If you are on Medicare, it does.

I went to Catholic schools ... we never had the money for the new math books so we were spared that mistake. I can still do basic math better than most of my contemporaries.

I would like to see true individualized plans for each student. Evaluate their aptitude and atitudes by the time they are in 9th or 10th grade and have the last couple years of HS be focused on either college prep or vocational training. Everyone should NOT go to college, but everyone should have a path to productive life through work.

One size fits all doesn't work in panty hose and it doesn't work in healthcare. Individualized care is the direction we need to be going in. That being said, we also need to stop spending huge amounts of money on futile care while some others in our society go without basic or life saving care. The $250K "funeral" that so often happens at the end of life just has to stop. We need to educate patients and families about futile care and the suffering it causes.

Couple things... Newt and Callista are Catholic. Supposedly, Callista is a "devout" Catholic. Given the knowledge of her adultery, I am curious as to the Catholic Church's response to that cardinal sin. It isn't that long ago that Catholics could be ex-communicated for such an offense. At the least, perhaps she shouldn't push the "devout" thing too much. Newt... I think he is very calculated in his personal life actions. He has "traded up" in his wives, looking for someone who is a better match for political reasons as well as I am sure, for personal reasons. Our culture has come to the point of placing an inordinate amount of value on the appearance of candidates and their spouses.

I think it would be educational for people to call an health insurance company and ask how much the premiums would be for comparable coverage. They will likely laugh at you if you are over 50 and /or have or had ANY kind of health problem. Same for employees who have no idea that their company is paying 10k or more a year for their individual or family coverage. Medicare is a great bargain for many retirees when you consider the alternatives.

This seems reasonable to me. In the current system, low wage earners are subsidizing the healthcare of Medicare recipients, some of whom are making many times what the younger person makes in a year. This isn't about "I paid in and I want what I earned". We all pay in and I think we need to realize that what we actually "earned" was access to healthcare coverage that accepts us despite our illnesses and pre-existing conditions without costing many thousands a month (if you could even get a company to underwrite you at all). Let's also remember that many of the current Medicare recipients paid in for a relatively short period of time as Medicare didn't start until the mid 1960s. Born before mid 1940s? You didn't pay your "entire life".

Recipients of publc sector pensions will tell you that they were promised these retirement deals in lieu of higher pay during their working years. True. The question that begs to be answered is what about the promises made to the taxpayers ? The rest of us were promised that, if we work hard and save, we can have a decent life and retirement. To meet the obligations of government retirees, will thar promise and standard of living of other taxpayers have to be lowered? Just how much of a decrease in standard of living for the rest of us is acceptable to the government retiree so that their standard of living can be maintained or increased? There has to be some compromise in this situation.

I don't get the people who see him as a "brilliant orator". Every time I hear him say "ta" instead of "to", I hear Sister Nazarita's voice saying "enunciate!" I am not so impressed by the contents of his speeches either, but then, all politicians are suspect in that regards.

Being able to bank some sick days makes sense. Then, if something terrible happens, the worker won't be bankrupt. The amount of sick time should be limited to the number of weeks needed before short or long term disability insurance kicks in. There should be some formula to reward those who have not used all their sick time, but 100% isn't realistic and definitely shouldn't be part of the calculation of retirement pay!