The Social Security Trust Fund is a Myth. Saying Social Security is self Funded is another myth. Whatever is collected in FICA Taxes is robbed by the politicians to pay for other projects.
The saddest part of the coming Social Security / Medicare shipwreck is that the b@stards responsible will skate on any blame.
Actually, both are true. However, as you correctly point out, Whatever is collected in FICA Taxes is robbed by the politicians to pay for other projects. Congress (and the people who elected them) is the problem. Simply put, if anyone OTHER THAN congress were doing this, they would be in prison. Just ask Bernie Madoff. In fact, what congress has done, and continues to do, is far worse than what Madoff did: At least with Madoff, his victims contributed to him voluntarily. He didn't effectively hold a gun to their head, as does congress.
Mark