Excerpt: The question of whether Social Security should be viewed as a wealth-generation tool that maximizes returns or as a backstop insurance plan designed largely to ward off destitution is at the core of the debate. 'You need to get back to the question of what Social Security was intended to do,' said David O'Brien, .... 'It was designed as a pension plan that protects all of us -- it was for the common good and not just for each individual in the system.'

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