[silverleaf]

do not associate social security with Medicaid and section 8

the recipients of the latter put NOTHING into the system

social security - some recipients AND their employers have paid SS taxes for 20-30-40 years - with NO CHOICE to opt out and invest privately- and trusted “the govt” to invest or manage the money as their retirement supplement

big difference between welfare and SS even though they are govt programs

[Alberta's Child]

I understand that, but from a financial standpoint it doesn't really matter whether it's "welfare" as you've described it.

My point is that the government is bankrupt, to the point where even the taxpayers aren't on the hook for a big chunk of government expenditures.

[DuncanWaring]

First Social Security recipient - Ida May Fuller - paid $22 in FICA taxes over the course of her working life - collected $22,000 in Social Security payments.

She was a welfare recipient.