[Bruce Campbells Chin]

My understanding of some of the privatization proposals is that you would have the option of keeping your money with the feds, or investing it in private securities. In general, I don't think most such proposals contain an "opt-out" provision where you can just keep all the money that would have gone to SS and not invest any of it. If I'm wrong, fine. Then my question would only pertain to plans that fit those criteria.

[johniegrad]

That’s why it is not the same scenario. You have to have SS payroll deductions by law and that is not the question. The Obamacare individual mandate requires that you purchase something from a particular vendor. The SS analogy does not work because you have an option of how those taxes are invested. You are not forced to purchase anything from a specific vendor even though you are required to pay the tax.