what margaret meade said is right, the grandparents impart a special knowledge or wisdom to grandchildren. you think of the benefit that grandchildren have because of their grandparents. i -- i would have looked at it quite the same way until i had my first grandson three years ago, but i understand that now. that's to me the real beauty of medicare. medicare has helped this country's seniors live longer, healthier lives. it has helped this country's children be raised in a way, in a moral way, in a practical way, in an educational way better than they would have if their grandparents hadn't been around. that's their fundamental reason that when i hear republicans say they want to change -- we want to get rid of medicare as we know it, they want to turn medicare over and senior health care over to the insurance industry, we know what will happen. seniors won't live longer, healthier lives because they will be part -- because they will have lost medicare as we know it, mr. president. that's why -- that's why we sent the letter to vice president biden, senator tester, mccaskill, cardin and