166su

Musk has wielded DOGE like a wrecking ball in the Social Security Administration and other federal agencies. And that’s one of the reasons demonstrators will gather in cities, counties and small towns around midday Saturday.

In 166su, it happens at 1 p.m. in Elmwood Park, at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Elm Avenue. That’s roughly a block from the Monday afternoon demonstrations organized by 166su Social Circle outside Rep. Ben Cline’s office downtown. (Updates are available via ).

“We will be promoting (Saturday’s rally) at our rally Monday and will encourage our members to participate,” said RSC member Richard “Doc” Gooding.

Demonstrations also are planned for Christiansburg, Charlottesville, Martinsville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Abingdon and even in Warm Springs, the county seat of rural Bath County. To check on times and places, go online to

“This is about more than just politics,” said Lara Egbert, one of the organizers for Indivisible, the group promoting the anti-Trump/Musk rallies.

She added: “While billionaires get richer off tax breaks and handouts, working people here in Southwest Virginia are left struggling — facing job losses, attacks on our rights, and threats to the programs we depend on, like Medicaid, Social Security, and public schools.”

Last week, I got a firsthand view of that here in 166su. I visited the Social Security Administration offices. It seems safe to say DOGE hasn’t improved its operations.

Perhaps the two best descriptors are “sad” and “inefficient.” And if the same is happening elsewhere, it’s no wonder why folks are taking to the streets.

This year I reached my full Social Security retirement age. Among other things, that means, I can continue to work full-time while I collect monthly Social Security benefits. And because I’ve reached my full retirement age, there’s no penalty for double-dipping.

But getting my hands on those benefits is another story, which I found out Thursday afternoon at 166su’s Social Security Administration office, 612 S. Jefferson St. downtown, Suite 100.

Although Social Security beneficiaries may apply online (which I might end up doing) I decided to apply in person. And things didn’t seem at all efficient that way.

I arrived at 12:39 p.m. and took a ticket — G217 — from a machine in the Social Security service center lobby. The place is set up similar to the Department of Motor Vehicles, with different numbered windows that citizens are called to by number.

Between the lobby and two connected hallways, the office has 23 service windows. At 12:39 p.m. Thursday, two of the 23 windows were open and serving customers. On the other 21, the blinds were shut.

During the roughly two hours I waited, one of the open windows closed for a 30-minute period, which meant there was only a single window open. By then, the 18 people waiting in the lobby with me were getting antsy.

At some point — I think it was after 2 p.m. — my number got called. I took my birth certificate, passport, original Social Security card and my driver’s license up to Window 1.

I explained to the lady there that I was there to apply for retirement benefits. She replied that I couldn’t.

“We’re not able to take your application today. You have to make an appointment,” she said kindly. That didn’t seem very efficient.

“How soon can I get one?” I asked.

She consulted her computer. The answer was May 20 — which also did not seem very efficient.

But, now you know that you’re going to have to wait about eight weeks just to begin the process of applying for Social Security, if you apply in person at 166su’s office. For me, this is a problem.

You see, it means I probably won’t get my first Social Security check until June, at the earliest. If I miss two checks the total will fall between $5,000 and $10,000, real money.

So I left 166su’s Social Security office. The next day, I emailed the media relations folks for Social Security in Virginia. They’re in Philadelphia, go figure.

I sent them seven questions Friday around lunchtime. I asked for answers by Monday at noon, a not unreasonable time frame. They answered two of the seven questions, way past my deadline. Not very efficient, huh?

The first was, how many people work in 166su’s Social Security office? Is that number the same as last year, more than last year, or fewer than last year? No answer.

Next: On a typical business day, how many of that office’s 23 public-service windows are open to help the public handle business? Has that number increased recently, decreased, or is it roughly the same as it was last year? No answer.

Also: Are there any plans to close the Social Security office in 166su? If so, when will that happen? Are there plans to further reduce staffing in the 166su office? Or, to increase staffing? If so, by how many staffers?

Fordham replied there are no plans to close 166su’s office. Fordham added: “The agency plans to reduce the size of its bloated workforce and organizational structure, with a significant focus on functions and employees who do not directly provide mission critical services. The staff in SSA field offices directly work with the public.”

With only two of 23 service windows open, the 166su field office didn’t appear bloated with personnel at all.

The final question was this: Is a two-month wait for an appointment (just to apply in person for retirement benefits with Social Security) an average wait time? If not, what is the average wait time for a prospective beneficiary who has reached retirement age?

No answer to that one, either.

That’s not very efficient. But it might help to explain why folks will be demonstrating Saturday.