what does SS have to do with gay marriage?
I understand the insurance bit, and the "family only" bit for hospitals. and honestly, yes they never really crossed my mind as benefits cause it's never been a problem for me, so experience has led to short sightedness on this topic.
and frankly, yes SS is socialism, but it is an ACTUAL entitlement program, I paid into it, your father paid into it, you paid into it, the purpose was for a pension like benefit at retirement and it was suppose to stay a separate fund the feds couldn't touch.. which obviously didn't last long before they got their mits in the cookie jar and moved it over to the general fund and put in a bunch of IOU'S. I believe when it comes to SS you are ENTITLED TO IT because you paid into it all your damn life.
welfare benefits, that have been rebranded entitlement programs however are NOT entitlements, as NO ONE should be entitled to them, and this silly nonsense of the 4th amendment applies to applicants for welfare which is why they can't pee test them is also B.S. if an employer can require a drug test, and you are receiving money from the government, it should be construed that they are your temporary employer, and as such reserve the right to randomly drug test you to verify your eligibility to receive more temporary "employment" benefits.
but this is just my opinions...
there are also other much nefarious purposes to social security ( such as legally taxing the individual by making them part of the merchant marine or a federal employee without actually being one)