Tax the rich.

• Author: Peters, Charles
• Position: Tilting at Windmills

More than 30 years ago, this magazine began to advocate means-testing for Social Security. It has always seemed foolish to us to waste money on people who don't need it. So I think it's important for liberals to reach out to George Bush in response to his means-testing proposal. It may be cynical, but let's act On the assumption that it's sincere.

Bush wants to set the income level at which Social Security payments will be reduced, to around $20,000. I would make it in the neighborhood of $70,000, because many middle-class families now count on Social Security as part of their...