to the editor: I totally disagree with the approach proposed by Veronique de Rugy for Social Security (“This next group of elected senators will decide the fate of Social Security,” July 16). As a libertarian economist associated with pro-free market organizations like the Mercatus Center, she advocates for reforms that I believe would weaken one of America's most successful anti-poverty programs.
Instead of cutting benefits, I think Congress should consider a three-pronged approach to strengthening Social Security:
Preserve the contributions of law-abiding immigrant workers.. Many immigrants who work, pay payroll taxes, and contribute to Social Security and Medicare They may never be eligible to collect benefits themselves.. Your payroll tax contributions help strengthen these programs and should be recognized as part of the solution.
Raise the income ceiling subject to Social Security taxes and require employers to contribute a greater share of high-income salaries.. At a time when many corporations can afford multimillion-dollar executive compensation packages, asking higher earners and employers to contribute more is a reasonable way to improve the program's long-term finances.
Limit benefits for the wealthiest retirees. People with annual incomes over $500,000 could have their Social Security benefits fully taxed, with those tax revenues going directly to the Social Security trust fund. Social Security was created to provide retirement security, not to supplement the incomes of billionaires.
Finally, Congress should establish a truly bipartisan and independent commission to evaluate reforms based on evidence rather than ideology. Its mission should be to strengthen and expand the solvency of Social Security, not to undermine a program that has protected generations of Americans since it became law on August 14, 1935.
Lawrence Rogers, Studio City
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to the editor: The author is correct to write that Americans age 65 and older benefit disproportionately from Social Security benefits, that Americans ages 35 to 44 pay a significant share of the tax, and that Social Security benefits should focus on poverty prevention.
Unfortunately, the author believes that current and future retirees should make every sacrifice to fix Social Security. I recommend that all Americans vote to elect a US senator who promises to end the cap on payroll taxes. The author claims that this can make up for 58% of the revenue shortfall. It is time for all Americans to participate in a realistic solution to the Social Security problem.
Georgy Ljubenkov, St. Peter
