How much Fraud, Waste and Abuse is there in the Social Security Administration?

For Donald Trump and Elon Musk, truth is easily defeated.

Jonathan Swift, one of history’s great satirists and takers-down of emperors wearing no clothes, once wrote:

[A]s the vilest Writer has his Readers, so the greatest Liar has his Believers; and it often happens, that if a Lie be believ’d only for an Hour, it has done its Work, and there is no farther occasion for it. Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it; so that when Men come to be undeceiv’d, it is too late; the Jest is over, and the Tale has had its Effect…

As true today as it was 300 years ago. .

This is a series on the “FRAUD WASTE ABUSE” mantra being chanted as though it summons some great evil power to be held to account. Ending the evil of “FRAUD WASTE ABUSE” is the universal magical remedy that will heal all that ails us Americans.

The mantra has been used to attack the Social Security Administration repeatedly over the decades. These posts will explore two instances in past decades where the mantra was employed with unfortunate consequences and little benefit.

First: What actually is Fraud? What is Waste? What is abuse?