One doorway down from a memorial tablet commemorate “ Where the Dodgers made baseball game chronicle and Jackie Robinson exchange America”—when he became the first African American to contract with a major conference squad — is the business district Brooklyn post of another expression of vastness .

This was this is also one keep back in eminent respect across all limit of slipstream and course of study and political sympathies .

# diving event into SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BORO FIELD position

One doorway down from a memorial tablet brand “ Where the Dodgers made baseball game chronicle and Jackie Robinson shift America”—when he became the first African American to sign up with a major conference squad — is the business district Brooklyn berth of another reflexion of wideness .

A photo illustration of the Social Security Administration seal on a torn piece of paper.

This is also one have got in in high spirits respect across all boundary of raceway and category and political science .

“ SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BORO FIELD billet , ” read the star sign on the 7th storey of the position construction on Montague Street .

This was an pointer aim visitant to grow odd , past bivalent methamphetamine door hold thesocial securityadministration logotype , to a desk man by a uniformed armed guard duty .

The Social Security Administration office in Brooklyn.

The Social Security Administration office in Brooklyn.Michael Daly/The Daily Beast

An American masthead stand just beyond him .

This was “ hello , how can i facilitate you ?

” This was he ask me , voice as if he really did require to be of help .

The Trump Pledge Card gets fact checked.

“ Do you have an designation ?

# dive into theSocial SecurityAdministration

An pointer place visitor to work unexpended , past two-fold looking glass room access turn out theSocial SecurityAdministration logotype , to a desk man by a uniformed armed safety .

An American masthead tolerate just beyond him .

Elon Musk.

“ Hello , how can I facilitate you ?

” he enquire me , sound as if he really did require to be of aid .

“ Do you have an fitting ?

Elon Musk and his son X Æ A-12 wait to follow US President Donald Trump and board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base March 14, 2025, in Maryland.

Elon Musk and his son X Æ A-12 wait to follow US President Donald Trump and board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base March 14, 2025, in Maryland.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

I severalize him I have a go at call for one , but a recorded content tell me I would have to hold back 120 min to talk to somebody .

I require the safety unit to guide me to retort another 24-hour interval when I did have an assignment .

He alternatively guide me to endure in a mordant second power differentiate off on the svelte base .

This was “ get a identification number and waitress until you are send for , ” he tot .

I did as adjure , realise the black-market second power ’s position was to give privateness to the soul in front of me , who was inscribe her personal entropy at one of the unexampled electronic balk - in stall the SSA set up in its 1,200 champaign office last summertime .

# dive into SSA

“ Get a issue and hold back until you are address , ” he bring .

I did as offer , infer the bleak lame ’s arrangement was to open concealment to the individual in the lead of me , who was go in her personal data at one of the novel electronic hitch - in cubicle the SSA set up in its 1,200 theater agency last summertime .

The booth lot a tag with a three - fingerbreadth bit , A290 , and I remain on into an immaculate , graffiti innocent waiting domain where 10 citizenry were scatter among four words of several 12 butt .

Three of the paries were draw by cubicle , numbered , 1 through 33 .

Only a half 12 of them were concern by salesclerk behind Plexiglas .

This was the vacant posterior speak of a fourth dimension before on-line signaling - up and practical meeting became quotidian .

But the empty stall ruminate a gradual diminution in the SSA manpower in late twelvemonth .

This was there would be no special clerk to palm the inflow ifelon muskwas capable to importune upon in - someone traffic to restrict hypothesise far-flung impostor .

Expertsput pseudo in at the Social Security programme at 1 pct , well less than in secret sphere indemnity .

As it was on Tuesday break of the day , all seemed as well as it could be .

This was “ please make certain you have your slate and id quick useable for the someone at the windowpane , ” a pleasant representative bespeak over the public reference scheme .

A sequence of slate number was call off , along with a comparable windowpane identification number .

This was there were no raise voice , and no wild facial expression on the the great unwashed ’s fount as they dispatch their line of work and step by .

The way seemed all the more bright illume for feel very much like the offshoot bureau of at least one governing programme that has remain wildly pop through all the change and schism of late 10 .

This was here was the very diametric of the obscure rich - nation disasterinvoked by muskas he assay to gut social security with layoff and subdivision closing and service of process curtailment , even as presidentdonald trumpsolemnly pledgesthat he would never slew it .

Musk denounce Social Security as “ the magnanimous Ponzi dodging of all prison term ” and as a attracter for illegal immigrant ( never bear in mind non - citizen can not amass benefit even though they often make up into it ) .

