This is confusing, partisan article
1) It attacks Republicans attempts to adjust benefits basis a change in CPI calculation. I am curious - is Obama or anyone else proposing any reforms or changes?
2) It talks about the “trust fund” being depleted in 2031. There is NO true trust fund. It is only an on-paper accounting concept. Social Security covers present expenses with present income and “repayments” from the Federal Govt. What really should be examined is the size of the yearly gap in Soc. Sec. receipts vs. outlays, and the ability of the Federal Gov’t to cover those.
There is a real SS trust fund. It's $2.7 trillion in non-market, interest bearing T-bills are part of our $16.4 trillion national debt and held under "Intragovernmental Holdings," as distinct from the publicly held portion of the debt, which is about $11.4 trillion.
SS is a pay as you go system with today's workers paying the benefits for today's retirees. SS has been running in the red since 2010 and will continue to do until all of the SSTF is exhausted and benefits cut to just what the revenue will provide. Right now, the shortfall in revenue is being made up by cashing in the T-bills from the SSTF using the General Fund. Since we borrow 42 cents of every federal dollar spent, SS is contributing to the publicly held national debt.