I wonder if others are as outraged as I am when I hear special-interest groups talk about how President Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan is going to put our children and grandchildren in debt. I am a mother of five, and a grandparent of 11, so I know a little bit about what children need.

Here’s what children need to be successful: nutritious food, good schools, time to play, a roof over their heads and access to health care.

Right now, more than 8.7 million children in America can’t get health care when they need it. What greater debt could we pass on to future generations than ill health?

And, speaking of debt, what about the millions of Americans who are already in debt because of the simultaneous crises the nation faces with the health care system and the economy? Health care bills are the primary cause of bankruptcy. People are up to their ears in debt, while private insurance companies are making record profits, despite the economic downfall.

Obama’s economic recovery plan is an investment in the public’s future and the well-being of the nation.

As a grandparent, I’ve seen the broken health care system fail too many generations.

People are fortunate in Maine to have two powerful senators who care about their constituents and will do what’s right, regardless of party politics. I trust them to work with the president to lead the nation out of the current mess and toward a better health care system.

Nancy Reynolds, Lewiston