Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   Social Security Date:   3/4/2016 4:32:52 PM

I agree with you for the most part.  I never paid into SS, so therefore will never collect benefits.  But I was required to pay into Medicare. However, in the late 80's the government changed its retirement plan to include a small pension from the government, TSP (matched if the people put their money in, but the government still pays some amount in) and SS.  So I wonder what they were thinking when they did that? 

Yes, it was never intended to be a retirement fund, but if you look at the numbers of people that have retirement savings, and no retirement benfit outside of SS.  Scary.  And if SS isn't there anymore, what will they do?  of course, under your proposal, they would likely meet the means test.  I actually blame employers for not telling young employees that SS is not a retirement fund and that they better save some money on their own.... but people being people, they likely would say they can't afford to save now and they'll worry about it later.

Regarding the rise in retirement age. I have pondered this quite a bit.  It's easy to say, but I wonder how many workers are fit to work until 70?  I'm thinking across the broad spectrum of people from laborers, moving men, things that require some level of manual labor.  Will these people still be able to do the job at age 70?  I don't know. And if they can't do the job and have to wait for benefits what will they live on?  And if you retain all these older people, what will become of the young people that should be taking their place?