Letters: CEOs want to cut Social Security? That’s rich.

Re “CEOs want you — to fix the debt,” Opinion, Dec. 1

Consider my modest proposal on the matter of the CEOs at the Business Roundtable advocating the reduction of Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age to the highest in the developed world, while they have benefits averaging about $86,000 a month:

All income from any source, including stock warrants and options, in excess of $400,000 a year will be taxed at the rate for Social Security wage income. The business employing said recipient will be responsible for its customary match. There will be no cap on income over $400,000. It will be made clear that the intent of such taxation is to provide no loopholes.

Brian Connor

Carlsbad

A group of CEOs wants to raise the Social Security retirement age to 70. How is that possible when those CEOs lay off or force retirement on older workers?

It’s true that Social Security would be made more solvent with the continued payroll deductions from older workers. But if the retirement age is raised, changes need to be made to Medicare. It makes no sense that people basically must sign up for Medicare at 65 if they are still working and have health insurance.

Finally, CEOs need to set an example by cutting their own pay and perks. Too many of them have compensation packages that give them little reason to care what happens to their companies.

Top executives need to come down out of the clouds and walk among those who keep their companies going before they advocate policies that would affect their employees’ lives.

Mary Hudson

Duarte

Op-Ed writer Scott Klinger states the obvious and just solution to fixing Social Security: remove the cap on wages that are taxed for Social Security. This would release a flood of money that would even allow Social Security benefits to be increased, helping retired seniors who have to rely on it for most of their income.

The high-dollar earners who profit most from our economy should justifiably desire and be required to give back to that system, especially since many of them have gained their wealth by squeezing the less fortunate with low wages, poor retirement plans, poor job security, poor or no health plans and more. In the long run, Social Security benefits help the wealthy by putting dollars in the hands of people who will spend them on the goods and services those who are better off provide.

John Ovnick

Chatsworth

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