Social security benefits should not be taxable if you paid in. That social security withholding was paid into the system from income that was taxed. We don't get deductions from our gross income for the social security tax we pay.
Social Security was sold to America in a different way than it became administered. Something I probably agreed with Reagan at the time. But I was young. I was on team Reagan. Fool me once...
Socialism is much like cancer...a creeping disease.