[Just another Joe]

First, people ar collecting many multiples of what they actually paid in.

Make that people and I'm with you.
Others will never collect a dime, and others will collect less than what they put in.

In fact, my first check from Social Securty, which made me wait 2 years, was more than the sum of my contributions.

Then you are one of the lucky ones in this regard. Count your blessings.

One way out of this mess would be to means test

They already do this. If you make over a certain amount per year, and it's not a large amount by any means, you can't collect SS.

As far as insurance goes, I pay my car insurance out of my own after tax money.
The government TAKES my SS, I have no choice to participate or not unless I choose not to work and starve.

It comes down to the government telling me that it knows better than me what to do with MY money.

[Just another Joe]

That should have been, "Make that some people".
I must have goofed on the HTML.

[nascarnation]

If you make over a certain amount per year, and it's not a large amount by any means, you can't collect SS.

incorrect

from ssa.gov:

We use a formula to determine how much your benefit must be reduced: If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2006, that limit is $12,480. For 2007 that limit will be $12,960.

In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit, but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age.

If you reach full retirement age in 2006, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $33,240. (If you were born in 1940, your full retirement age is 65 years and 6 months.)

If you will reach full retirement age in 2007, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $34,440. (If you were born in 1941, your full retirement age is 65 years and 8 months.)

Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, you can get your benefits with no limit on your earnings.

[ClaireSolt]

I don't think this is true, at all. "If you make over a certain amount per year, and it's not a large amount by any means, you can't collect SS." One think that irks me is to see that talk shos activist rhapsodizing about his $1500 monthy Social Security check and read he and Marlo thomas sold their house in Conn for $75m.