Why should they get back any?

It's insurance. It's there in the name. Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance.

I get far less value back than I pay into my property insurance, unless, of course, I've had a fire or a disaster. That means I've presented a need for the insurance. A casualty has occurred. I have a claim. I can then access the value that I paid into the insurance fund.

I don't write the insurance company and upbraid them for not helping me out on the down payment for a house, because I understand the meaning of the word "insurance".

We essentially have a bunch of people writing exactly that letter.