Raise or eliminate the cap

To do that as they spent all the money on war-mongering.

from unable to work to having an impairment that interferes with life activities (in varying degrees).

What would Social Security invest the repaid funds in? Gold? Equity? Foreign currency? Commodities?

Of course, that seems to be the source of the complaint.

Social Security would be in absolutely awesome shape right now. (That would be a TRUE "lock box&quot . Assuming that the politicians had resisted the temptation to raid the gold, sell it and spend the money. I would love it if somebody crunched the numbers to quantify this.

The politicians would have been raked over the coals, a few years back, when gold was languishing in the $200 range. And while gold is flying high now, it's anyone's guess where it will be in ten years.

I don't see a really easy answer here.

as needed to pay current Soc. Sec. benefits.

Soc Sec FAQ's -

http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/fundFAQ.html#a0=4

... if they adopted this Social Security/Medicare policy:

Lower full retirement age to 60 or 61.
Lower Medicare eligibility to 55.
Pay for this by lifting the cap on income for the FICA contribution.
Close about half of all U.S. military bases overseas.
Ten percent real cut in the military gravy train for contractors.
Institute a Tobin tax if necessary to make-up any difference.

Then -- watch as unemployment finally drops to five percent or less.
Watch as employment and income for Americans in their 30s and 40s finally begins to rise in real terms.
Watch as consumer spending finally begins to rise and working/middle class Americans begin to see some real economic advancement.

Of course, this is the opposite of what Repuglicans and probably even a majority of Democrats in Congress see as a 'responsible' course of action. But with the bulge of the baby boomers entering retirement age and yet because of the crappy economy still continuing to have to work, we are sabotaging the earning potential of almost all Americans under 50 years old.

Increase the amount paid to Soc. Sec. recipients by COLA + 5%.

And remove the earnings cap to cover it.

What sense does it make for the government to hold instruments that it can create an infinite supply of?