CEOs in the Business Roundtable pontificate about how to cut the federal deficit by taking from people the right to Medicare and Social Security at a reasonable age ("Raise age for Social Security?" Jan. 17). None of what they suggested deals much with the reality that I see.

Workers at ages 60 and above are being let go, pushed out and bought out by many of the 200 corporations that were represented on this board. The most interesting part of the article is that the CEOs made no offer to give back -- that is to say, through profit-sharing, more-generous retirement programs and better health insurance.

We common folks had better watch out, or we will back in the 1880s with robber barons running America.

BILL WHITE, EAGAN


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All of these wealthy executives could quit their jobs today and live comfortable lives with the lavish compensation they receive, even with the higher taxes that they'll have to pay. Unfortunately, 99 percent of us have to work every day knowing that at some point we'll likely need Medicare and Social Security, to which we've contributed all of our working lives.


LOUIS HOFFMAN, MINNEAPOLIS