Matthew Borus

“In the last year, it’s gotten a lot worse” A Qualitative Investigation of Barriers to Disability Benefits in 2025 - DREDF The Mobility Device User Survey (MDUS) reported here was stimulated by reports from mobility device users of the many problems, limitations, and long waits associated with the process of acquiring a m...

I'm thrilled to announce a new report I wrote with @ksavin.bsky.social and @calliefreitag.bsky.social on the impact of DOGE/Trump 2.0 turmoil on Social Security disability programs.

As the title says, these programs have always been tough to navigate. But in the last year, they've gotten worse.

My report with @jacklandry.bsky.social estimating the impacts of the SSI Restoration Act of 2024 is out today! If you enjoyed the earlier blog preview you really ought to check it out! And it turns out this is timely: Rep. Grijalva is introducing the SSI Restoration Act of 2026 this week.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a young person soon after the 2024 election. He told me his concern was not for himself, but for others, since he’d be safe as a white guy.

He clearly wanted to express solidarity, but he was actually foreclosing an affirmation of shared interest.

Must-read new report!

It's excellent work, providing crucial insight into how service to Social Security applicants and beneficiaries deteriorated over the past year.

It's especially important now that SSA leadership has removed most customer-facing metrics from public view.

Idaho considers an 'apocalyptic' choice for disabled people and families Difficult budget decisions in a number of states are threatening vital programs for disabled people at home and caregivers in the workforce.

States have started proposing steep reductions in disability services to cope with Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Idaho is the first to suggest scrapping home care altogether — An action with a high human cost. My latest @19thnews.org.

Thing is, I don't really believe that Israel forced the US's hand here, no matter what Rubio may say. The US just doesn't take actions it does not want to take. What is actually happening here is much darker - Rubio is using Israel as a scapegoat to avoid taking US responsibility for the war.

AAPD and Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund are proud to share important new independent research about recent changes in the Social Security Administration (SSA). This research confirms advocate concerns and provides recommendations for improvement. Read it here: https://ow.ly/v8JF50Yo94T

Thank you, goat!

And in the meantime, so so much thanks to all the comms folks at @aapd.com and @dredf.bsky.social.

Doing professional communications is such a critical skill set, and I’m so glad that they’re with us on this report.

“In the last year, it’s gotten a lot worse” A Qualitative Investigation of Barriers to Disability Benefits in 2025 - DREDF This report is based on interviews with 52 benefits professionals serving over 8,000 disability claimants nationwide. The independent research finds that recent Social Security Administration administ...

I will post a thread on this report...soon. Probably tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'd love for folks to read it. Or even skim the executive summary. The design/comms team at @dredf.bsky.social is very very good and made it really nice to look at. dredf.org/ssa-barriers...

“In the last year, it’s gotten a lot worse” A Qualitative Investigation of Barriers to Disability Benefits in 2025 - DREDF The Mobility Device User Survey (MDUS) reported here was stimulated by reports from mobility device users of the many problems, limitations, and long waits associated with the process of acquiring a m...

Thanks so much--it's now available to read! dredf.org/ssa-barriers...

“In the last year, it’s gotten a lot worse” A Qualitative Investigation of Barriers to Disability Benefits in 2025 - DREDF The Mobility Device User Survey (MDUS) reported here was stimulated by reports from mobility device users of the many problems, limitations, and long waits associated with the process of acquiring a m...

Hot off the presses: new research with colleagues Katie Savin and @matthewborus.bsky.social about how DOGE and Trump 2.0's changes at SSA affected disability claimants. The upshot: it's always been hard to access disability benefits, but now it's gotten worse.

dredf.org/ssa-barriers...

Thank you so much--I really appreciate that! Happy to talk about it if you or anyone else wants to.

For those who saw this post this morning, the report is now live on both the @dredf.bsky.social and @aapd.com websites.

I'll post a thread here later on, but for now, you can read it yourself by going to the PDF at the link below. Please check it out!

“In the last year, it’s gotten a lot worse” A Qualitative Investigation of Barriers to Disability Benefits in 2025 - DREDF The Mobility Device User Survey (MDUS) reported here was stimulated by reports from mobility device users of the many problems, limitations, and long waits associated with the process of acquiring a m...

I'm thrilled to announce a new report I wrote with @ksavin.bsky.social and @calliefreitag.bsky.social on the impact of DOGE/Trump 2.0 turmoil on Social Security disability programs.

As the title says, these programs have always been tough to navigate. But in the last year, they've gotten worse.

A year after Trump and DOGE got their hands on a system that provides disability benefits to 16 million people, what does it look like to try to get SSI and SSDI today?

Check this account this afternoon for an in-depth qualitative report on precisely that topic.

Man, wouldn’t it be wild if the very war that inspired this insipid comment was rooted in a 1953 coup orchestrated by the US and UK?

Seems kinda like blowback.

Trump Says War Could Last Weeks and Offers Contradictory Visions of New Regime

“Mr. Trump offered several seemingly contradictory visions of how power might be transferred to a new government — or even whether the existing Iranian power structure would run that government or be overthrown.”

Almost like he has no plan or interest in one.

(Gift link via local library)

Do cats eat pasta?

Wait, so the guy who sported a Nazi tattoo for years went on a racist antisemite’s podcast and declared himself a longtime fan THIS JANUARY? Like, after he supposedly repented his past?

This clown needs to go back to selling oysters to his mom‘s restaurant or whatever. What a mess.

I'd be more inclined to believe that Graham Platner is merely a dumbass if he was making different kinds of "mistakes" instead of one very specific type of "mistake" over and over

Been thinking about how Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, where he held a fundraiser last night.

Launching this war wouldn't have been any less criminal if he'd gone back to the White House. But he could barely make it more clear that he doesn't care about the deaths and devastation he's causing.

Sorry—had to delete and repost that one to make a correction.

For comparison, the city of Tehran is home to roughly the same number of people as New York City. And Tehran is actually MORE densely populated.

Where do you think those missiles land?

Epic.

I feel like a basic humanity check when it comes to war is to ask how you’d feel if it happened in your country.

If missiles struck NYC or DC, would you accept it if the proclaimed goal was to dislodge someone awful from power, someone you hated?

I wouldn’t. (And not for lack of being a hater).

“direct your anger at trump not the democrats” buddy you are severely underestimating the amount of anger i have available to me

Sigh…decades of bloodshed in both of those countries. And he kinda failed to de-escalate the Cold War after Stalin died.

So don’t overthrow governments for oil companies, folks. The harms may reverberate for decades.

Also, no 1979 Iranian Revolution (or even one that went differently) might mean no hostage-taking at the US Embassy.

Which might well have meant Carter defeating Reagan in the 1980 election.