SOCIAL INSECURITY — The Weekly Opine

Hopefully, the planned destruction of Social Security will not unleash violence in America. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

You want to do this?

I am not a gun owner. Have never pulled the trigger on a real firearm. I strongly reject gun violence, and eschew any other violence (the exception being when people suffer systemic oppression and must employ “by any means necessary” to gain freedom).

I’m smart enough to understand the Founding Father’s insertion of the 2nd Amendment into the Constitution was not intended for Americans to declare open season on one another, settling real or imagined beefs by shooting it out.

It is appalling that officials in the United States at the federal, state and local levels do nothing of substance to stop gun violence. Grown men and women, elected to protect us, are instead more interested in protecting their political future rather than standing up to the National Rifle Association.

Spineless politicians shrug their shoulders (and responsibility) while children are murdered in schools across America. They flip the TV channel as endless reports of senseless neighborhood gun violence dominate the news.

In 2023 (the last year complete data is available), Pew research reports nearly 47,000 deaths in America were the result of gun violence. Whether due to suicide (the leading cause), homicide, or by accident, gun violence in the U.S. is not the envy of the world.

Recently, we were reminded that some gun-owning citizens, feeling insurmountable neglect, will sometimes take matters into their own hands. When wealthy, powerful people choose greed and employ evil tactics to gain more wealth and power at the expense of marginalized groups, the rich play Russian roulette. Moneygrubbers bet that the abused will sit silently, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

Look no further than Luigi Mangione, now awaiting trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has become a cult-like American folk hero to millions of people, applauded for sticking it to a man in charge of a system often perceived as callous and arbitrary benefitting money-hungry executives and shareholders.

Finally overcome by his breaking point, Mangione did what Americans do every day. He reasoned the only way to make things right was to reach for one of the 300 million guns in circulation in America. In an act that should alarm DOGE’s Elon Musk, acting Social Security commissioner Leland Dudek, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Mangione arrived at his Popeye the Sailor moment. Having had all he could stand, unable to stand any more, Mangione shot and killed the wealthy man he believed responsible for ruining his life.

Hopefully, cooler heads will show up at DOGE. (Photo credit Instagram)

Not a typo

That’s correct. There are 300 million guns floating around the United States, a country with a population of 330 million. It seems everyone is “packing” or strapped up. Guns are surely in the hands of some of the 73 million Americans who receive monthly Social Security payments.

For many recipients, their Social Security check (along with Medicaid and affordable prescription drugs) is the lifeline that literally keeps them alive. Taking away Social Security, as was suggested when Acting Commissioner Dudek said he would “shut down” the agency’s operations, could deliver an imminent death sentence to many Americans.

Commerce Secretary Lutnick followed by stupidly saying the best way to uncover fraud is deny benefits to all Social Security recipients. Lutnick dumbfoundedly theorized that only fraudulent recipients would cry foul, exposing themselves to prosecution. All of this came after DOGE boss henchman Musk’s outlandish ignorance when he called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. (Money not only cannot buy love, but it also cannot buy common sense.)

We can fairly surmise there are millions of people in America who, like ticking time bombs, sit on the edge just waiting for a reason to explode. Some of these people own guns. And some of them depend on Social Security, Medicaid, and affordable prescription drugs to stay alive.

Elon Musk, Leland Dudek, Howard Lutnick and the other DOGE orchestrators, hellbent on further enriching themselves while the rest of us fight for scraps, should thoughtfully consider all possible outcomes. Angry voters at town hall meetings, thousands protesting in the streets and damaged vehicles at Tesla dealerships may only be the tip of the iceberg. Just ask Luigi Mangione.

All was quiet at this suburban Chicago Tesla dealership Sunday afternoon. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

A two-way street

Straightforward question: What if everyone who gets Social Security benefits decides that, if the government steals their Social Security money, then The People won’t pay taxes owed to the government? Just asking.

Heartfelt concern

Although sitting on the opposite side of the divide from DOGE, I reject political violence. And I am genuinely troubled regarding the welfare of people like Musk, Dudek and Lutnick and feel compelled, in the spirit of human understanding, to point out the hazardous path they walk on.

I have no foreknowledge of impending doom. But in our divided country, featuring 300 million guns, DOGE’s mean-spirited rocking of the boat could produce unintended bounce back consequences. For example, cutting off veteran’s access to services and benefits is also extremely worrisome. Many veterans own guns.

As someone vehemently opposed to and disgusted by gun violence, I believe my duty is to offer words of wisdom, and caution, to DOGE officials and everyone executing the Project 2025-DOGE playbook.

DOGE folks, your safety could be in jeopardy if you steal Social Security payments from millions of gun-owning citizens. These people played by the rules and contributed to Social Security for decades. Many are dependent on Social Security for their very existence.

DOGE boys, please, think carefully before you act. Hopefully, no one negatively affected by your actions will take matters into their own hands.

But remember this; there could be lots more Luigi Mangiones out here.