The problem with SS is people actually think it's their own money, whether it's witheld from their paychecks or arrives at their door in the form of a check. This belief is encouraged by politicians and leftists.
If people were educated on how it really isn't their money, I think we could get something going here. A thinking person would respond, "It's not my money??! Well, it should be!! I should be free to keep more of my hard-earned money to save for my own retirement!!"
I still like to think most Americans are thinking people. :-)
I can't figure out what kind of a program people think it is. Democrats call it an insurance program. However, insurance does not pay back everyone who pays in. It pays those who have claims, only. Imagine how much your car insurance would go up, if the companies had to refund every old person everything they paid over their lifetimes when they stopped driving. Pretty silly, right?
We don't sit around trying to figure out how to get back the money we have paid on homeowners' insurance. I think most people are glad not to have claims. If people could get sane in this way we could means test beneficiaries and everyone else could be grateful not to be in their situation. Middle class entitlements is something that is unafforable.
There was some gal who called into Rush's program - the first thing she said was, "just send me MY MONEY". I was stunned that she actually believed it was her money and that it was being saved in some account just waiting for her to withdraw it.
The President needs to make this point VERY VERY CLEAR. It does present the MAIN REASON WHY PEOPLE SHOULD WANT TO OWN THEIR ACCOUNT.
Also .. if I should die tomorrow - all that money I put in is just GONE - there is nothing for me to leave to my family.