Linda Benesch
@lindabenesch.bsky.social
Communications Director, @socialsecurityworks.org
Reposted by Linda Benesch
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
Reposted by Linda Benesch
I had a run in with ICE snatching a man out of his car while walking my children to school this morning in NW DC
I asked a neighbor to continue walking my kids to school and I turned back to document and confront the ICE agents.
I am in contact with @dcmigrantmutualaid.org with the full video.
I asked a neighbor to continue walking my kids to school and I turned back to document and confront the ICE agents.
I am in contact with @dcmigrantmutualaid.org with the full video.
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 PM
I had a run in with ICE snatching a man out of his car while walking my children to school this morning in NW DC
I asked a neighbor to continue walking my kids to school and I turned back to document and confront the ICE agents.
I am in contact with @dcmigrantmutualaid.org with the full video.
I asked a neighbor to continue walking my kids to school and I turned back to document and confront the ICE agents.
I am in contact with @dcmigrantmutualaid.org with the full video.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
From moderate governors-elect in Virginia and New Jersey to a democratic socialist mayor-elect in New York City, and everywhere in between, there was only one message: Fight Trumpism and make America affordable, says @alaw202.bsky.social of @SocialSecurityWorks.org.
Voters To Democrats: Fight!
Democrats won big by fighting against Trump’s attempts at tyranny and pledging to do everything in their power to make America affordable for everyone.
www.commondreams.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:52 PM
From moderate governors-elect in Virginia and New Jersey to a democratic socialist mayor-elect in New York City, and everywhere in between, there was only one message: Fight Trumpism and make America affordable, says @alaw202.bsky.social of @SocialSecurityWorks.org.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Social Security benefits are going up by 2.8 percent next year.
But Medicare premiums are going up by 11.6 percent. And the cost of food is skyrocketing, too.
Trumpflation is stealing your hard earned benefits.
But Medicare premiums are going up by 11.6 percent. And the cost of food is skyrocketing, too.
Trumpflation is stealing your hard earned benefits.
October 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Social Security benefits are going up by 2.8 percent next year.
But Medicare premiums are going up by 11.6 percent. And the cost of food is skyrocketing, too.
Trumpflation is stealing your hard earned benefits.
But Medicare premiums are going up by 11.6 percent. And the cost of food is skyrocketing, too.
Trumpflation is stealing your hard earned benefits.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Americans EARN Social Security disability benefits with every paycheck, along with retirement and survivor benefits.
But now, the Trump administration is trying to cut those benefits.
They'll do anything to protect billionaires from paying their fair share.
But now, the Trump administration is trying to cut those benefits.
They'll do anything to protect billionaires from paying their fair share.
Trump plan would limit disability benefits for older Americans
Trump administration officials are considering eliminating age as a factor in deciding whether someone is capable of working.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 5, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Americans EARN Social Security disability benefits with every paycheck, along with retirement and survivor benefits.
But now, the Trump administration is trying to cut those benefits.
They'll do anything to protect billionaires from paying their fair share.
But now, the Trump administration is trying to cut those benefits.
They'll do anything to protect billionaires from paying their fair share.
Someone's never been up for 2+ hours in the middle of the night with a sick or teething baby 🙄
September 26, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Someone's never been up for 2+ hours in the middle of the night with a sick or teething baby 🙄
"Shrinking the staff...has made an already difficult situation worse.
Frontline workers, whose morale had already been low for years, say they are asked on a daily basis to do more with less."
Frontline workers, whose morale had already been low for years, say they are asked on a daily basis to do more with less."
Donald Trump is breaking Social Security (gift link)
A Diminished Social Security Work Force, and Its Customers, Feel the Strain
www.nytimes.com
September 24, 2025 at 8:30 PM
"Shrinking the staff...has made an already difficult situation worse.
Frontline workers, whose morale had already been low for years, say they are asked on a daily basis to do more with less."
Frontline workers, whose morale had already been low for years, say they are asked on a daily basis to do more with less."
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Something to watch next week: the deadline for the Social Security Administration (along with the rest of gov) to stop issuing paper checks.
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
Social Security signals potential benefit disruptions this fall for those still getting paper checks
Over half a million people still get their Social Security benefits via paper checks. They’ll need a waiver by the end of September to continue to do so, SSA says.
www.nextgov.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Something to watch next week: the deadline for the Social Security Administration (along with the rest of gov) to stop issuing paper checks.
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
Reposted by Linda Benesch
This whole thing is such a bleak three-for-one: They get to stigmatize autistic people AND blame and shame women AND they get to specifically blame and shame women trying to mitigate their physical suffering in the only way they're allowed to during pregnancy!
WSJ reports RFK Jr has instructed HHS to link autism with Tylenol use during pregnancy and folate deficiency.
