Stop Republicans from tying Social Security benefits to Race and Gender

[Godiva Girl]

The administration's point man on Social Security in the House, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), recently suggested in an interview that Republicans may try tying Social Security benefits to the race or gender of the recipients.

Sign our petition today and tell President Bush to disavow Chairman Thomas' suggestion that we put on the table the reprehensible idea of linking the size of someone's benefits to that person's race or gender.

Please sign the petition at: www.democrats.org/action/index.html

[Suresh Gupta]

Linking the size of someone's benefits to that person's race or gender is a crime against God who has made all equal.

[Godiva Girl]

Originally Posted by Suresh Gupta

Linking the size of someone's benefits to that person's race or gender is a crime against God who has made all equal.

I agree, it's a crime against equality. The republican party could care less about everyone being treated equal.

[anastrophe]

Originally Posted by Godiva Girl

I agree, it's a crime against equality. The republican party could care less about everyone being treated equal.

the suggestion was to tie benefits to life expectancy, a la actuarial tables. blacks generally don't live as long as whites - what this would mean would be an *increase* in their benefits, since they would likely have benefits for a shorter time. it would mean a *decrease* in benefits for women, who live longer than men. the insurance industry does this as a matter of course.

i don't think it's a particularly good idea. however, neither was it anything more than a mention of the idea in a TV interview. it's not policy, it's not proposed, it's not in existence. so let's get up in arms about two sentences in a television interview, and turn it into a huge petition drive!