I am currently 60 and therefore personally unaffected by the Republican plot to privatize medicare. I am looking forward to retirement at 65. My wife on the other-hand is only 54. Estimates place the additional financial burden for seniors at approximately $ 6000.00 per year. My wife has numerous ailments that are VERY expensive even with my employer paid health-care. We DO NOT have enough time to prepare for an additional six grand out of the budget. I am sure that there are many couples like me that are considering this. I WILL NOT be voting for any candidate that supports privatization of medicare, social security, or plans cuts to medicaid.

The bottom line is that Medicare, Social Security, and claim programs in general are simply unsustainable… as they exist today. They absolutely must be reformed if they are to survive at all, and by extension if our economy is going to survive at all.

The liberals want you to reckon that, but it is not right.

Secondly, medicare and medicaid are both being abused, and something needs to be done. Senior citizens are being hurt by people who are openly abusing the system. It needs to be reformed, but NOT at the expense of the seniors.

Not sure where you researched your in rank, but I just went to the Republican web site and read their Platform.

I see nothing incorrect with their proposals, it hurts no one, yet makes sure a lot of waste and abuse is cut back.

For instance;

Recent audits show that 22% of all federal programs are ineffective or incapable of demonstrating results.

69 separate programs, administered by 10 different agencies, provide education or care to children under the age of 5.

Nine separate agencies administer 44 different programs for job training.

23 separate programs, each with its own overhead, provide housing help to the elderly.

This has been going on for years, and someone needs to start reducing these agencies down to a manageable size. If your man to do that is Obama, then let him do it. All indications are that he is INCREASING IT. Not decreasing!

6 month of emergency is excellent. Paying off debt is more vital to have extra two month of emergency cash. It is going to save you more than $ 70 a month down the road

Oh, and a wedding can be easily plotted while working full time. When I got married, I was working 50 hours a week and drove 3 hours every day round trip to get to work. AND….I did about 99% of the plotting by myself. I didn’t have an entourage of bridesmaids or family members helping me. A LOT can be done by stopping at Michaels or Leisure activity Lobby on your way home from work and a lot can be done while sitting in front of the television.

Men do not really care about weddings. Your fiance does not want to have a brainstorming session. Unless he has a gay gene, he doesn’t care about color schemes, flowers, themes, motiffs. The only things he will want to be involved in is the selection of the reception venue (because it is a huge ticket item), and picking the DJ or band (because it is music). Oh, and he will want to go to the taste testing for the caterer and wedding cake. He really is only interested in that because it is food. He will give an opinion about food…but it will be what he likes.

If you want him to be involved in selecting the invites, photographer, favors unity candle, or anything else, then do all of the research yourself and then show him two choices. He can feign enough attention for 2 choices. Imagine participating in a exchange about the 1963 Superbowl in excruciating detail. That exchange is fascinating to men….but not so much to women. And THAT is exactly what it is like to a guy to talk about weddings…even his own.

He does not want to brainstorm a year and a half ahead of time. If you feel the need to brainstorm, then go brainstorm with your mom or best friend. He isn’t giving you the cold shoulder. It just is that he is a guy.