Reply #19: Here's a serious answer for you

[Tiberius]

While over the long term, stocks will earn a decent return, 7% or so... who gets to decide what the mix of investments are? What stocks would be bought, what fixed income assets should be bought, etc.?

The issue of safety is paramount - after all, those mortgage securities received Triple AAA+ gold star ratings - what if they were added to your social security portfolio, and tanked for you right before retirement?

SOCIAL SECURITY is named that for a reason. It's a backstop. It's all you have if you don't save, and should never be risked, nor should it be poached for 1 or 2% a year by so called "fund managers" who can't beat the market anyway.