[ClaireSolt]

Well, you may be thinking, but you don't have enough facts to think intelligently. First, people ar collecting many multiples of what they actually paid in. Because of inflation, actual contributions look puny compared to benefits. In fact, my first check from Social Securty, which made me wait 2 years, was more than the sum of my contributions. I will draw benefits for about 30 years based on the contributions of others.

One way out of this mess would be to means test and then refund contributions of those who do not need support. However, that is just pandering. If SS is insurance then all who do not become dissabled or impoverished shoud be grateful for that and thankful for the coverage. They don't get their accumulated car insurance payments back wieh they quit driving. Likewise, they ar not entitled to a rfund of social insurance payments, either.

Bush, as a lame duck, should be able to lead some bipartisan efforts like this.

[USS Alaska]

Well, you may be thinking, but you don't have enough facts to think intelligently. First, people ar collecting many multiples of what they actually paid in. Because of inflation, actual contributions look puny compared to benefits.

1) Your "facts" are only your experience and do not represent all reality

2) I've been paying SS tax since 1959 and on a present value basis, at 5% apr, the value of my "contributions" would have been $3.3 million at age 65. Compare that to the roughly 2K per month I now receive, that is puny.

3) Do not state that contributions are puny compared to benefits. Nothing is farther from the facts.

[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.

[meyer]

One way out of this mess would be to means test and then refund contributions of those who do not need support.

That is exactly the WRONG thing to do. That would turn SS into more of a welfare program than it already is. The correct thing to do is completely separate the accounts of individuals so that each individual's SS benefit is directly linked to the amount that they "invested" over their working lifetime.

Means-testing is simply another layer of socialism added to what is already a redistribution scheme.

[3AngelaD]

Since we have all been paying into SS, your proposal to means test at this late date would come at the expense of those those thrifty souls who scrimped and saved to have a little more, on top of SS, at the end of their lives. It would punish them for saving. I don't think that is good policy, it would encourage irresponsible financial practices.