I wish I had a particular form of welfare. I’ve never received anything. Not even a student loan.
But I can see that some things need to continue.SS benefits need to continue if only for the reason that so many people have already paid into them their whole life.
They didn’t “pay into” anything. Payroll taxes are just taxes. There is no lockbox, trust account or anything else. The money is simply spent as it comes in - just like the money from income taxes, tariffs, etc. I am no more entitled to something because I have paid payroll tax all my life than I am entitled to something because I have paid sales taxes or income taxes. The idea that paying payroll taxes is somehow “special” is just another government engendered delusion. Social security is just another income transfre program - welfare without much of a means test.