Daniella Pineda Instagram – #Repost @from_thefifth
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On Wednesday, Republicans blocked a request to have DOGE head Elon Musk testify before the House Ways & Means Committee about his plans for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Musk has called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme,” while Trump has dismissed it as a “scam.”
Both appear to be pushing for privatization under the guise of cutting costs and eliminating so-called “fraud, waste, and abuse”—a term DOGE has weaponized to justify sweeping, erratic, and authoritarian cuts to the federal government.
Rep. John Larson (D-CT) was outraged by his colleagues’ decision.
This isn’t the first time Republicans have shielded Musk from oversight. Last month, they voted against summoning him before the House Oversight Committee to address DOGE’s claim of “billions” in government waste.
Musk, who wields an unprecedented and potentially unconstitutional level of power, has yet to appear before Congress to answer for his agency’s actions—thanks to Republicans who have a constitutional duty to serve as a check on the Executive Branch.
It was reported Wednesday that DOGE had “abandoned plans” to eliminate a phone service used to file retirement and disability claims.
**“The shift would have directed elderly and disabled people to rely on the internet and in-person field offices to process their claims, curtailing a service that 73 million Americans have relied on for decades to access earned government benefits.”**
However, the administration is still moving forward with part of the plan: Customers will no longer be able to change direct deposit routing numbers or other bank details by phone, claiming the practice encourages fraud.
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#latestnews #newsupdate #newsupdates #news #congress #elonmusk | Posted on 11/Apr/2025 01:05:13
