SS was working for many years when American workers supported those retired. It was a system that provided job opportunities when people retired and relieved those working for providing home and health care for their parents.
SS started to fall apart when the American jobs were exported and neither the foreign workers nor their employers paid into the SS system.
Bring the jobs back, put American workers paying into the SS system again and it will be on its way to recovery.
Don’t forget, in addition, when SS began, the average white American Woman (ages are lower for other populations) could only expect a lifespan of about 67 years. Today that has jumped to a little over 80 years. No one wants to talk about the fact that this was designed for most people never to reach the age in which they would actually retire and get benefits.
What you are imagining is we can bring broom making back to America and put millions to work. It doesn't work that way.