[Title3]

Mike Pence: Let younger Americans invest a portion of their payroll tax

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Protect Social Security; needs more study

Stephen Laffey: Freeze current system for people in it; reform for future

The system has its problems. In 2035, just 80% of benefits will be payable if Congress doesn't fix the program soon, a study found last year. Laffey wants to freeze the current Social Security system--paying the people who are still in it--and reforming it for generations to come.

'We start because can't we agree that it has to be fixed. And so, if you want to, I can tell you what it is we can talk about,' he said. He supports what's known as the Purple system by Laurence Kotlikoff, an economics professor at Boston University. Under it, everyone would put 8 percent of their pay into a personal account, with the government matching the contributions of low earners. All the contributions would be invested in a global market-weighted index of stocks and bonds and real estate.

Vivek Ramaswamy: Let seniors work; invest Trust Fund in diversified portfolio

A: I just want to be clear at the outset about one thing: no cuts for seniors on Social Security or Medicare. We have to stand by the commitments we've already made. Then we can actually have rational conversations about quirks in Social Security today--like if you're a working senior you're actually penalized for working--we disincentivize work. This is nutty! We have more jobs available in this country than we do have people so for people who want to work, they should still be able to get their Social Security payments that they paid into, but also earn on top of that. Back when we did have a Social Security surplus--it wasn't that long ago--if we had just allowed that money to be invested in the same way that your financial advisor would--in a diversified portfolio--we would be swimming in surplus today.

Chase Oliver: Allow opt out right now; then close up shop responsibly

X video excerpt: We can have two options: we can have a world where younger workers, like myself, pay into the Social Security system, and don't get any benefits when we're older. Or you can give us a system where we can opt out right now. Leave the employer contribution for our parents and grandparents to keep them going. And then--guess what?--we can put our money into a mutual fund, save it. And have a much better retirement--and still not get any Social Security benefits.

What I want to do is keep the system solvent long enough for people who are at or near retirement to be able to do so. And then completely eliminate the system altogether. And never ever bring it back. We have to close up shop in a responsible way.