This episode began with Social Security projections and expanded into DAC eligibility, administrative pressure, federal voter data access, Project 2025, recount efforts, and concerns about national election control.
Social Security Trust Fund — 2033 / 2034 Projection
The episode opened with discussion of the projected Social Security trust fund depletion date — cited as 2033 or 2034 depending on the study referenced.
Clarification made on air:
* This does not mean checks stop.
* It means the trust fund would contain IOUs rather than liquid funds.
* Congress has borrowed from the trust fund for decades, replacing funds with government bonds (IOUs).
The Social Security wage cap was also discussed:
* Contributions are capped (approx. $174,000 referenced in discussion).
DAC (Disabled Adult Child) Benefits
Official SSA DAC information:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0300203040
This is not the public-facing summary page. It is the internal SSA policy manual used to interpret and apply eligibility rules.
Points stated on air:
* Disability must occur before age 22.
* Parent or step-parent must be receiving Social Security.
* DAC does not operate under the same income limits as SSI.
* Administrative staff attempted to apply a support requirement that was argued to be incorrect for DAC eligibility.
The POMS manual was referenced because it is harder to locate through a basic search and reflects the actual rule interpretation used by SSA staff.
Administrative Pressure & AI Concerns
Discussion included:
* Difficulty qualifying for disability.
* Phone calls encouraging return to work despite permanent disability.
* Concern that AI systems may be used to automate benefit determinations and denials.
Minnesota — Hand Counts vs Machine Counts
Irregularities in Minnesota were mentioned, despite Minnesota voting blue.
Election Truth Alliance Report:
https://electiontruthalliance.org/new-special-report-minnesota-hand-counts-vs-machine-counts/
Uploaded Minnesota ETA PDF (referenced):
Minnesota Secretary of State 2024 Precinct Results Spreadsheet:
Nebraska Voter Data Case
We discussed reporting that Nebraska will hand over sensitive voter data — including dates of birth, addresses, and partial Social Security numbers — to the U.S. Department of Justice after losing a court case.
Article referenced:
The DOJ has filed suits seeking voter roll access in multiple states.
Project 2025 — National Control Concern
Project 2025 was referenced in relation to concerns about elections being run under a more centralized national framework.
The discussion connected:
* Federal voter data access
* Enforcement structure
* National influence over systems that interact with elections
The broader concern raised: when control over data and enforcement shifts, public trust can erode.
Jason’s Letter to Michigan Officials
Referenced on air:
Jason wrote to the Michigan Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Governor requesting review and hand-count verification of select precincts.
Letter:
Key point made:
If elections are free and fair, a limited hand recount should not be controversial.
22-Month Ballot Retention Timeline
It was stated that states must retain ballots for 22 months, with the retention period ending September 2026.
This timeline was cited as a reason for pushing recount efforts now.
This Will Hold — Recount Effort
Petition referenced during the episode:
* Initially for Wisconsin
* Mentioned as potentially including Michigan
* Signature count cited around 1,900 at the time of discussion
Petition:
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/160/567/279/petition-for-hand-count-audits-in-wisconsin/
Anyone may sign.
State-Level Leverage — Related Reading
We discussed leveraging states as a mechanism for accountability.
Related article exploring state-level legislative approaches:
Christopher Armitage — Four Laws To End The Fascist Madness
This article outlines proposed state-based legislative responses concerning election protection and federal accountability.
Pam Bondi Segment — Market vs Accountability
Pam Bondi’s congressional exchange was discussed, including:
* Deflection to stock market performance.
* Exchange with Jamie Raskin.
* Visual observation that she would not look at a victim during testimony.
Referenced commentary:
Discussion contrasted lack of U.S. consequences with investigations occurring in Europe.
Closing Position
What we were really circling today is this: when people start feeling like the safety net is unstable and elections are negotiable, something deeper shifts.
It’s not just about a trust fund projection or a ballot challenge number. It’s about whether institutions feel steady. Because if Social Security can feel like it’s being drained, and voter data can feel like it’s being centralized, and enforcement can feel political, then people start asking a very basic question — what exactly am I participating in? That’s where legitimacy starts to wobble.
And that’s why I keep coming back to the states where authority still exists. If we want accountability, it isn’t going to arrive from Washington but come from pressure applied where leverage still lives.
That’s the throughline.
Thank you Kami, Dina b Porter, Patricia A. Burgemeister, and many others for tuning into Rigged by Design with Jason and me. Join us for our next live video in the app on Feb 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. EST.
Truth doesn’t come in neutral — Zorha.
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