David Brooks has something constructive to say about social security.

In his column today, David Brooks actually offered some creative ideas about social security — ideas that no Bush-style Republican would be caught dead thinking. In particular he suggested that

it would be useful to broaden the frame of discussion. All the talk so far revolves around Option 2 from the president's 2001 commission. Why limit ourselves? There are dozens of creative reform ideas out there. Many include getting rid of the regressive and job-crushing payroll tax and replacing it with something else. In this week's Weekly Standard, Irwin Stelzer recommends a tax on pollution and imported oil. Others suggest a consumption tax.

I can't imagine any "anti-tax" Republican favoring broader and less regressive taxes of any sort. But I'm willing to wait and see if Brooks can bring anyone else along with him.

For more on social security, follow this chain to my earlier posts.