Any other American's feeling like they need to jump ship before the ship sinks?

[twibbles 0]

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the United States of America has the most gracious immigration laws on the planet.

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I seriously doubt that. Just trying to get a travel visa for me involves sending the application in to the US embassy, wait to be summoned for an interview at the embassy, then wait six months before i find out if i get it or not.

You just came in the wrong gate.

What, trying to come in legally rather then come in over the mexican border like everyone else?

Eugene

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of
people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

[narcimund 0]

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I probably never will leave. I'll just sit around in good ole' Oklahoma.

Damn, I am SO good at reading people!

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[shaiziel 0]

Circumstantial. If I would have went to college right out of high school and got a strong education in a field that could be utilized globally... things would be different. At this point, I'm no more than steerage. If I was multi-lingual even I'd be in better shape. Things were either better looking when I was in high school, or I was just totally ignorant. It was probably a little of both but still... plans change.

It doesn't change how I feel about leaving and it doesn't make me think things will be ok.

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6.8% - Almost there!

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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You do know that only those pay inheritance tax which can afford it, right?
It won't hit the poor or middle-class man.

Once the exemption drops back to $1M and basis step-up goes away the entire middle class who saves enough for their retirement is going to be paying the death tax.

The middle class allegedly starts at $25K a year before taxes. If you're earning that sort of money, never see a pay raise better than cost of living, and put 10% of your income away into a tax deferred acount you'll hit the cap in 38 years.

If you're better off, 35 years from retirement, saving the legal maximum in your 401K (pretend that your raises don't exist and stick the extra in your 401K until you get there) you'll have $7-8M in there. $14-$16M if you're in a dual income family with both partners saving.

Guys who've spent decades working and have already retired will be paying the tax if they planned for retirement income of at least $40K a year.

Those who live in expensive areas will be paying the inheritance tax. I passed a modest home on the way into work yesterday - 2000 square foot ranch (plus a finished basement), one car garage, and a car port. The asking price was $1.3M.

Congress could increase the exemption with inflation, although that wouldn't match historic practice. Back in 1913 the first $3000 of income was exempt for single people and $4000 for married people. Our exemptions and standard deductions total a lot less than $57,000 and $76,000 respectively.

[shaiziel 0]

Sort of related but not directly relevant... the thing about tax breaks is that if you have a level of spending that exceeds your level of income, then you either have to raise your income or decrease your spending. The longer you try to outrun your deficit, the harder the fall back to parity. They want the tax cuts to be permanent but they won't reduce spending. Sure the tax cuts have been nice, but look what's been happening. We've been forced to borrow to make up the difference. And we're spending what we borrow on low or no return "investments". (See: Iraq) It's about like a man holding on to a golden anchor as he's drug to the bottom of the ocean. Does this make sense to anyone? Because it is the reality of things.

Tax cuts now mean tax hikes later, historically at least.

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6.8% - Almost there!

[Gawain 0]

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I've got better luck getting a work visa in the UK.

Well, seeing as how your profile says you're from the UK...no sh*t it would be easier for you to work in the UK...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[twibbles 0]

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I've got better luck getting a work visa in the UK.

Well, seeing as how your profile says you're from the UK...no sh*t it would be easier for you to work in the UK...

It doesn't mention that i've got a malaysian passport, and grew up in singapore.

Eugene

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of
people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

[mnealtx 0]

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And the Roman Empire, and all Empires before and since then show that sometimes... the sky does fall. Even on the really big empires.

If you don't believe we are an empire, you are sadly mistaken. We didn't do it so much through diplomacy and nation building (though we have done that) as we've done it with economics. But we are no longer in the power position to do that.

This was true when he wrote it, and even more true now...

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"A perfect democracy, a 'warm body' democracy in which every adult may vote and all votes count equally has no internal feedback for self correction. It depends solely on the wisdom and self-restraint of citizens...which is opposed by the folly and lack of self-restraint of other citizens. What is supposed to happen in a democracy is that each sovereign citizen will always vote in the public interest for the safety and welfare of all. But what does happen is that he votes his own self-interest as he sees it...which for the majority translates as 'Bread and Circuses'

"Bread and Circuses is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure. Democracy often works beautifully at first. But once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader--the barbarians enter Rome."
Robert Heinlein (To Sail Beyond the Sunset, pg 227)

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Lucky... 0]

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If the US is a beggar, why does the world expect the US give money to everyone, fund the UN, ...

As a percentage of GNP the USA gives less than most industrialized nations. We are actually not THAT generous.

Zipp0

Hopefully we can reduce our foreign aid even more so we can start paying down the debt.

Perhaps raise taxes on the rich so we can pay down the debt. Clinton did it and it worked. Bush cut taxes and it went up faster than it ever has, along with corporate profits. So blame welfare and foreign aid, but CLinton dedicated much to these causes and still leveled off the debt, left with an annual surplus...... raised taxes on the rich..... figure it out.

[Gawain 0]

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I've got better luck getting a work visa in the UK.

Well, seeing as how your profile says you're from the UK...no sh*t it would be easier for you to work in the UK...

It doesn't mention that i've got a malaysian passport, and grew up in singapore.

Malaysia and Singapore are former colonies of the UK. Malaysia gained independence in 1957, Singapore in 1963. All of Englands former colonies enjoy strong relations and thus preferred treatment of its "citizens", just like the US does with its territories.

Come on, give me a challenge...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[warpedskydiver 0]

Come on, give me a challenge...

[Gawain 0]

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Come on, give me a challenge...

OK drag your ass to the WFFC

[warpedskydiver 0]

hehehe thats awesome!!!!

Max you have one sick sense of humor, no wonder I like you

Stop by SDC if you can on the way to perris.

