[Schrodinger's Cat]

Well, I suppose this will make me sound like a Commie or something, but I say keep the current system with the provision that after Jan 1, 2006, Social Security will become a catastrophic national insurance system. Those who retire at age 65 or more and have less than $12,000 a year from private pensions and investments may tap into Social Security to make up the difference. Same for a worker who becomes disabled before retirement age. Anybody with an income from other sources over $12,000/year wouldn't qualify. Also, stop the government practice of raiding FICA for everything else under the sun EXCEPT social security. Make the government be honest about what that money is REALLY going for. Maybe the big spenders in Washington would calm down if they were actually held accountable and couldn't tell their standard lies about the real use of our tax dollars. If FICA actually only went to social security under the circumstances outlined above, our FICA with-holding would actually be less, and the system wouldn't be broken in the future (it's NOT broken now).