They specified "based on a present-value analysis". They were interested in SS as a personal money-returning interest for that question. That doesn't mean they

They specified "based on a present-value analysis". They were interested in SS as a personal money-returning interest for that question. That doesn't mean they don't think that people should pay taxes for welfare programs like social security or for other governmental functions, it just wasn't what the question was about. Certainly if you're after the second bend (very realistic for a lot of folks) there is minimal return on contributing.