📢 The Next Big Power Grab Targets Our Earned Benefits FDR's Social Security Act was born from the Great Depression to shield Americans from forces beyond their control. We face a similar test now. Laurie Woodward Garcia and People Power United Aug 14 🌟 Join activists powering the movement for progress—become a free or paid subscriber today and make your voice count! Subscribe to our newsletter 📰 for just $5/month or $60/year. Happy Anniversary to Social Security! Tomorrow marks the 90th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act into law. FDR's vision was clear: protect the aged, disabled, and vulnerable from the crushing weight of poverty. Today, that vision is under siege. We must defend it with the same urgency as those who fought to establish it. Roosevelt Signs The Social Security Act: President Roosevelt signs Social Security Act, at approximately 3:30 pm EST on 14 August 1935. We are at an inflection point. The Social Security Administration—one of U.S. history's most successful and trusted public institutions—is being deliberately weakened. The Trump Administration's staff cuts have created devastating delays for seniors and others who rely on timely benefits. This is not incompetence—it appears to be intentional and it is dangerous. The word “efficiency” may be in the name of his initiative to reduce the size of the federal government, but a more accurate description of what President Trump’s advisor is doing to Social Security is sabotage. (EPI, 2025) Social Security is not just a retirement program—it is an economic lifeline. Earned by generations of people who call America home. In 2023, 6.2 million children—about 9% of all U.S. kids—received benefits, lifting nearly 959,000 out of poverty (Teen Vogue, 2025). For seniors, it is the difference between dignity and destitution. Without it, nearly four in 10 older Americans would live below the poverty line (Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 2025). The economic case for expanding Social Security is irrefutable: It injects money into local economies through consistent benefits. It reduces demand for costly emergency programs. It narrows racial and gender wealth gaps by providing a guaranteed income for life. It’s efficient. “Administrative costs are less than 1% of Social Security spending.” (EPI, 2025) Congressman John B. Larson reminds us that the program has never missed a payment, even during crises like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina (Congressman Larson, 2025). This is the very definition of reliability. The trust fund's projected shortfall in 2034 still leaves 81% of benefits fully funded—and closing the gap requires modest, widely supported adjustments, like lifting the payroll tax cap for the wealthy (Teen Vogue, 2025). This is not the moment to shrink Social Security. It is the moment to expand it—increase benefits, modernize systems, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share. Every dollar invested strengthens our economy from the bottom up. Just a friendly reminder, protecting Social Security is not just an economic choice but a moral imperative. We are judged as a society by how we treat the most vulnerable: the aged, the disabled, the orphaned, the chronically ill. The current assault on the SSA is a direct attack on those people. A new bill “Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act” seeks to reverse DOGE cuts and underscores the urgency. Nearly 200,000 seniors in Central New York alone rely on services now crippled by layoffs, office closures, and system failures (Oswego County Today, 2025). These are not statistics—they are human beings facing "deep staffing cuts, office closures, stricter identification rules and failing phone systems are making it harder for people to access the support." (San Francisco Public Press, 2025). We have a moral duty to: Stop the closures of Social Security field offices. Restore staffing levels to meet demand. Modernize technology to ensure accessibility for all. Safeguard data against misuse. This is about honoring a promise. FDR's Social Security Act was born from the Great Depression to shield Americans from forces beyond their control. We face a similar test now. Will we allow austerity politics and corporate greed to unravel 90 years of progress—or will we rise to defend the right of every American to retire and live with dignity? The Stakes: If we fail, millions will face unnecessary hardship. Economic inequality will deepen. Trust in our institutions will erode further. Moreover, the precedent will be set that the safety net is negotiable. The Choice: Stand by and watch it happen—or fight with everything we have. And you know here at People Power United we are standing up and speaking out for Social Security and our communities. Click here to send a letter to your representative demanding they protect and expand Social Security now. The future of our democracy and the well-being of millions depend on it. Click here to Tell Republicans: Hands Off Social Security Click here to Investigate Trump's Efforts to Undermine Social Security Today’s Calls to Action We need more messengers! This week we are asking our members to help us grow on Social Media. Are you passionate about standing up for freedom, defending our rights, and protecting democracy from the growing threat of fascism? Click here to join the People Power United social media team and be part of the frontline in the fight for justice! Can you follow People Power United on Social Media? Every heart ❤️, comment, and share helps—thank you! Just a friendly reminder: we don’t fundraise, we have no grant funders, and no paid staff. We’re 100% powered by the people. Facebook Instagram Threads TikTok YouTube Substack Substack Notes Pinterest Linkedin Mastodon Spoutible BlueSky Google TwitterX Thanks for taking action! FYI Please note that when People Power United uses the word “fight” in writing, online, or in speech, we mean to advocate fiercely, never to incite or support violence. We do not condone violence in any form, nor do we promote breaking the law. Our work is rooted in peaceful advocacy through exercising our constitutional rights: voting, free speech, peaceful assembly, rallies, protests, and acts of civil disobedience. We use these tools to defend our rights, freedoms, the rule of law, and our democracy. And together, we will win. OUR VALUES People Power United champions progress and power to the people. In this community, we will always speak out and show up against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry in all its forms! We are a group of people who believe in the possibility of change—and work every day to make it happen. Join us by taking action and speaking out to champion progress and power to the people! Join us to build People Power! Together, we can champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference. Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests) Laurie joining other activists and organizations to drop thousands of petitions off to Congress for reforms to the Supreme Court People Power United is a group of community members that champions progress and power for the people. 🌟 Join activists powering the movement for progress—become a free or paid subscriber today and make your voice count! Subscribe to our newsletter 📰 for just $5/month or $60/year.