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I wasn't necessarily criticizing privatization. I was criticizing reform. Reform, in any form, obviously is not going to happen before a collapse of the system. All pyramid schemes eventually collapse under their own weight.

I favor the knife through the heart approach, but take a look at the political will on both sides of the aisle in Washington. There ain't none and it won't be fixed. Privatization might be the best solution if we weren't knee-deep in alligators trying to drain the swamp.

Back to the cap. There is no SS system except in the way the Feds pay money to recipients and keep a ledger on who pays how much under FICA. There is no Trust Fund. So, FICA is just another way for the Federal Government to collect from the middle class. It all goes into the same pot. You and I are paying 12.4%, without deductions, on the first 80+ grand plus whatever we pay in Federal Income Tax. If you are fortunate enough to make more than the cap you are NOT paying 12.4% - you are paying something less, plus your Income Tax.

ie., if the cap is 80 grand and you make 800 grand, you are paying 1.24% in FICA.

Talk all you want about reform (or in my case about killing the system), that is not fair and equitable. Until the system fails we all should be paying equally or not at all.

Ah, but even though we've long ago left the agrarian oriented society and spent billions of dollars on education you are too stupid to decide what is best for you. Just look at how you spend, spend, spend. The average American couple owes $25,000 and has little or no savings. Thank goodness FDR was smart enough to implement a German ponzi scheme imported via Chile during the depression so that you could be fleeced of 12.4% of your money. Why if you were left to invest that money on your own, at a 10% annual return, you'd be a multi millionaire by the time you were 65. Then where would you be?

I get confused too. ;>)