Reply #12: I take op post to be referring 2 "spirit" of the law, not "letter"

[Kashka-Kat]

you know psychologically, culturally weve not viewed it as "entitlement" in same sense as like say "aid for dependent children," due to the prepayment feature and the universality of participation.

Money you pay into your homeowners insurance isn't put into your own little savings account either but still there is the expectation (heck legal responsibility) that the corp. will pay out under circumstances described in your contract.

op (and all of us) are well justified in our outrage and sense of betrayal at less than scrupulous individuals and orgs who want to take advantage of the weaknesses in the system for fun and profit, and FINALLY getting rid of that evil bastard FDR (sarcasm).

Ive been around for quite a few decades now and always this "borrowing" from ss was accompanied with discussion of the need to "someday" repay this... And now, like, suddenly we're supposed to say "oh, ok, I guess the law sez our benefits are 'entitlement' which can be cut." I don't think so...