[kabar]

The Social Security system can not sustain the corrupt political system that uses it for a slush fund. Put back the $13.4T and it will survive greatly.

Where did you get the $13.4 T from?

Even if the SSTF contained cash instead of $2.4 trillion in interest bearing, non-market T-bills, SS would still go broke. It is not sustainable from an actuarial standpoint. You must either cut benefits or increase taxes or some combination thereof to keep it going.

SS is a pay as you go system. Today's workers pay for today's retirees. SS has been running in the red since 2010.

Source: CBO “Combined OASDI Trust Funds; January 2011 Baseline” 26 Jan 2011.

Note: See “Primary Surplus” line (which is negative, indicating a deficit)

[mountainlion]

Where did you get the $13.4 T from?

A radio talk show on KOA I think said it. JFK was the first to break the piggy bank and remove monies and leave an IOU. When all the IOUs are added up it comes to $13.4T.

[mountainlion]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/16/social-security-ious-stashed-away-in-wva/

This is another quick source to the IOUs but not the total. Newt Gingrich said a couple times on radio that he hated it each year when CONgress spent the “surplus”.