is not a smart thing to do.
Comments
That’s stealing
MY savings! 💵
MY hard earned money! 💵
This only shows how disconnected from reality they are.
Together with canceling Medicaid and Medicare, that is one of the few things that is certain to get millions of people on the streets. Many wouldn't be able to pay rent or buy food without that chek.
-Brett Arends
Therefore, using logic, if only fraudsters complain about missing checks, then Musk must be a fraudster!
Who is he the thought and make it up police? I’m so tired of this bullshit and it’s only 2 months in
"Ewww, you expect me to eat my cake with that 'urchin' distracting me?" ... then sues their servants for fraud ...
What Lootdick really means to say is old people wouldn't know their $ gone cuz MEMORY!
Read more ... google "+Stardust +geoengineering"
https://undark.org/2025/03/17/stardust-geoengineering-profitable/
What is really strange is that didn't stop a plurality of grievanc-filled, bigoted, self-entitled 2024 US voters from enabling Trump's 2nd coming.
https://www.ngrippel.com/ngr-politics.html
They are going to do it, then deport everyone that rises up.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-protects-civil-rights-and-merit-based-opportunity-by-ending-illegal-dei/
We've seen it all, done it all, and don't give a shit about incarceration.
Beware of the "Old Man" Mr. Lutnick.
How about not pissing off their children, family, community and those that love them.
We paid our dues, did our time. All I want is to retire and travel in peace. That dream is shattered.
I’m so pissed off, my wallet is closed
👇
https://youtu.be/bH0d_iftWPw?feature=shared
They start with people making idiotic statements like this and those who wear red hats praising the biggest fraud in the country.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/13/defense-stocks-drop-after-trump-says-defense-spending-could-be-halved.html
wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
That defines Lutnick!
Our country is in Danger
Billionaire who hocks Tesla stock,
Says stopping SS checks would rock,
Since if he caused that much pain,
Only fraudsters would complain.
Please share this as much as possible. We CAN and Must make a difference.
Torch-wielding mob
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/21/social-security-lutnick-doge-checks
SSI is my only income. I'm not a senior citizen, I'm disabled due to childhood abuse, stroke, fms that's debilitating, and a frontal lobe tumor that causes an imbalance and severe migraines. I live daily the best i can. I provide for my children on this income. Lutnick is cruel
Social Security Lifts 16.3 Million People Aged 65 and Older Above the Poverty Line!
Social media is filled with HATE, IG & X influencers should announce to women to cease online dating over fears of women's safety.
WOMEN - END ONLINE DATING NOW - STOP DATING MEN
This Canadian cannot believe you could have had
Harris/Walz and instead chose these maniacal wrecking balls.