TresSugar

Health Care: The Low Down on the Candidates' Differences

CitizenSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:45:18 -0700

Rounding into the final stretch of the campaign, what has been a long year plus of promises on both sides now stand to become reality very soon - and for new plans like Obama's health-care proposal, business owners are thinking long and hard about what it will really mean for their bottom line. One small business owner is already considering not adding any workers to his four pet-supply stores in anticipation of the contribution he'll have to make.

Though there aren't hard numbers yet, economists believe Obama's plan might make large and medium companies pay as much as 6 percent of their payrolls toward the health-care plan. It's a number that has the small-business owner nervous - he currently has 90 employees, 29 of them full-time workers who are offered health benefits.“To all of a sudden whack 6 to 7 percent of payroll costs, forget it. If they do that, prices go up and employment goes down because nobody can absorb that.” Much of the concern comes from the fact that Obama's campaign has decided not to decide on details like penalties and cost to business.

While those details are vague, both candidates have released specifics. To see the specific differences between the two plans, read more.

Barack Obama:

Big Plan: Obama wants universal coverage accomplished by establishing a new federal health plan that provides benefits like those offered to federal employees. Premiums would be subsidized for low earners.
Access: He would prohibit insurance companies from withholding coverage to people with health problems or charging them higher rates.
Medicial Costs: He plans to control costs in part with a $50 billion investment in health information technology over five years.
How to Pay For It: “To help pay for all this, we will ask all but the smallest businesses who don’t make a meaningful contribution today to the health-care coverage of their employees to do so by supporting this new plan. And we’ll also allow the temporary Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire.”

John McCain:

Big Plan: McCain wants to give all consumers the same advantages, whether insurance comes through employers or not. He'll give $5,000 in tax breaks per family, and allow insurance to be purchased over state lines.
Access: For hard-to-insure, he's offering federal assistance for states to create high-risk pools that would contract with insurers cover those who've been rejected.
Medical Costs: He plans to control costs by limiting malpractice damages, investing in prevention and chronic-disease management, and encouraging the faster introduction of generic drugs.
How to Pay For It: “I’m certainly not interested in raising people’s taxes, as many of the Democrats are interested in doing. I’m absolutely opposed to that.”

For detailed side-by-side comparisons on every issue, and more specifics on health care, the NYT has a great break down.

Source

Get Educated on the Candidate's Higher Ed Proposals

LibertySugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

An educated population benefits an entire country. Thus, both John McCain and Barack Obama have plans to make college degrees more affordable. Both candidates reach for that goal with drastically different plans.

The AP analyzed the proposals, finding that Obama's are more detailed, and expansive, while McCain's are generalized and call for the elimination of pork-barrel university research projects. Both want to simplify financial aid. To see key points from the candidate's proposals, read more.

Obama

New Program: Obama would provide most students up to $4,000 a year in tax credits for college, in return for 100 hours of community service. Obama's education proposals are paid for by cutting other federal programs, contracting, and procurement reform, and by eliminating spending on special Congressmember projects.
Student Grants: Obama pledges that Pell grants, which go to families with incomes under $50,000, will ''keep pace'' with increases in the cost of college. Pell grants used to cover half of tuition cost, now they cover about one-third.
Student Loans: Right now the government provides student loans directly, and subsidizes private lenders. Obama proposes moving the whole student loan system to direct-government loans, instead of subsidizing private lenders, too.

McCain

New Program: McCain does not propose any new program, citing existing spending pressures. McCain would simplify existing tax benefits, which many eligible families don’t claim, in order to ensure that more families have lower tax burdens when they are helping to send their children to college.
Student Grants: McCain would only consider raising Pell awards if there is a pressing need and the budget allows.
Student Loans: He supports the dual system of government and private loans. Supporters of the dual system argue it provides competition, which helps students. They also say the government could not administer the full program. (But thanks to the credit crisis, the government has propped up the private lending portion, so the parallel programs already are merging.)

Check out Obama's Education Plan and McCain's Education Plan in their entirety. Even though public colleges and universities fall under the jurisdiction of individual states, which candidate do you think represents your view of a proper national government approach to higher education?

Source

Sunday Confessional: I Led Him On

DearSugar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

For as long as I can remember, I've had the horrible tendency to pursue a guy until he's totally into me, and then dump him right as things start to heat up. There's just something about a crush being interested in me that suddenly makes me totally uninterested in him. In many ways I think I just like the thrill of the chase. Now I'm heading into my late-20s, and struggling with the same habit. I've tried to work on it but I just can't force my feelings.

