re: In just a few years, the average retiree will be receiving 37% more in SS than he paid in

I agree with you that I wish we had the option to just stop paying (especially since I'm self-employed).

But that will never happen b/c SS is a welfare program. People like you and me pay taxes for the government to inefficiently protect bad decision makers. That's what basically the function all regulatory and redistribution systems are created to perform.

What will always prevent actual reduction in these programs is the population of people who are (or are about to, in this example) receiving the benefits. Everyone wants welfare when they are receiving it.