The retirement safety net forces you and your employer to each pay 6.2% out of every paycheck to Social Security (you see your contribution but not your employer’s part on your paycheck). The money doesn’t get deposited in an account towards your retirement years; instead, it funds the outlays for current retirees. If you are a government employee you’re most likely enrolled in a similar retirement scheme where your contributions pay the pension for current government retirees.
Think Right or Wrong, Not Left or Right 