Yes, a forced investment of sorts. An official contract with the US Govt. And the politicians siphoned off every penny they felt entitled to from my paycheck before I got mine, every week. They raised the rate of that siphon every few years to help to hide the gaping hole they created when spending those funds on their pet projects, claiming threats of illiquidity within X years if they didn't. Yes, I've been through it all. Then, in my 50s they inevitably changed that contract, surprise! Retirement age for me went from 65 to 67. Two more years of paying in and 2 less years collecting from it. Evil fuckers. I never did dig in to see if that change was even legal. Not like you get a written copy of the contract when you enter at working age. Now they are trimming life expectancy in the US through crappy food, misdirected food pyramids, poisonous vaccines, unnecessary medications, lab created disease, fentanyl and other drugs, sadistic doctors, oppression and depression ... and likely a hundred more ways I am not yet aware of. I don't see politicians demanding we fortify SS, instead a clamoring of let's send Ukraine another $60B!!! Yes, well past time to cut foreign aid and to settle our debt at home so Americans get some relief for a change.