Recently I met a truly wonderful guy. We started dating and hit it off immediately. In fact, things were going so well that I thought I might be finally getting over my issue. Over the months we were dating, I learned that he was dealing with the recent loss of his mother. I was shocked that talking about something so serious brought us closer together instead of sending me out the door. Well a few weekends ago, we went out, I drank way too much, and ended up very sick. He took care of me, brought me home, and stayed the night with me to make sure I was OK. As soon as I woke up the next morning, I immediately sensed something had changed in me; I was over it.

That night we had plans to hang out but I never called him back. The next day he called to see what happened and again, I didn't call him back. I ended up breaking up with him via voicemail. He called one last time to ask what he had done wrong, and to try to talk things over with me, but I ignored him. In the past, breaking up always felt like a relief, but this time I felt terrible. I realized I'm actually feeling a loss. Now I want to work things out with him, but I heard through a mutual friend that he's totally disgusted by my behavior. Do you think there's any way for him to forgive me?

Source

Issues Cheat Sheet: Where Do They Stand on Taxes?

LibertySugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:00:58 -0700

I love breaking down political personality and pageantry as much as the next person, but I still have hope that some voters care about the issues. Since we considered the possibility of a candidate's death recently, let's take a look at another inevitable - taxes.

Here are some crucial distinctions between McCain and Obama that might help you figure out which tax plan you like better. Keep in mind: neither of these plans (dreams?) would avoid a deficit.

Bush Tax Cuts: McCain wants to make the 2001 and 2003 cuts permanent (they are set to expire in 2010). Obama would allow cuts for income over $250,000 to expire, but would readopt other Bush cuts.
Capital Gains: Obama would most likely raise the capital gains tax from 15 percent to 20-25 percent, but also promises to offset any burden that would cause middle/lower income families with tax credits. Obama also notes that most families see capital gains through their 401 (k) plans, which are exempt from capital gain taxes. Despite evidence that when capital gains rates go down, revenue goes up, Obama says he would consider raising it as a matter of fairness. McCain would keep the capital gains at the revenue-making rate of 15 percent.
Middle Class: Under Obama, high-income taxpayers would pay more, while everyone else's tax bill would be reduced. Under McCain, high-income taxpayers will see the greatest reduction in taxes.

To find out what the candidates have planned for small businesses, major corporations, Americans set to inherit some money, and why they might write some Americans a check read more.

Small Business: McCain says he will make expensing rules more generous for small businesses. Barack Obama would eliminate the capital gains tax for start ups, and invest $250 million per year to increase small businesses in disadvantaged communities.
Death Tax and Alternative Minimum Tax: Both would reduce it, but Obama would by a lesser degree.
Corporate Taxes: McCain would lower the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent in exchange for a repeal of some corporate loopholes, such as preferential treatment for oil companies. Obama would eliminate special-interest loopholes and deductions.
Refundable Tax Credit: McCain proposes cutting a check for $2,500 to individuals and $5,000 for families if they purchase their own health plan. Obama would provide such a credit to low-income families (who may not qualify to pay income taxes), to help pay for child-care.

Overall, under McCain on average an American's tax bill would be cut by $1,200, while under Obama it will be cut by $160. But, Obama would give larger tax cuts to low and moderate-income households and pay some of it by raising taxes on high-income taxpayers. Under McCain high-income taxpayers would benefit the most. And don't forget - the president doesn't actually have any power to tax. The next president will have to get Congress on board if he wants to do anything at all!

Check out these sources if you want to know more about the candidate's positions:

Source

Relationship Protocol: Do Relationship Issues Take Precedence Over Other Things?

DearSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Balancing priorities can be fairly tricky even if you're single, but when you're in a relationship, things can get all the more complicated. Even a healthy relationship can be both time-consuming and emotionally intense, but when you factor in any drama or conflict, it's easy for your balance to shift. I know that when I'm in a relationship and something challenging happens, I have a very difficult time focusing on anything else until it's been resolved. Are you the same way? Do your relationship issues take precedence over other things going on in your life?

Source

Do Tell: How Do You Get Over Something That's Bothering You?

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

We’ll all encounter something difficult in our lives eventually, whether it involves a particularly challenging situation or person, but learning to let go of the frustration and negative energy that follows can seem nearly impossible. Though time may heal most wounds, I still think it’s important to try to work through something in the present, too.

When I want to get over something, I usually give myself a good few hours of sad time before calling a friend for a vent session. Once all the sadness and anger are out, I feel a lot better! And if not, I opt for a plate of cookies and a good movie. That's my secret for getting over something, so ladies, do tell: what's yours?

