[Lou L]

The system is not sustainable as it is, so some means-testing, along with changes such as raising the retirement age, may be necessary. But saying that someone who has paid into the system his whole life should get nothing because he has a lot of other income in retirement seems wrong to me.

Agreed. Not only then does SS become a huge and grossly-unfair tax on both individuals and companies, it punishes many who've sacrificed and saved all their lives.

[mlo]

"But saying that someone who has paid into the system his whole life should get nothing because he has a lot of other income in retirement seems wrong to me."

But that's exactly how most government programs work. I've paid income taxes my whole life. The government doesn't pay me any of that money back.

The problem is people think SS is some kind of 401K. It's not. You've been paying SS taxes to fund other people's retirement just like you pay income taxes to fund welfare or crop subsidies or defense. It stopped being your money when the government took it out of your check.

[hinckley buzzard]

... then does SS become a huge and grossly-unfair tax

It always has been. Especially for working Blacks, who because of their relatively short life expectancy often do not even recoup what they paid in.