Whatever we think of social security, it was never ever intended as a “liveable tetirement sum”. Only as a supplement to your regular savings and investing and any pensions you might earn and any annuities you might choose to acquire. Even FDR broadcast repeated speeches or statements to this effect. To convert it into a liveable sum, we would have to raise the contributions a lot - and terminate the sucking off of contributions for ( very thinly ) disguised welfare type payments It could probably be done but I sure wouldn’t recommend it as good public policy for America.
#14 Only as a supplement to your regular savings and investing and any pensions you might earn
The problem is gov’t has taxed us so we cannot have savings!