Exclusive | RFK Jr., HHS to Link Autism to Tylenol Use in Pregnancy and Folate Deficiencies
Kennedy’s autism report, touted by Trump, will suggest that using the pain reliever during pregnancy may be linked to the developmental disorder.
www.wsj.com
September 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This whole thing is such a bleak three-for-one: They get to stigmatize autistic people AND blame and shame women AND they get to specifically blame and shame women trying to mitigate their physical suffering in the only way they're allowed to during pregnancy!
My 15-month-old can't get a COVID vaccine. Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics says he should.
Kennedy is lying.
Kennedy is lying.
Sen. Warren circles back to Kennedy's pledge not to take vaccines away from people - Kennedy is saying anyone is eligible to get a COVID shot which isn't true.
September 4, 2025 at 4:17 PM
My 15-month-old can't get a COVID vaccine. Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics says he should.
Kennedy is lying.
Kennedy is lying.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
LOL so you won’t even make him swear to tell the truth in front of Congress so you don’t have to hold him accountable when he does???? Just throw the whole goddamned GOP party away. The whole thing. It’s fucking trash. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Wyden on RFK Jr: "This committee's unwillingness to swear in this witness is basically a message that it is acceptable to lie to the Senate Finance Committee about hugely important questions like vaccines."
September 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
LOL so you won’t even make him swear to tell the truth in front of Congress so you don’t have to hold him accountable when he does???? Just throw the whole goddamned GOP party away. The whole thing. It’s fucking trash. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Reposted by Linda Benesch
@wyden.senate.gov to RFK Jr.: I hope that you will tell the American people how many preventable child deaths are an acceptable sacrifice for enacting an agenda that I think is fundamentally cruel and defies common sense.
September 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
@wyden.senate.gov to RFK Jr.: I hope that you will tell the American people how many preventable child deaths are an acceptable sacrifice for enacting an agenda that I think is fundamentally cruel and defies common sense.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
@wyden.senate.gov: Robert Kennedy's tenure is so far marked by 3 calling cards:
❌ Chaos at federal health agencies
❌Corruption that benefits Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump, and their friends
❌Higher health costs for families
❌ Chaos at federal health agencies
❌Corruption that benefits Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump, and their friends
❌Higher health costs for families
September 4, 2025 at 2:24 PM
@wyden.senate.gov: Robert Kennedy's tenure is so far marked by 3 calling cards:
❌ Chaos at federal health agencies
❌Corruption that benefits Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump, and their friends
❌Higher health costs for families
❌ Chaos at federal health agencies
❌Corruption that benefits Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump, and their friends
❌Higher health costs for families
Reposted by Linda Benesch
NEW analysis on the GOP megabill's core policy choice: each millionaire's tax cut is paid for by taking away health insurance from 4 people while reducing health care benefits from many others.
September 3, 2025 at 2:42 PM
NEW analysis on the GOP megabill's core policy choice: each millionaire's tax cut is paid for by taking away health insurance from 4 people while reducing health care benefits from many others.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Social Security turns 90 today. The cornerstone of FDR's New Deal keeps millions out of poverty every year. How is the Trump regime celebrating? By shrinking the SSA workforce, crashing its website, increasing wait times, and replacing humans with AI chatbots.
August 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Social Security turns 90 today. The cornerstone of FDR's New Deal keeps millions out of poverty every year. How is the Trump regime celebrating? By shrinking the SSA workforce, crashing its website, increasing wait times, and replacing humans with AI chatbots.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Bill Cassidy (R, Invertebrate) has a case of the sads about a well-known anti-vaxxer, science denier, and fraud whom Bill Cassidy voted to confirm as HHS Secretary.
It’s not “unfortunate”, Bill Cassidy, it’s catastrophic, and it’s on you.
Cassidy can’t even bring himself to say Kennedy’s name.
It’s not “unfortunate”, Bill Cassidy, it’s catastrophic, and it’s on you.
Cassidy can’t even bring himself to say Kennedy’s name.
August 7, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Bill Cassidy (R, Invertebrate) has a case of the sads about a well-known anti-vaxxer, science denier, and fraud whom Bill Cassidy voted to confirm as HHS Secretary.
It’s not “unfortunate”, Bill Cassidy, it’s catastrophic, and it’s on you.
Cassidy can’t even bring himself to say Kennedy’s name.
It’s not “unfortunate”, Bill Cassidy, it’s catastrophic, and it’s on you.
Cassidy can’t even bring himself to say Kennedy’s name.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
BREAKING: The Trump administration has pushed out 20% of the staff at Social Security offices.
Often the most experienced, highly skilled staffers.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and families are paying the price.
Often the most experienced, highly skilled staffers.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and families are paying the price.
Social Security offices lost estimated 20% of staff this year, causing delays
Americans applying for benefits at their local Social Security field offices are facing delays, workers say.
www.axios.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
BREAKING: The Trump administration has pushed out 20% of the staff at Social Security offices.
Often the most experienced, highly skilled staffers.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and families are paying the price.
