Don't cut Medicare to balance budget

President Obama says we should not ask, "What's good for me?" but "What's good for the country my children will inherit?"

Surely, this economic crisis is proof positive that we desperately need Social Security and Medicare now and for our children and grandchildren. So many of us have seen our savings depleted, home equity disappear, and health care costs skyrocket beyond our means. I can't imagine facing this current crisis without Social Security and Medicare.

Unfortunately, rather than look for ways to strengthen these programs, some in Congress are now using the current economic meltdown as political cover to renew their push for "reform." These so-called budget hawks know Social Security and Medicare costs didn't create this crisis yet they want to cut these vital programs to pay down President Bush's record budget deficit.

We can't balance the budget on the backs of Social Security and Medicare. Cutting Social Security and Medicare as a trade off for stimulus is a false choice - one I hope President Obama, Congress, and the American people will see through and reject.

Shree Gurusamy

Naperville