From a job posting for Administrative Law Judges at Social Security:
The incumbent is subordinate to and accountable to the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Social Security. …
You must currently hold, or have previously held, a permanent Attorney position at the GS-13 or above for a minimum of 52 weeks. …
If you’ve wondered exactly how phishing campaigns involving Social Security Administration impersonation work, The Hacker News has you covered. If these crooks put as much effort and ingenuity into legitimate work they’d probably make more money.
Probably most readers of this blog have tried using AI at least to some extent. Some may be using it a lot. How much use can the Social Security Administration get out of AI? I’m generally skeptical if not hostile to the idea but I’m old. What do you think? Are you already using AI for Social Security purposes? How well does it work for you? For that matter, to what extent is AI even available to agency employees? Is ChatGPT blocked on Social Security computers?
I had linked to an MSN article saying that President Trump was supposed to talk about accessibility improvements at Social Security during a trip to Florida. There’s a news report about that trip saying that the only thing from Trump about Social Security was his touting what he called “No Tax On Social Security” which isn’t true — nothing about accessibility.
However, Trump did say that all red snapper fishing permits had been approved, so that’s something.
From ProPublica:
Even a glance at Shy’tyra Burton’s life reveals her need for the sort of federal government assistance that helps disabled Americans stay in their homes. Born two months prematurely into a poor family in Philadelphia, unable to breathe or swallow without tubes and largely confined to medical facilities until age 4, Burton was diagnosed with a litany of developmental and intellectual disabilities that left her with an IQ below 70.
She persevered and graduated from a high school special education program, then attempted community college. But she struggled to grasp basic tasks and information. She couldn’t get hired, including at McDonald’s. After multiple medical and psychological evaluations and a hearing before a judge, the federal government approved her for the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides a basic income to those with severe disabilities and to indigent older people.
For Burton, now 22, the $994 monthly benefit is lifesaving but not enough to completely support herself on her own. So, like many SSI recipients, she has continued to live with her father, who makes around $2,000 a month as a Philadelphia sanitation worker.
Now, President Donald Trump’s administration is poised to penalize people like Burton simply for living in the same home as their families, according to four federal officials, internal emails and a federal regulatory listing. The administration is working on a rule change that would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment, even if the family members they live with are poor enough to qualify for food stamps. This would mean slashing the benefits of some of the most low-income SSI recipients by up to a third — about $330 a month in Burton’s case — or ending their support altogether. …
If enacted, the change will require intellectually disabled young people like Burton as well as very elderly people to file extensive monthly reports if they want to continue their benefits even at the reduced level. They’ll have to provide details about the property where they live: whether it’s leased or owned, as well as the names of anyone in the home, and whether any of these people has any new income or assets. They’ll also have to include documentation of all household bills and expenses, showing how much they do or don’t contribute personally, as well as financial documents such as bank statements and any pay stubs. …
From MSN (emphasis added):
President Donald Trump will venture outside the White House for the first time since a foiled assassination attempt, traveling on Friday to a Florida stronghold under mounting political pressure and intense scrutiny of his security.Trump is expected to tout new tax deductions for seniors and accessibility improvements at the Social Security Administration during a visit to The Villages, a large retirement community that consistently backs Republican candidates. …
From a press release by Social Security’s Office of Inspector General:
Federal law enforcement agencies are warning the public about a surge in government imposter scams involving the misuse of real Social Security Administration (SSA) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) employee names, fabricated badge images, and fraudulent social media profiles.
Recent reports show scammers are:
- Using the name of a real SSA employee along with a fake badge or credential to appear legitimate.
- Using information from social media profiles to impersonate a real SSA OIG employee to initiate contact and build trust with potential victims.
These tactics mirror a broader trend in which criminals attempt to legitimize their schemes by sending doctored images of credentials, spoofing phone numbers, or posing as government officials online. …
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL, or perhaps, the Jurassic Age) is running for governor of Alabama. One of the planks of his platform is that Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme.” He can’t believe that his Democratic opponent is calling him out on this. Judging by what he writes Tuberville wants to just end Social Security period. He doesn’t suggest any phaseout or transition to something else.
