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Trump's big change to Social Security
Plus: Will the last defense against Trump hold?
Good morning! It’s Thursday, March 20, 2025. In today’s newsletter:
Will the last bulwark against Trump hold? ⚖️
The most important news right now — and why it’s important 🧐
Trump and Elon’s big change to Social Security 😡
Stories the algorithm may have kept out of your feed 👀
⏱️ Estimated read time: 5 minutes, 6 seconds
Before the news… we need your help!
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FINAL DEFENSE
The Courts keep blocking Trump, but will it hold?
The resistance to Donald Trump’s fascist agenda has had a key weapon that’s been working overtime this week—the federal court system.
The question is now: will that final defense hold?
BACKGROUND: With Congressional Republicans and Senate Democrats unwilling to stand up to Trump, it seems like the final barrier to a Trumpian form of authoritarianism is the federal judiciary.
Over the past week, the courts have dealt some major blows to Trump’s agenda:
Last Thursday, two federal judges ruled that the mass termination of federal employees violated legal procedures and ordered nearly 25,000 fired workers reinstated.
Then on Monday, another federal judge ruled that Elon Musk’s efforts to dismantle USAID likely violated the constitution.
On Tuesday, another federal judge blocked enforcement of Trump’s executive order banning trans people from the military.
And just yesterday, yet another federal judge ordered two incarcerated transgender women be sent back to federal women’s prisons after being sent by Trump to men’s prisons where they were denied hormone treatment therapy.
BUT BUT BUT: These were all important wins for the resistance, but those wins were overshadowed by Trump’s seeming defiance of a different court order Saturday.
His admin refused to return a flight full of immigrants that were being deported without due process—in what appeared to be in direct violation of the court’s order.
Before officially ruling that the administration violated the order, however, the judge in this case has repeatedly asked the Justice Department for more information—but the government has been dragging its feet in answering those questions.
The judge warned Wednesday there will be consequences if the Department of Justice refuses to answer questions about the flights—and gave the government one more day to respond.
BIG PICTURE: What this all boils down to is: will the Trump administration willingly comply with orders from the federal courts—its co-equal branch of the government?
The good news is, despite rhetoric from his own administration, Trump has repeatedly said he will not violate a court’s order.
And while we don’t trust a lying narcissist like Trump one bit, saying you’re still following the Constitution is better than not. Maybe?
Can you imagine the crisis Trump would trigger if he said what Andrew Jackson supposedly said? “The court has made its ruling, now let’s see them enforce it.”
Total chaos.
📰 Most important stories right now
There’s a lot of sh*t out there. Here’s what’s actually important—and why.
Why it matters: Dismantling the Department of Education will drastically reduce federal oversight and funding for public schools, disproportionately harming low-income and special needs students. It also signals a major ideological shift toward state control of education, fulfilling a long-standing conservative goal. Full story from ABC News.
Why it matters: Not that we condone violence, but it’s nice to know there are consequences for being a Nazi who wants to destroy the social safety net that keeps so many workers out of poverty. (Of course, instead of setting a dealership on fire, you can do what Tim Walz does, like we are.) Full story from the AP.
Why it matters: The quiet campaign to hobble the opposition—if successful—will have consequences that lasts for generations. Full story from the New York Times (on a site without their paywall).
Trump and Elon’s big change to Social Security that will affect millions
Despite repeatedly promising not to touch Social Security, narcissistic liar Donald Trump and his sugar daddy Elon Musk are making a big change to the program.
On Tuesday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that millions of Americans filing for benefits by phone will have to verify their identity online or provide documentation in person at a field office.
This move comes as the Trump and Musk also downsize the SSA—slashing 7,000 jobs, consolidating programs, and shutting down dozens of regional offices.
WHY IT MATTERS: By forcing elderly and disabled people—many of whom lack computers or the ability to travel—to verify their identities in person, Trump and Musk are making it harder for vulnerable Americans to access benefits they’ve earned.
THE DETAILS: Musk has justified the move by claiming—without evidence—that undocumented immigrants commit massive fraud to secure benefits and boost Democratic votes.
However, NBC News debunked these outright lies—there is no evidence of widespread fraud by undocumented immigrants.
YES, AND: An internal SSA memo obtained by The Washington Post warned that this policy will increase wait times, processing delays, and hardships for vulnerable populations.
Up to 4.4 million claimants per year could be forced to visit local offices, many of which have lost staff due to Musk-led buyouts and downsizing.
Plus, DOGE-led office closures mean fewer locations are available, making it even harder for seniors and disabled people to access the help they need.
THE BACKLASH: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) slammed the changes, calling them "a full-blown attack on Social Security."
Many other Democrats and advocacy groups have condemned the policy, arguing that it disproportionately harms those who rely most on Social Security.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Social Security Administration's new policy requiring in-person identity verification is scheduled to take effect on March 31, 2025.
The AARP is urging all concerned citizens to contact their congress members NOW to protect Social Security and reverse the change.
Also, the Senate Finance Committee is set to hold a confirmation hearing on March 25 for Frank Bisignano, Trump’s nominee for permanent Social Security Commissioner. Progressive groups oppose his appointment.
🗳️ Question of the day
TODAY’S QUESTION:
On Tuesday we asked: given AOC’s emergence as a leader in the party, do you think she could win the presidency in 2028? You were pretty split:
READERS WRITE: Carol said absolutely: “Would love to see AOC the White House. We need newer, younger people in control. Time for the "elders" to bow out.”
Rahburtz also voted yes, but only “if she sticks to Universal Healthcare, Worker's and voter's rights and the abolishing of ICE.”
KLBF voiced many commenter’s opinions voting no: “AOC is brilliant, but after Kamala Harris losing to Trump, who was judged the worst president in history, I doubt that a woman of color could win the presidency in the USA… I believe that many males will never vote for a female. Their brain is stuck in medieval thinking.”
👀 Under the Radar
Here are some stories the algorithm may have kept out of your feed.
Are we heading into a recession? Here’s what the data shows
This government agency just launched a massive purge of its websites in an effort to erase history
Trump threatens to “completely annihilate” one of the poorest countries on Earth
Jimmy Kimmel explains to “poor Elon” why people are burning his cars 😂
A French scientist was denied entry into the US for surprising reason
The student protestor Trump tried to deport has written a letter from ICE detention—and it is an excellent, chilling read
ICE detained a woman on Time magazine's 100 Most Influential list as her daughter makes a stunning claim
Even Nancy Pelosi lashed out at Chuck Schumer after his widely criticized move
Steve Bannon made an unsettling prediction for Trump’s future in 2028
Leaked audio revealed Trump’s bonkers plan for the Kennedy Center
And—this hit TV show is a “brutal indictment” of American workplace culture
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Thank you for reading! - Andrew & Anthony
SOCIAL INSECURITY