General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSocial Security Administration Being Shut Down Under Our Noses. Offices Closed.
I live in Colorado and we had some long term friends over. The lady was talking about how it is hard to get hold of Social Security. Appointments are almost impossible to get now. I also learned that a large SS office in Boulder, Colorado has been closed and all the work transferred to I believe Lafayette, Colorado.
I wonder how many other offices are being quietly closed in the US. And I wonder how many federal employees are being let go, paid to retire or are living with no replacement.
For all we know the entire federal government is being bled dry since last year. How long will it be before we no longer have functioning departments. We now know what "draining the swamp" means.
marlakay
(11,534 posts)Found out they dont answer the phone you have to go there. I just let it go because it was a question about husbands SS.
TheMastersNemesis
(10,602 posts)lindalou65
(253 posts)I live in Lafayette and I was shocked to find the Boulder Social Security office was closed! I think there is still one open in Louisville but I am not certain. Having to drive down to south Denver is not something I will want to do if that is the only option.
Thanks for posting this! I am really very disappointed and angry about our shrinking government under this administration.
peggysue2
(10,849 posts)Slate had an interesting/depressing rundown here:
https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/01/social-security-faces-death-by-a-thousand-service-cuts.html
dchill
(38,609 posts)Weed Man
(304 posts)If you live in Denver, friend.
The Social Security office in Aurora is always full. Wait time is usually 30 to 45 min unless u have appt. Had to go visit SS because they were anal about fixing my name to go with the SS. I chose a initialized first name and a full middle name (my preference) when i got my card. When online they were having fits. So had to change it to match my full name. Now it works. They were nice apbout it. That was in January.
duforsure
(11,885 posts)Are attacking Social Security now. After trump said the opposite that he wouldn't. They then want to destroy it . trumps doing to it like he and the gop have been doing to the ACA. Every senior and person in their 50's should be outraged. They want to privatize it to drain money out of it for themselves.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)since Social Security was INVENTED!
I don't know why anyone's surprised...
sprinkleeninow
(20,268 posts)to wake up from their delusional sleep.
If SS gets really screwed with, that'll be a 'blanket' effect. Will enough wake up then?
I am so very sick of this.
eleny
(46,166 posts)We took care of business in 10 minutes after waiting several hours to see someone. The place was mobbed.
cstanleytech
(26,349 posts)from my point of view but then again that could be because I have to deal with a 30 minute drive on average to get into town to do anything.
TheMastersNemesis
(10,602 posts)appalachiablue
(41,199 posts)are less people to assist, longer wait times and frustration and distain for government. Closing and moving offices for SS, DMV and other govt. functions is all about the push to privatize for profit. In the case of the $1.4 Trillion SS Trust Fund, put it in the hands of WS, until the money is lost or runs out.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)This sucks. The work to be done at these agencies must be overwhelming.
Puppyjive
(509 posts)You can avoid long lines at the social security office by going online.
winstars
(4,220 posts)MariaCSR
(642 posts)Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)And it generally doesnt work well.
Its bad enough when its something that a computer literate person must do, because when you have things that dont fit their predetermined molds or answers or you are not sure you cant just ask the person in front of you, because there isnt one.
Then you have to call. And try to get the right person. And get bounced between the people who know policy and the tech people who manage the systems as to who you are supposed to ask.
Add in the worse hassle for something like Social Security; your recipients getting it for retirement are often not computer literate and many dont have or want interest access. Your people getting it for disability are on the edge of poverty if not in poverty and often lack access.
The post office is just as bad. I often have to mail stuff for my side business that involves larger packages or registered mail. The post office near me is open 9:00-4:30, how can anyone who works a job with normal hours go there? When you try to squeeze it in you end up in the line where there are 3 stations for helping customers and only one is manned. Their answer is go online. But that is a half assed answer, then I still have to carry my prelabeled goods to the post office or the alternative is to leave my outgoing mail on my front porch unsecured for the letter carrier to pick up, hopefully before it gets stolen.
I ended up getting a UPS account because as much as I would rather use USPS UPS has drop boxes that can take my larger boxes and locations I can securely drop packages off open hours when I can actively use them.
Its all about the destruction of the institutions.