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.

For people who have for been putting their hard-earned money into the system for years, the president's idea would replace their safety net with a risky gamble with no assurance of a stable return of investment.

Our political leaders must be honest and forthcoming with data that will allow citizens to use facts and figures to judge for themselves what state Social Security is in.

We must explain the truth: There is no free lunch.

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.