In a recent tête-à-tête with Fox Business, Elon Musk decided to unleash a diatribe against Social Security, yes, that beloved safety net for countless retirees, is apparently a hot mess of fraud, according to the billionaire. Musk, who’s currently advising Donald Trump (because, why not?), pitched an eyebrow-raising claim that we need to slash $500 billion to $700 billion from government spending. His particular bugbear? Entitlement programs, which he insists are overflowing with chicanery.

Now, let’s take a moment to absorb Musk’s colorful assertion that there are 20 million deceased individuals still allegedly marked as breathing in the Social Security database. Spoiler alert: the head honcho of the Social Security Administration recently refuted this, confirming these so-called “ghosts” aren’t exactly cashing checks.

Musk’s musings don’t just rattle the cage of the government; they threaten the very foundation of programs that countless folks rely upon, particularly during retirement. He’s not just going rogue, he’s aiming for a ‘chainsaw massacre’ of entitlement spending, shaking up the political sphere while he does it. Even members of Trump’s own party are showing signs of hesitation, with a handful pushing back against cutting the very programs that keep many Americans afloat.

When it comes to entitlement programs, he’s channeling a classic trope: the Demonization of Safety Nets. His comments echo trenches plowed by the right for decades, the usual line about attracting immigrants by paying them. Let’s get real, Musk. This ain’t just policy talk; it’s a smear tactic whipped up straight from the far-right playbook.

Despite his sudden rise to influence in the red-tinted corridors of Washington, opinion polls indicate that many Americans aren’t exactly jazzed about Musk’s role. Around half think it’s a downright bad idea to let the founder of Tesla wield such power. Yet, here we are, as Musk flashes his badge of ‘government scaler’ while promising a ‘fine-tuned’ approach to cutting back on government spending.

Let’s cut to the chase: if you think that meddling with something as vital as Social Security is going to help anyone other than Musk, then you’re in for a surprise. Spoiler alert: it won’t. The only thing getting cut is the buffer for millions of Americans who have earned those benefits while toiling away in this capitalistic grindhouse.

Welcome to the year 2025, where the rich get richer, and the safety net for everyone else is in the crosshairs of a billionaire playboy searching for a legacy.