1. American suckers--I mean, workers--paid into social security, and government spent the money.
2. How about we grow up and learn to save or starve instead.
I did, my wife and I have a full gamut of 401K/403B, IRAs, and several pensions. However, over a course of forty years I have been forced to pay into Social Security a tidy sum. I am expecting that before the clock runs out on that Ponzi Scheme, Congress will pass a "means" test and I will be disqualified because my net worth is above the threshold. And that eventuality really honks me off!
As an exercise in futility I once calculated what I would have grossed if I had invested my SS taxes in the stock market at an assumed 10% return. I would have NO problem retiring and living on the interest/dividends.
Regards,
GtG