Latinos confront GOP leaders over Social Security comments

National Hispanic leaders are labeling as "shocking" and "unbelievable" comments made by the House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., suggesting that race and gender should be among the determining factors in allocating Social Security benefits. Thomas made the remarks during an interview Jan. 23 on NBC News' "Meet the Press." As the highest-ranking House Republican overseeing Social Security legislation, he spoke during the Sunday-morning talk show intending to clear up his earlier comments that criticized President Bush's plan allowing individuals to create private Social Security accounts. Reiterating a potential need to consider gender in allocating benefits, Thomas added, "We need to examine the question of race in terms of how many years of retirement do you get based upon your race." "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert probed, "Do you think Congress, Mr. Chairman, would accept any formula that said that people would be treated differently because of gender or their race?" Thomas responded, "If we discuss it and the will is not to do it, fine. At least we discussed it." Brent Wilkes, national executive director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, called Thomas' comments "outrageous and unbelievable." Wilkes commented to Hispanic Link News Service that the suggestion was intended to tell different ethnic groups that there are different payoffs so each can see different benefits. "I think it's a terrible idea," he said. In a letter addressed to Thomas, Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., who serves on the Social Security Subcommittee on Ways and Means, and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, wrote, "We hope that you will immediately clarify your previous statements regarding benefit cuts and the role race and gender should play in any Social Security proposal." [more]