Source

Is McCain Really Bush the III? Find Out Where They Differ

CitizenSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:15:51 -0700

While some are figuring out which ditty is going to be the big summer song, Republicans are gearing up to hear months of a Democratic refrain on endless repeat. The tune? John McCain is George W. Bush in older sheep's clothing.

To find out whether they're twinsies more like Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap or Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito in Twins, consider where they differ:

Arms Control: McCain wants a new arms control accord with Russia, nuclear talks with China, and a complete disarmament of North Korea's nuclear program.
Interrogation Tactics: He considers waterboarding illegal and impermissible.
Federal Spending: McCain's a stronger opponent of wasteful spending.
Energy and Oil: He's called for a "great national campaign to put us on a course to energy independence," saying th next president must be willing to "break completely" with the previous energy policies.
Climate Change: He supports cap and trade and wants a global accord that includes China and India.

The two agree on issues like education, immigration, Iraq, and health care. Check out the whole list to see how.

Not content just to compare McCain to Bush? To see how McCain and Obama's voting records stack up, read more.

Obama's camp has made much of McCain's voting allegiance with Bush. According to records, in 2007 McCain did vote in conjunction with the president's position 95 percent of the time – up from 77 percent in 2005 and 67 percent in 2001. He voted with his party 90 percent of the time.

By contrast, Obama's votes were in line with the president's position a not-too-slim 40 percent of the time in 2007. In 2006 he voted alongside the George W Bush in almost 50 percent of votes cast.

Obama also appears more partisan than McCain according to these numbers: Obama voted in line with fellow Senate Democrats 97 percent of the time in 2007 and 2005, and 96 percent of the time in 2006.

Do you think McCain is an extension of Bush? Or should the endless refrain be that he marches to his own drummer?

Source

You Asked: Can I Stop My Issues From Hurting My Relationship?

DearSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I've been in some really terrible relationships and dealt with some tough things in my past, so now I have a very difficult time opening up to people and really showing them who I am. I met someone about year ago, and we've spent a lot of time together, and I think, grown pretty attached to each other yet I still can't get myself to let my guard down.

Our talks are starting to get more serious - we talk about the long-term picture and plans that we want to make with each other. It's great, except that the more serious things get, the more I try to push him away. I really like him, but I find myself wanting to just run in the opposite direction. I know he's starting to feel me pulling away from him; he knows that I've been hurt before, and he's very understanding, but still, I don't want to ruin this. I love him. How can I stop my issues from messing up things between us?

- Been Burned Before Beth

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Been Burned Before Beth,

You obviously have a lot of pain that you're still dealing with, and I applaud you for trying to break your habit of running away as soon as things get serious. It sounds like you have something very special growing with this person, and I'm glad to hear that he's aware of your struggles.

When one person in a relationship is dealing with something like this, the best thing to do is keep the lines of communication as open as possible. Even if you don't know why you're scared, it's OK to tell him that you are. By letting him in on your fears and insecurities, you're also giving him the opportunity to show you that he's someone you can trust and feel safe with. It's also important to convey that your feelings for him are not in question, but you're just intimidated by the prospect of getting close to someone.

Separately, it might help to speak with a therapist in order to trace back to the roots of this fear and pain. It would probably help you in all aspects of your life, not just your romantic relationship, to retrain your mind to feel safe when opening up to others. As long as you have the desire to overcome this obstacle, you can, so stay positive and good luck.

Source

A Case of Too Much Information

DearSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:00:00 -0800

Do you have a friend, or worse, a coworker who just doesn’t know when to stop sharing information about her personal life? When people end up leaving everyone around them slightly uncomfortable, they've divulged TMI, or too much information. Things that fall under that category might be your mom’s sex life, your boss’s bathroom habits, your neighbor’s foot fetish, or even your own personal fantasies. It’s not that you’re judging what they're saying per se, but you just don’t want to know; we all have our limits! So tell me: Are you one to stop people from giving TMI, or are you a TMI offender?

Source

Group Therapy: I Have a Horrible Situation at Work - Help!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:00:00 -0700

I'm not quite sure what just happened. I've been having problems with this guy who I sit next to at work, mainly him being very rude and unprofessional. He burps, farts, drinks alcohol at work, etc. and barely five minutes ago, I walked by him and he muttered 'big fat f*ck' as I passed by. I turned around, stared at him and he just wandered off. I'm not sure if this comment was directed at me as he is notorious for muttering like a crazy person and swearing like a sailor, but at the same time, he was recently informed of my complaints (anonymous, yea right). I'm just angry and confused right now because the options seem to be run and tell my boss but not be able to prove anything, OR see if he dares to say something again. What would you Sugar's do? Any suggestions?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To be involved in more GROUP THERAPY, click here]

Source