[saradippity]

The money was never there. It was simply spent every year by dumping the money into the general fund. The banks had nothing to do with it.

And once the money was in the general fund it was used as part of the monies available to fund any program the politicians and bureaucrats wanted to spend it on.

I think that only happened about twenty five years ago and there was quite a tahoo about it. Do you recall?

[achilles2000]

I think what happened some years ago was that they created a “unified budget” for counting SS receipts against other spending to make deficits look smaller. Before that the money was still being spent as it came in.

[oldbrowser]

I think that only happened about twenty five years ago and there was quite a tahoo about it. Do you recall?

It started with LBJ's "war on poverty" and spread to just general throw around money.