My perspective has been reinforced

[5412]

Hi,
 
My wife and I are currently in Panama at an International Living conference.  One of the speakers today was Bob Bauman, former congressman from Maryland.  At one time in his career he was president of the young republicans club and then governor Ronald Reagan was the guest speaker at one of their affairs.
 
They were in a quiet speakers lounge or something and there was a Cuban refugee discussing what Cuba was like before he escaped.  The impression I got was he told some terrifying stories.  The Americans then picked up and began to discuss just how lucky they were to live in America.  The Cuban gentleman said something to the effect, "No, I am the lucky one, I had a place to escape to!"
 
The implication of course is as Americans we have no better place to go as we trend toward socialism or worse.  Bottom line is we better fix it because we have no options.

While my wife and I are investigating health care options, I am shocked as to the number of Americans who are looking for escape options in total fear that all means of wealth may be confiscated.  Ask anyone who is from or have parents from communist countries that have migrated to the US and they will tell you that we as a country are missing a whole lot of warning signs, things they experienced in their home countries before they finally fled.

As Americans we are as Reagan said, the last bastion of freedom and we damn sure better stay and fight because we have no place to go that is better. 

I read a book years ago on the art of being successful.  The first chapter was one must commit themselves to being committed.  One of the examples the author used was the Marines landing on the beaches in the Pacific, the LST landing craft turned around and left, now they were committed.  Well damnit we all better be just as committed as they were or I shudder to think of the adverse consequences of where our country is headed and the impact on the lives of our future generations.

We must and will prevail,
5412

[Pat]

your preaching to the choir, But....many of us don't have the financial means to "go somewhere else"

[5412]

your preaching to the choir, But....many of us don't have the financial means to "go somewhere else"

HI,

You can go to Mexico or central america and live on a fraction of what you do in the US.  Unlike someone excaping Cuba to go to freedom in the US, I don't see much of an upgrade if any at all.  We better dig in and fight for our freedom because I can tell you this.  Ask most anyone who has travelled outside the US a good bit, there is no place like home.

regards,
5412

[The Village Idiot]

True

[Pat]

5412,
I agree with you the resources, land mass and traditional valuse of America are worth fighting for. The problem is there is a cancer growning in the body politic. No where else in the world has a body politic like the US, so nowhere else could be the same.
Until the cancer is voted out of the body politic. We have no hope. Unfortunatly 1/2 of the population want's the result of the cancer.

[5412]

5412,
I agree with you the resources, land mass and traditional valuse of America are worth fighting for. The problem is there is a cancer growning in the body politic. No where else in the world has a body politic like the US, so nowhere else could be the same.
Until the cancer is voted out of the body politic. We have no hope. Unfortunatly 1/2 of the population want's the result of the cancer.

Hi,

We are mentally stronger and will prevail.  We cannot allow any other options.

regards,
5412

[Javelin]

Hi,

We are mentally stronger and will prevail.  We cannot allow any other options.

regards,
5412

Sadly I do not share the same optimism as you do.  I wish that I could.  At this point, to fix the problems we face would cause civil disorder and if we continue to go as we are now we face the same.  Mathematically the economy is in the tank especially from the global perspective.  The web thats woven is so intertwined that it has become impossible to prevent collapse. 

If anything I am trying to prepare for the fallout and the aftermath. 

[Lacarnut]

Sadly I do not share the same optimism as you do.  I wish that I could.  At this point, to fix the problems we face would cause civil disorder and if we continue to go as we are now we face the same.  Mathematically the economy is in the tank especially from the global perspective.  The web thats woven is so intertwined that it has become impossible to prevent collapse. 

If anything I am trying to prepare for the fallout and the aftermath. 

Same here. I feel like the country is going to hell in a handbasket. Even if the Repubs take back Congress, they will put bandaids on the problem. They lack the fortitude of doing surgery on all programs and agencies. The deficit and our debt will not increase as fast. Slowing down the rate increase is equally a strategy for disaster.

I will probably purchase a condo in the Dominican Republic this fall. Prices are dirt cheap and I will not go thru another cold winter. Secondly, I want to get a second passport if and when the shit hits the fan here.   

[5412]

Same here. I feel like the country is going to hell in a handbasket. Even if the Repubs take back Congress, they will put bandaids on the problem. They lack the fortitude of doing surgery on all programs and agencies. The deficit and our debt will not increase as fast. Slowing down the rate increase is equally a strategy for disaster.

I will probably purchase a condo in the Dominican Republic this fall. Prices are dirt cheap and I will not go thru another cold winter. Secondly, I want to get a second passport if and when the shit hits the fan here.   

Hi,

The best advice I can share is what we are being told this week.  Take it slow, rent first before you buy etc. 

A bad day in the US is better than most good days in third world countries.  Not a bad idea to have a back door, but I have not yet given up.

regards,
5412

[Lacarnut]

Hi,

The best advice I can share is what we are being told this week.  Take it slow, rent first before you buy etc. 

A bad day in the US is better than most good days in third world countries.  Not a bad idea to have a back door, but I have not yet given up.

regards,
5412

Good advise. Probably will rent first. This will be a 4 to 6 month winter retreat rather than a permanent move. If placed in the rental pool, the owners pay no maintenance fees. Not interested in making money off the rentals but it does sound like a good deal. Security and maid service is also furnished. Maintenance fees for permanent guests run around 100 bucks a month.   

[seabelle]

I'm a fan of House Hunters International and enjoy playing along with moving to a new country, which always looks more affordable.   Then it's out of my system   

I would definitely rent first, even if we moved to a new U.S. city.

[5412]

Good advise. Probably will rent first. This will be a 4 to 6 month winter retreat rather than a permanent move. If placed in the rental pool, the owners pay no maintenance fees. Not interested in making money off the rentals but it does sound like a good deal. Security and maid service is also furnished. Maintenance fees for permanent guests run around 100 bucks a month.   

Hi,

Be very, very careful.  Reason I say that is this.  Very first day of our conference they said do not buy a piece of property with the idea of renting it out.  The reason is they say you can put it in a rental pool but they never seem to rent it for you. 

We are spending tomorrow with a real estate agent who is one of the better agents in Panama and has many rental properties he looks after as well as other properties they look after for part time residents.  We went through the numbers today and I realized that it is almost impossible to get a positive cash flow, even if you rent the place for an annual rental.

Part of the problem I see so far in Panama City is they have overbuilt condos and it is like luxury condos in Harlem.  We are staying in a beautiful Marriott and next door is a mall that puts most in the US to shame.  Walk four or five blocks, if not less, and you will find yourself in a neighborhood you do not likely want to be in.  The people are nice, and they even have laws for crimes against tourists here. 

While we have ghettos in the US, it just seems to me that even in a small town like Lakeland, FL where I live, I would have to drive to those areas because they are 5+ miles away.

Had a terrific presentation today from the doctor who is the head of the Johns-Hopkins facility here.  Good health care is available if you are willing to pay for it, at a fraction of the cost of what it would be in the US.

The Dominican Republic is not on the good list at International Living, please be careful.

More later as I learn more.

regards,
5412