Our Hispanic community needs to understand how important the Social Security system is for not only its retired citizens, but also its disabled workers.

Social Security has been effective for 70 years; prior predictions of its demise have been totally overstated.

Even without reforms, the Social Security fund will be able to meet 100 percent of its obligations until 2042.

To allow all U.S. workers to put part of their earnings into private investment accounts would definitely erode the Social Security system and cause uncertainty for new investors.

Almost half of all Latinas currently on Social Security rely exclusively on their benefit check in retirement.

Latinas' life expectancies are relatively long. When a current retiree hits 65 and begins receiving her benefit check, she can expect to live another 22 years. That life expectancy is higher than white women or men.

President Bush has consistently used rhetoric, and that is not convincing given his past record.