Ryan's right; the bulk of the problem right now is medical costs. Your post #12, however, creates the impression you think Social Security is the big problem right now; it's not.
It ultimately needs to have a stake driven through its heart, but right now it's a minor problem.
There are 54 million on SS and it is now permanently in the red. The debate about whether Social Security faces a problem is over. The 2011 trustees report shows that the program already faces massive permanent annual deficits. In 2010, Social Security spent $49 billion more in benefits than it took in from its payroll tax. This year, that deficit will be approximately $46 billion. Now is the time to focus on solutions.
After adjusting for inflation, annual deficits will reach $81.5 billion in 2020, $288.4 billion in 2030, and $343.6 billion in 2035.
In FY 2010 we spent $3.5 trillion and took in $2.2 trillion. How do you propose we balance the budget any time soon?