They took it all

I received my first Social Security check Wednesday. I paid into the tax for 49 years, but they took every penny I and my employer paid. I had my first "contributions" in 1961; the last in 2009. After starting full-time work in 1968 I paid the maximum in 1969 and in 2009 and about 3/4 of the years in between. Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Jim McDermott spent every penny. They don't have the common sense to say "The federal budget will have to start sending checks to this guy; we had better save at least some of it." If I had put all that money into my 401(k) I could have the same benefit for a long time without costing the taxpayers a penny this year. I need to do the calculation. I have the record of every penny I paid in. 49 years of work: They took it all and spent it and then started borrowing. Now they are going to raise taxes and borrow to pay me.