I think they know it's coming, that's why they are thumping the tub for "reform." They hope to screw over the preceding generations, if we let them.
If I understand your comment correctly, I see it quite differently.
If SS died today, and folks like us who paid in never got anything back, it wouldn't be the younger generations that screwed us. It would be us, our parents, and our grandparents. The kids that are going to be expected to pay taxes to pay my SS never had a say in the matter. Just because I paid in to pay the benefits for my parents and grandparents doesn't mean I should expect my kids and grandkids to pay for my benefits. It's a Ponzi scheme, that's been evident from day one. We could have taken the hit (actually, I expect I will, so I've always planned accordingly and just considered it yet another tax) and put an end to it, but we didn't.
I'll stand up and applaud the generation who steps up and says, "No. Screw that. We didn't promise you jack. Game over."