Jungle,
Do you really think there are people out there under the age of 50(probably older but I'll be conservative) who think they can live on it or are even planning on doing so? I'm not even planning that SS will be available to me by the time I reach that age - never mind whether it'll be enough.

I'm not talking about those who have life circumstances that result in being forced to to live on SS or continue work well past "normal" retirement age.

In this current age of IRAs, 401Ks, etc. there's no excuse for not planning for retirement. If you can't fund such plans, then I contend you fall into the group I mentioned above and you have no choice.

We all get a yearly SS statement that lays out the ugly truth, so there shouldn't be any surprises. The only thing the government might be able to do better is stop pretending that SS is anything other than a meager supplement to either continued employment or a real retirement plan consisting of IRAs, 401Ks and other pensions.

If someone gets to SS collection age and actually had that as their plan A, they deserve what they get (or don't get as the case may be).