Ever see how bare bones The Social Security Act (Act of August 14, 1935) {H. R. 7260} was?

[joshcryer]

3. Kind of like how ACA covers millions of children?

Or how by 2014 ACA will cover every single person in 133% poverty?

Social Security only applied to workers. It did not have within it a mechanism to help dependents or spouses.

1939 fixed that: http://www.ssa.gov/history/1939amends.html

It still didn't cover disability for people.

1956 fixed that: http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally56.html

Supplemental social security still was lacking for the poorest of the poor.

1972 fixed that: http://www.ssa.gov/history/pdf/ssi.pdf

The legislative history of Social Security is a long arduous process. Some new additions have been a step back, some have been a step forward. But the end result is always a move forward. I have listed only the most significant (to me) that have happened over the history of Social Security.

You can read the entire legislative history here: http://www.ssa.gov/history/law.html