Often the most experienced, highly skilled staffers.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and families are paying the price.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
"But if something that used to be a normal childhood activity is now seen as so dangerous that parents who let their sons walk in the neighborhood are considered felons, the problem is not just with how we enforce our laws but also with how we allow cars to define how we live."
Opinion | They Let Their Children Cross the Street and Now They’re Felons
www.nytimes.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
"But if something that used to be a normal childhood activity is now seen as so dangerous that parents who let their sons walk in the neighborhood are considered felons, the problem is not just with how we enforce our laws but also with how we allow cars to define how we live."
Reposted by Linda Benesch
The latest "government efficiency" from the Trump administration:
"Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don't have jurisdiction over the caller's case."
"Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don't have jurisdiction over the caller's case."
Your call to a local Social Security office may be picked up by someone who can't help
Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don't have jurisdiction over the caller's case, employees say.
www.npr.org
August 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The latest "government efficiency" from the Trump administration:
"Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don't have jurisdiction over the caller's case."
"Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don't have jurisdiction over the caller's case."
Reposted by Linda Benesch
Of note: The Union for Reform Judaism is the largest Jewish denomination in the U.S.
INBOX: Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis & American Conference of Cantors issue a lengthy statement declaring:
"Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the 'total victory' over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law."
"Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the 'total victory' over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law."
July 28, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Of note: The Union for Reform Judaism is the largest Jewish denomination in the U.S.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
The way that I was raised, being Jewish meant believing that every human life was sacred; to save a single human life meant saving all of humanity. That no law or ritual was more important than saving a single human life.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
July 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
The way that I was raised, being Jewish meant believing that every human life was sacred; to save a single human life meant saving all of humanity. That no law or ritual was more important than saving a single human life.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
The mass starvation & killing of Palestinians in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli gov’t is a chillul hashem, a desecration of God.
Jewish leaders who criticized Zohran Mamdani for three words he doesn’t use should raise their voices loudly here as well.
forward.com/opinion/7575...
Jewish leaders who criticized Zohran Mamdani for three words he doesn’t use should raise their voices loudly here as well.
forward.com/opinion/7575...
Gaza is starving. Where are the American Jewish leaders?
A fear of being labelled antisemitic still deters American Jews and Jewish institutions from taking a position that is morally correct.
forward.com
July 24, 2025 at 10:04 PM
The mass starvation & killing of Palestinians in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli gov’t is a chillul hashem, a desecration of God.
Jewish leaders who criticized Zohran Mamdani for three words he doesn’t use should raise their voices loudly here as well.
forward.com/opinion/7575...
Jewish leaders who criticized Zohran Mamdani for three words he doesn’t use should raise their voices loudly here as well.
forward.com/opinion/7575...
Reposted by Linda Benesch
90 years ago, America made a promise: that we could retire with dignity and wouldn't be left behind.
That promise is Social Security.
Now, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that promise.
This August, join us and and our partners for events across the country to protect what’s OURS.
That promise is Social Security.
Now, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that promise.
This August, join us and and our partners for events across the country to protect what’s OURS.
Protect Our Checks
For 90 years, Social Security has been a vital source of income for families across the country. It's not a handout. It's a hard-earned right. But now, that promise is under attack by Republican lawma...
ProtectOurChecks.com
July 24, 2025 at 8:03 PM
90 years ago, America made a promise: that we could retire with dignity and wouldn't be left behind.
That promise is Social Security.
Now, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that promise.
This August, join us and and our partners for events across the country to protect what’s OURS.
That promise is Social Security.
Now, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that promise.
This August, join us and and our partners for events across the country to protect what’s OURS.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
If you suppress the voices of the Brad Landers of the world, you’re going to leave voices like Tucker Carlson as the ones people are listening to on this. It’s grim as hell.
July 23, 2025 at 10:58 PM
If you suppress the voices of the Brad Landers of the world, you’re going to leave voices like Tucker Carlson as the ones people are listening to on this. It’s grim as hell.
Reposted by Linda Benesch
The Trump administration is keeping the full picture about Social Security's customer service just as locked down as the Epstein files.
And for the same reason — they don't want Americans to know the truth.
And for the same reason — they don't want Americans to know the truth.
Social Security issued a press release yesterday claiming it's improved customer service. I'm skeptical, for 4 reasons:
1. SSA's career comms staff are mostly gone
2. SSA comms are now very partisan
3. Performance metrics are mostly gone
4. SSA is now cherrypicking misleading stats
Receipts in 🧵
1. SSA's career comms staff are mostly gone
2. SSA comms are now very partisan
3. Performance metrics are mostly gone
4. SSA is now cherrypicking misleading stats
Receipts in 🧵
July 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
The Trump administration is keeping the full picture about Social Security's customer service just as locked down as the Epstein files.
And for the same reason — they don't want Americans to know the truth.
And for the same reason — they don't want Americans to know the truth.