Social Security was and has been held up as proof that the federal government is caring for all its citizens and helping them in their lives. It intended to give security income for aged, disabled, blind, and dependent mothers and children as well as act as a fund for unemployment insurance since 1935. Although it offers all those benefits, it is commonly referred to as retirement income for all, starting at the age of 65, and is the primary purpose for the overwhelming majority of the US population.
What gets "lost in translation", however, is how unlikely social security will actually do anything for retirees. Since its inception, the qualifying age for retirement benefit has been 65. But in the years between 1935 and 1950, the average life expectancy of US citizens only made it to 71 years old. In fact, no one's life expectancy was higher than 65 until women reached that mark in 1940, and men on average didn't make the 65 mark until 1949-1950. Social Security, in its early years, was never actually intended to help most retirees since the majority of the population never lived long enough to receive it!
In the following decades since, the average life expectancy has increased in the US, and although the base age for receiving PARTIAL social security retirement benefit has stayed at 65, the requiring age for FULL retirement benefit has increased accordingly. As of 2015, a citizen must stay in the workforce until 70+ years old to receive FULL benefit and the average life expectancy of US citizens is 78.
Of course, the other uses for Social Security is important, but only affects a pretty small percentage of Americans. Even unemployment benefits is only available to anyone for a limited amount of time (supposed to be long enough for someone to find another job) and that only pertains to 5% of the population today, and claiming unemployment benefits for the average citizen takes longer to receive than it takes to find another job. The most viable application for Social Security that pertains to the general population is to keep you out of pain while you die for the last 5-6 years of your life, NOT help you be income secure during your retirement.
Given all these facts, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Social Security is often used as a "slush fund" in big government spending. After all, no one can ever receive the full amount of money they put in, and the system was designed that way. In fact, one could say that using Social Security money for other uses was the intention all along!
Don't be fooled by rhetoric. Since the inception of social programs, socialism has not and never will be about bettering the lives of the people.
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