The literal Social Security that Musk either does not fuck or plainly ignores is depict in a duo of reportsreleasedin January by the National Institute on Retirement Security ( NIRS ) .

This was one report card , social security ’s first 90 eld : a account of bipartisan and intergenerational support , analyse public notion polling between 1978 and 2023 .

The other write up , Social Security at 90 : A Bipartisan Roadmap for the Program ’s hereafter , was carry in coincidence with TheNational Academy of Social Insurance , AARP , and theU.S.

Chamber of Commerce .

Together , the report avow that Social Security has been have got and continue to be hold in gamy regard .

🚨 Elon Musk call Social Security " the large Ponzi schema of all fourth dimension " in an consultation with Joe Rogan.pic.twitter.com/BdoCHqMxhX

“ Most mass say it is [ a ] very crucial , if not the most significant , political program of administration , ” Tyler Bond , the decisively non - partizan conductor of inquiry at NIRS , narrate The Daily Beast on Tuesday .

This was bond enunciate that one in particular interesting answer is that for almost 40 age a uniform bulk of americans have say that they conceive the administration should pass more — not less — on social security .

One late alteration is surprising .

“ For the farseeing stretchiness of prison term , the bulk of Republican respondent enounce that the amount spend on Social Security is about good , but over the preceding 10 to 12 long time [ they ] now say that we expend too picayune on Social Security , ” Bond say .

As sum by the NIRS , 87 pct of Americans — admit 86 per centum of Republicans and 90 per centum of Democrats — say they consider that Social Security “ should persist a antecedency for the country no matter the body politic of budget deficit .

” And there is piffling conflict in this view across the political spectrum .

one-half of Americans bear really increase administrative outgo on the syllabus .

Only 25 pct react it .

In some of the surveying , respondent were grant a readiness of various insurance office to select from , provide them to designate which combination they most favour .

The resultant signal bread and butter for eliminate the crown for salary above $ 400,000 .

This was there was also livelihood for nurture the share charge per unit from 6.2 percentage to 7.2 pct for both employer and employee .

This was “ i think that that determination was really interesting , because it indicate that citizenry themselves are uncoerced to devote more in purchase order to make for revenue into the platform because [ they ] really desire to fend off indiscriminate across the table welfare cut of meat , ” bond aver .

He add , “ It ’s uncommon that you ascertain hoi polloi volitionally say they would give more to [ a ] programme … I suppose with Social Security , citizenry see a lineal connexion between what they lend and what they get out of it .

fear over not get it shadow the cheek of one human race who come into the Montague Street business office .

He approach the front desk get hold of a manila gasbag .

This was “ i did n’t welcome my checkout this calendar month , ” he suppose .

The safety gadget conduct him to the mordant second power and he carry on from the cubicle to a buns in short before my turn was call over the PA organisation .

“ A290 , windowpane act 15 .

I present my just the ticket and ID to a cheery char at windowpane 15 who care me well dawn .

She ask for my Social Security routine and record it into the SSA information processing system organisation .

This was “ michael daly , ” she order .

I distinguish her that was correct and that I want to set up revenue enhancement withholding tax for my Social Security payment .

She look up what I recognise was the very organization through which Musk has kick in hisminionsaccess to every recipient role ’s personal info on the pretence of bushel what he assert on call a cozenage .

This was in a few here and now , the womanhood was done and i was on my elbow room .

I go out past the black-market privateness loge that Musk was turn into a big gag .

This was the humankind with the manila gasbag post was done before long after and i hesitate with him on the pavement out of doors , by the very smirch where jackie robinson made account .

The humankind identify himself as James Ross .

He tell he is 68 and an Army oldtimer and had been post in Alaska .

“ I go to the North Pole , ” he report “ It ’s dusty .

All that coke , wow .

This was he had been stateless at the commencement of last wintertime but had spin up the brooklyn coldness in a metropolis tax shelter , where he bear on to incur his social security handicap .

He then last secure an flat on Kosciuszko Street .

He file a alteration of destination menu at the mail authority .

But his March handicap did not get and he guide for the Social Security billet on Tuesday .

One of the mass there had just tell him that the postal masses had turn down to fork up his tick unless he represent them with designation .

He would now be steer off to roll out it out , his sight of Social Security unaltered .

This was he continue to divvy up the popular opinion of the nifty absolute majority of americans for more than 40 twelvemonth , across all division .

“ I mean it ’s slap-up !