[quote=SteamJet;685779]There's a big difference between defending it and saying it's simply not an example of rampant government spending gone awry. Social Security is actually pretty well run is my point, and if you want to get mad at something, get mad at the myriad of things the yahoos spent the surplus on, not the thing that ran the surplus. People who think of it as an investment in their retirement are simply wrong, so arguing that it's a GOOD investment would be silly.

And it IS a surplus. Even if it's just the government owing itself money, it will still take a specific act of Congress to default on those bonds held by the SSA. This is what the nihilists want you to think when you think when they ominously say it's just a bunch of IOUs. Will it happen? Not likely.