Why should the rich pay more?

Re “One ‘bonus’ we don’t need,” Opinion, Dec. 9

I am taken aback by Michael Messner’s statement that the so-called prosperity bonus “puts millions of dollars into the pockets of the highest earners” while depriving Social Security of needed funds.

According to Messner, it would appear that the government is generously giving away free money to these high earners. The truth is that this “bonus” rightfully belongs to those who earned it.

Social Security is not a welfare program and was never meant to be. Its purpose is to be a retirement fund for workers. For high earners to pay more than anyone else for equal benefits is not fairness, as Messner declares, but rather turns Social Security into yet another welfare program.

I invite Messner to donate the proper proportion of his “bonus” to those whom he deems needy and not keep what he sees as his unfair award -- and not to hoist his notion that fairness entails the earnings of high earners belonging to the government.

Stuart Tanenbaum

Beverly Hills

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It is a laudable goal to share with others less fortunate than ourselves, but attempting to motivate such a charitable impulse through legislative fiat is enslavement.

Messner has every right to lend a hand and to encourage others to do so if they will. But he has no right to raise that hand against me and by force of law compel me into sharing his compassion.

Leland Edward Stone

Buena Park