We will make sure you feel like you went down the rabbit hole!

hehehe

Did I mention I am making 10 gallons of Mint Juleps for the Freak Brothers reunion?

well Good bourbon would be very expensive so in honor of all the bags that have passed on I will be using everclear, raw sugar, and Kentucky Colonel mint from my garden.

There are gonna be alot of fucked up people around the bonfire and pond!!!

I have a huge pitcher I am gonna give John Kallend!!!

hehehehehe I am EVIL!!!

[Skyrad 0]

A good post which makes the points that I have been making for some time. I haven't yet read the responses but no doubt they will be full of insults and accusations of being a traitor and all sorts of brainless comments like 'Hey, love it or leave it!' personally I see where you're coming from and agree with you. The sooner more of your countrymen and women wake up and smell the coffee the sooner America can sort itself out and hopefully become the great country that it used to be. Hopefully then it will work with the rest of te world instead of taking a line of illegal unilatralism that threatens the future of the generations to come.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[DaVinci 0]

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I tried to sign up for the military. I figured it would be a good move. They didn't want me. Didn't even tell me why, they just said no thanks

That I do not believe for a second.

You don't like the US? OK leave. I have no problem with you going. I think my future is here, so I am going to stay. We all have to do what we think is best for us.

I bet you have not traveled much around the world....But really, go and have fun. I think you will find it is not always better someplace else.

[DaVinci 0]

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Foreign aid is a drop in the bucket of our debt

??????????? Huh?

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What we need is a nice hefty tax increase on the wealthy who have benefited and prospered in this country

Maybe we need to quit spending so much before we try and tax the shit out of people. When you are trying to balance a budget the first thing you do is stop spending so much money.

[DaVinci 0]

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he should very much pay taxes - and 40% of a billion is certainly a lot more than 40% of $20,000

and if the tax break is a reduction of 5% for everyone, then why isn't that fair?

It is only fair if the rich spend more, not save more. didn't you know that?

[MarkR 0]

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Perhaps raise taxes on the rich so we can pay down the debt. Clinton did it and it worked. Bush cut taxes and it went up faster than it ever has, along with corporate profits. So blame welfare and foreign aid, but CLinton dedicated much to these causes and still leveled off the debt, left with an annual surplus...... raised taxes on the rich..... figure it out.

Amen!

And if the US would start spending a bit less on warfare it'd be close to perfect.

»Somewhere between the lies and truths borderlines get shady.
Somewhere between the yesses and nos you can find the maybe.«

[Gawain 0]

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Foreign aid is a drop in the bucket of our debt

??????????? Huh?

It's true. The USA's foreign aid is huge, but overall a small percentage of the budget. On top of that, most US foreign aid is provided from the private sector, so much so, it dwarfs the federal aid.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Hawkins121 0]

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If the US is a beggar, why does the world expect the US give money to everyone, fund the UN, ...

As a percentage of GNP the USA gives less than most industrialized nations. We are actually not THAT generous.

Zipp0

Hopefully we can reduce our foreign aid even more so we can start paying down the debt.

Perhaps raise taxes on the rich so we can pay down the debt. Clinton did it and it worked. Bush cut taxes and it went up faster than it ever has, along with corporate profits. So blame welfare and foreign aid, but CLinton dedicated much to these causes and still leveled off the debt, left with an annual surplus...... raised taxes on the rich..... figure it out.

The rich paying over 90% of the taxes isnt enough for you? Get real man.

[shaiziel 0]

You don't believe that I tried to join the Army and Air Force and neither of them let me in? That's fine. You're wrong, but I won't step in your gravy.

Army recruiter never called me after my medical and consult. Air force recruiter called me 2 days after I brought in the filled out paper work letting me know I was permanently disqualified from military service. He didn't say why. My army recruiter never told me why when I asked later. Frankly, fuck em. Things worked out better than I imagined they would. They always seem to.

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6.8% - Almost there!

[shaiziel 0]

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Maybe we need to quit spending so much before we try and tax the shit out of people. When you are trying to balance a budget the first thing you do is stop spending so much money.

Maybe if we'd get out of a perpetual state of war against an ideology; a war that will profit us nothing as it will never be won. That would be a good start on the way to reducing spending.

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[skydyvr 0]

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You don't believe that I tried to join the Army and Air Force and neither of them let me in? That's fine. You're wrong, but I won't step in your gravy.

The way you phrased the original statement is indeed unbelieveable, and certainly incomplete to say the least. Now you're changing the phraseology, then telling someone else their "wrong".

I'd say that fits your whole MO.

. . =(_8^(1)

[skinnyshrek 0]

Having travelled extesively around europe living in other countries UK, Spain Austalia i can say the Usa is definately one of the best countries in the world. One country i would reccomend is Australia, that is up there with the USa if not better.
Ian, don't get into debates with these people they are narrow minded idiots...lol

http://www.skydivethefarm.com

do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

[misaltas 0]

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I haven't yet read the responses but no doubt they will be full of insults and accusations of being a traitor and all sorts of brainless comments like 'Hey, love it or leave it!'

Sorry dude. You're the first to use the word "traitor" in this thread, or the phrase 'love it or leave it'.

The comments disagreeing with him are basically saying, 'you wanna go, then go'. Shaiziel sounds like a guy who simply likes what over 200 years of americans built for him and fought and died to maintain, and has been enjoying his ride in the wagon that others have provided. Now that the wagon's headed toward a cliff, he'd rather jump out then try to correct the path, or get out and pull.

When the going gets tough, some fight, some work, and some run. Bye shaiziel. I respect your opinion, and I offer mine respectfully as well. That's part of american freedom. Good luck finding that anywhere else.

(edited spelling)

Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts