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BREAKING: DOGE is starting to put together a team to migrate the SSA's computer systems entirely off one of its oldest programming languages in a matter of months, potentially putting the integrity of the system—and the benefits on which tens of millions of Americans rely—at risk.

wired.comDOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System CollapseSocial Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

The project is being organized by Elon Musk lieutenant Steve Davis, sources who were not given permission to talk to the media tell WIRED. Experts say the expedited deadline runs the risk of obstructing payments to more than 65 million people in the US currently receiving Social Security benefits.

wired.comDOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System CollapseSocial Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

“Of course one of the big risks is not underpayment or overpayment per se but [it’s also] not paying someone at all and not knowing about it. The invisible errors and omissions,” an SSA technologist tells WIRED. Read the full scoop here:

wired.comDOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Codebase In Months, Risking Benefits and System CollapseSocial Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

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I remember when the IRS software was being “rewritten“ and the final product was so screwed up that they ultimately went back to the old software which I think is still being used. I can easily see that happening here. And in the meantime, checks don’t go out.

Who actually is doing the engineering and coding? Government employees? Contractors? -it contractors are they being paid? If so was there a RFP? Or just chosen without scrutiny? Or in other words corruptly?

Remember, if you complain about not receiving your social security check then you have been receiving your payment fraudulently. If you are a green card holder who complains, you may find yourself on an all expenses paid, one way trip to El Salvador.

Who is authorized to approve this project? Who is authorized to pay Musk without open bidding? And who is authorized to give our taxpayer dollars to Musk to enable him to "disrupt" our government agencies? What expertise does Musk have in these agencies roles, HR and law for ANY Of this?

I'm not against updating the system. BUT, a) I don't trust Elmo, and b) I would worry about a system collapse, so I would want it done well not fast. This is where Elmo would excel. A major technology project. These major change overs happen all the time.

Besides, this shouldn't be "rewrite the code". That's an ignorant, amateur approach. What should happen is that the system requirements should be fully understood, and a completely new system designed and built. The reason is hasn't been done is understaffing and underfunding.

And what a great opportunity to install a back door. The names, addresses, financial info on every SS recipient will wind up in an FSB database, which they can use to bring down the whole American financial system. The bigger the flag waver, the more you should distrust them.

If you’re going to undertake this project - and SSA should - pretty sure these are the last people you would hire. Which is, I suppose, the point. Irreparably break the system and force it to be privatized. They could possibly hurt millions of the most valuable people in our society. Evil.

Functional testing, regression testing, user acceptance testing, recoding in between all of those, pilot release, more recoding, anyone who says this can be done in months is either lying or has no idea what's involved.

I was in IT for 45 years. Totally agree. I would estimate years. As mentioned, testing needs to be through. I would say as much as NASA does for the safety of human life.

With the rush being to destroy the system to make it seem as if it wasn’t really working and allow its collapse. When millions of Americans who are elderly and / or disabled don’t get their checks I hope the streets are full. Fuck this! Get Elon out of our shit!

Who is really going to fill the streets if they aren’t the elderly or disabled who will be without the $1098 a month they need to live in without an inheritance or 401k left? People who aren’t 65 yet, barely care for their elderly relatives let alone strangers. This is a mess

I’m not 65, won’t be til later this year. And I wasn’t planning to claim Social Security until I turned 70. But name the street and I’ll be there for the cause. I was really looking forward to retirement. But if I don’t get to, because of these a-holes, I’d rather die fighting than working.

I absolutely believe destroying the SS system will trigger the prerequisite rage that’ll have millions of us pouring into the streets nationwide. I also believe that the Orc will exploit protests that size to justify immediate invocation of the Insurrection Act which this nut is itching to invoke.

He'll use the patriot act to classify demonstrators as domestic terrorists, send them to Guantanamo, which will expand to take up half the island of Cuba, send the army to the streets, no doubt with orders to shoot to kill, then congratulate himself on how well he restored order.

I spent half of today fighting with my eedjit bank over their screw up with a credit card I use for traveling when I tried to buy an air ticket. (I'm traveling right now) While I was waiting back and forth on hold it started running through my head... 1/2

A high prportion of large scale computer projects fail. Things that can happen: project crashes in the middle because of major flaws in the design, or because of acccumulated bugs that are hard to fix, project crashes at the end because of difficulty move data from the old system to the new.

Every day get loud, show up and every day call your reps and Mike Johnson (202) 225-2777 John Thune (202) 224-2321 Chuck Schumer (202) 224-6542 Hakeem Jefferies (202) 225-5936 Call for impeachment or treason charges. Use 5calls.org if you need help.

Every day get loud, show up and every day call your reps and Mike Johnson (202) 225-2777 John Thune (202) 224-2321 Chuck Schumer (202) 224-6542 Hakeem Jefferies (202) 225-5936 Call for impeachment or treason charges. Use 5calls.org if you need help.

It appears to me they are trying to fix something that is not broken, in addition any effort of this nature should be led by people answerable to Congress (actual SSA staff), one can see doge messing everything up then walking away.

Well I wouldn't say it's not broken. There are some serious issues with some of the SSA IT system, but I doubt has to do with the type of code but more with bugs in the code.

My employer spent $23M to have recent IT grads working for Deloitte reinstall PeopleSoft as a “vanilla” platform. It took 18 months and cost us another $9M to make whole every employee whose leave accumulations were negatively impacted by the new version. This will be a disaster.