Reply #14: My opinion has to do with how secure it would be - [View All]

[pinkpops]

Of course social security has its problems, not the least of which being it has been tapped into to pay the national debt. But to contrast it to what you suggest, it was never meant to be a personal savings account, but rather a fund by which those who are young and earning at their peak (like you) contribute to a fund which gives some measure of security to those who are older and unable to earn at their peak. I personally am still earning a good living, though I am nearing retirement age, but I know this will not last forever, and I have an older parent who draws SS, as I expect to some day. You can argue that each person should take personal responsibility for their future financial wellbeing, but those of us that accept some measure of being our brother's keeper would argue that is not workable, since many people cannot or will not save for the future unless they have to. Simply cutting them loose will not solve the problem - it will come back to visit in many ways.