Two reasons why it's no longer off limits for cuts. One is the impact now of all the Boomers retiring. The second is the capture of the Dem party by the rich and corporate America. They no longer give a damn about the poor, working class and middle class anymore, so they and the Repubs can both ruin SS using kabuki theater pretending that one party is pushing it and the other pretends to resist while both of them are on the same page. Without the credible threat of a third party or an actual Bernie presidency, I think SS will be gutted soon.....