This taxpayer-subsidized "adult baby" would be a good starting point for DOGE

Should taxpayers be forced to enable a 43-year-old man to stay out of the workforce, because he claims his "disability" is having to wear diapers, be bottle-fed by a caregiver, and play all day?

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Hi Elon and Vivek:

Thank you for creating and co-piloting DOGE.

Here’s one suggestion that I think will increase your ROI: Create short written reports and videos that explain and justify DOGE principles and recommendations, in ways that everyday Americans — including adolescents, who will be voting in a few years — can understand, and relate to their own lives.

A good starting point would be the case of Stanley Thornton, whom American taxpayers are being forced to subsidize, so he can live as… an “adult baby.”

Properly framed and publicized, I think an overwhelming majority of Americans would be outraged at stories such as this one, especially every time they open their paychecks, and see all those deductions... and realize the money they earn is enabling this madness. Ultimately, I believe stories such as this will help to buoy DOGE, and enable it to fight back, when it comes under attack by (a) those with vested interests in continuing to engage in behaviors that exploit US taxpayers — and (b) those within our government who enable them.

Sincerely,

Jon Sutz
Deputy Community WatchDOGE
December 6, 2024

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Introduction

From 2002-2011, National Geographic broadcast an original program, “Taboo: Fantasy Lives.” National Geographic described its program as profiling “the world’s greatest taboos, some of which include extreme collections, disgusting jobs, weird weddings and fetishes.”

Here is a 5-minute excerpt of an episode of “Taboo” that aired on May 4, 2011, that focused on Stanley Thornton, a 30-year-old American man who claimed he lives as an “adult baby” — meaning, he wears a diaper, is bottle-fed by a caregiver, and sleeps in a crib:

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“Taboo” also revealed that Thornton lives on Social Security Disability (SSDI), because he allegedly has a condition called “paraphilic infantilism” — despite the fact as the program showed him building a super-sized crib that he designed, to accommodate his 350 lbs:

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According to “Taboo,” his next project was to design and build a super-sized highchair for himself.

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After a US Senator requested that the Social Security Administration investigate Thornton’s alleged “disability,” he threatened to commit suicide if his benefits are taken away

In response to “Taboo,” on May 16, 2011, Sen. Tom Corburn (R-OK) sent a letter to Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Patrick P. O’Carroll Jr., requesting that he investigate Thornton’s “disability.” In his letter, Coburn stated:

“Given that Mr. Thornton is able to determine what is appropriate attire and actions in public, drive himself to complete errands, design and custom-make baby furniture to support a 350-pound adult and run an Internet support group*, it is possible that he has been improperly collecting disability benefits for a period of time.”

(*Thornton’s site was located at “AdultBedwettingABDL.com,” which is no longer operating; here is a November 2020 archive. Thornton apparently moved the content to his Facebook page, where he announced in April 2024 that he “got approved for new home.” - J)

The Washington Times also reported that in response to an email request for comment, Thornton threatened to commit suicide if his Social Security benefits are taken away:

“You wanna test how damn serious I am about leaving this world, screw with my check that pays for this apartment and food. Try it. See how serious I am. I don’t care. I have no problem killing myself. Take away the last thing keeping me here, and see what happens. Next time you see me on the news, it will be me in a body bag.”

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The Social Security Administration cleared Thornton of fraud, and announced he will continue receiving taxpayer-funded benefits

Five months later, on October 18, 2011, the Washington Times reported that the SSA cleared Thornton of fraud, and declared he will continue receiving taxpayer benefits — which, as revealed in “Taboo,” include his housing and food expenses:

The California man who lives part of his life as an “adult baby” and collects Social Security disability payments says the federal agency has cleared him of wrongdoing and will continue sending checks. […]

“We recently reviewed the evidence in your Social Security disability claim and find that your disability is continuing,” the agency said in an August letter that Mr. Thornton posted on the website he maintains to document his adult baby lifestyle. […]

Stanley Thornton Jr. now wants an apology from Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican who called for the benefit review because the investigation disrupted the final months of life for his roommate Sandra Dias, who playacted as his mother, spoon-feeding him and helping him into his baby clothes until her death in July.

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Since his victory, Thornton was profiled on numerous high-profile media platforms over the next eight years

• The 31-year-old man who lives as an adult baby... and even sleeps in a crib - World News, Mirror Online, September 25, 2012

• Only in America: The 'adult baby' who collects Social Security, The Week, January 8, 2015

• “The Wizard of Odd TV” 5-minute video profile, February 19, 2018

And on August 14, 2019, Thornton was the subject of a 21-minute feature on a TLC program called, “My Crazy Obsession”:

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What signals did the Social Security Administration’s decision regarding Thornton — and the publicly it received — send to fraudsters?

I think this is a question that merits an investigation, because humans — including fraudsters — act on information, and incentives.

America got an object lesson in this fact via the COVID relief programs. Every variant of fraudster was incentivized to file bogus claims in order to get “free” loans. It ended up becoming a free-for-all of crime against the US Treasury, that ended up costing the US taxpayer an estimated $200 billion. And as Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who oversaw COVID expenditures, later said, the entire program was structured as “an invitation” to fraudsters (emphasis added):

“The Small Business Administration, in sending that money out, basically said to people, ‘Apply and sign and tell us that you're really entitled to the money.’ And, of course, for fraudsters, that's an invitation. What didn't happen was even minimal checks to make sure that the money was getting to the right people at the right time.”

Returning now to Social Security Disability, the cost to US taxpayers to support the program has exploded since 1960. As of 2023, Americans paid nearly $150 billion each year to support those who receive benefits from Social Security Disability:

Further, while the US population grew 68% from 1970-2021, during the same time period the number of American adults receiving Social Security Disability grew by 527% — nearly eight times faster:

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How many more “adult babies” are American taxpayers being forced to subsidize, to stay out of the workforce?

Undoubtedly, some on the Social Security Disability have actual disabilities, as defined by common sense, and legitimate medical diagnostics.

But the Social Security Administration’s decision regarding Stanley Thornton, in 2011, undoubtedly signaled an open invitation for fraudsters to claim all manner of “disabilities.”

If DOGE is going to investigate this matter, I suggest there should be one other aspect of it that should be looked into: How many of the estimated 13 million illegal aliens whom Biden-Harris allowed onto US soil are exploiting our Social Security Disability program’s currently insane approval standards, as well?

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