As I was hearing about my children's public elementary school personnel getting laid off due to funding cuts, I wondered about Jason Lewis. In his May 29 column, he pointed out the differences between public and private workers and the ways their employers conduct themselves ("A psychological guide to deadlock: The escalator").

My favorite former high school teacher, a wonderful man in his 80s, is in hospice care now. Frank is a man with a vibrant spirit who's able to live out his days in financial security and dignity thanks to support from government programs such as his pension and medicare. To this day, he challenges me intellectually to be the best I can as a contributing member of society.

Why does Lewis insist that public workers like Frank join private workers in job and health care uncertainty? I suggest we change the question. Ask instead how we can create the good life for all: public and private workers and business owners, too.

How can we include private workers and business owners in retirement security as we reclaim that for public workers? How can we include all in health care security from birth to last days? How can we broaden support for existing programs that work, such as Medicare?

How can we get business to be more socially conscious? It may take a shift from the helpless, everyone-for-themselves attitude that's grabbed Lewis and so many to an awareness of our collective ability to transform society so that it works for all.

PAUL ROZYCKI, MINNEAPOLIS