Rock Chuck: Underfunding is probably partly to blame - but listen to this regarding the legions and hordes of people who have never paid in a cent to "S.S." but are reaping "benefits"!
I was a policeman in a large west coast city for 29 years.
During that time I arrested about 100 pimps - all but one were negro ghetto spawn.
At least half of those "pimps" were collecting "S.S.I." and mainly due to "bad backs"!
This always puzzled me.
In fact in about 1995 two "Doctors" were arrested and charged with fraud in connection to ghetto types in that city getting undeserved "S.S.I." benefits.
Rampant abuse/abuses of the "social security" system is alive and well and certainly has an impact on "social security shortfall"!
I paid into the "social security" system for 50 years (age 16 to 66!) and receive a check each month that is one half of what I qualified for, except that I also have a civil service pension - thus the penalty!
I hope the "pimps" are having a good time spending my money.
Thank God I had the foresight to instigate other sources of retirement income besides the "shakey" social security system.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
