Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Finance, the economy & Economics The Collapse of American Power

to me, the internets have the kind of difficulty offering something frightening as i might have impressing a sewage treatment plant worker with a fart. this one, though, is a stinker with a skin on it.

we are so, so funked

Stootch,

Not to bad. That's only 1000 times that of Bill Gates net worth. Maybe he could chip in...help out a self-will-run-riot government.

Bill Gate's money would be just enough money to print out fliers that could be passed around the world that says, "We are so, so Funked"

Maybe a world-wide telethon to raise money for the poor old U.S.A might be in order. Who do we honestly think would contribute?

Thanks Stootch

A little over a year ago I almost had Ms. Mickey talked into leaving the U.S. for Mexico. She loves Puerto Vallarta and while I'd like a much smaller locale I was willing to give in and declare Vallarta was it.

We'd talked about it for the previous 2 years. I love Mexico, I love the Mexican people. Ms. Mickey wanted to live in France. Her family is from France. What the hell, we've been there many times and never had a bad time. While I wouldn't want to live near family I was willing. I love France too. It's a grand place. We of course needed to sell the house and cars and furniture and all that. We needed to find small jobs. We'd live frugally but with savings and such we'd do just fine and have a little bit to spare.

As the discussion got down to "nut cuttin'" she decided that she wanted to be near the grandchildren...in Florida. But she didn't want to move back to Florida, Mexico would be close enough, and we could drive she said. From Vallarta???? No matter, I agree that Vallarta would be fine. Then the real estate market went to hell in the U.S.

We've been living in our home for more than 12 years. The equity is there but damned if we are going to sell short and lose our asses. But for the last 6 months I'm thinking it's a gamble. How much of your ass will you lose if you stay? How much money are you going to lose if you leave it where it is invested? Will you have enough to live on when the bottom falls out if you live here? Or if you move to say, Mexico? When will it be time to get while the getting is good?

I don't have answers. The answers vary for each individual. Some people would never leave. Some would. I only know that staying is looking worse by the month.

In something of the same position here myself Mickey.
I'd like to think I have a sustainable skill that will only grow more valuable as the masses have less and less to do and more time to seek out an ease to their pain.
It pays the bills right now with a lot of corporate communications and web ad spots and the like, but in the aftermath it will be more likely a tool used to entertain people and inform them.

But all of that depends on what TPTB think of ordinary citizens who own cinematography gear. It might be verboten in the new age.
Of course I do have a couple of fallback skills too, but one is directly dependent on our wired society, which might also become verboten as well, and the other skill is might rusty.

My wife's income will be in jeopardy if there is a collapse because she is on a vet's pension, and it will surely be one of the first things to get slashed.

But there is very little chance she will heed any discussion of saving up, cutting losses and going somewhere where we can avoid the celestial workboot up the arse.

It's going to be a very long seventy years.

JeffH in Occupied TX

you're countin' on living 70 more years? with that kind of optimism, i believe i'd do some averaging and cheer TF up!

mexico, mick? ah, the food down there can be heavenly. frankly, i don't know with the dollar being what it is if you can get a good cup of ceviche for a reasonable price anymore but if you are willing to eat from a street vendor and risk the revenge, there are cheap options. frankly, i think anywhere that serves swordfish in a spicey red sauce with a side of black beans - that would be yucatan style you know - is all right with me. but again, the dollar, well, she ain't what she used to be down south.

No Stootch my friend, I don't expect to make it even to mid-century, but I am thinking of my children, and their children.

I'm just hoping that my children's children will make it through to the other side, and I am hoping that they will take enough pity on me when I am old and useless that they will take me in.
Maybe they will remember that I stood for something.
Maybe they will pass along some of what I stood for to their children, and maybe some of it will stick.

JeffH in TX

Might be getting past time to start think about a self-sustainable retirement: Like a small piece of property someplace with low property taxes, solar and/or windpower potential, enough rainfall, surface water, or well water to grow some fruit and vegetables and raise some chickens, etc.

With the right setup, the outside world could get pretty lean and you'd still make out okay.

TPTB have prepared- Patiot Acts, militarization of police, recent 'agreement' with Canada regarding exchange of troops during civil unrest- for what's coming and they plan on remaining TPTB. Does anyone really believe that the Patriot Act was intended to keep us safe from 'terrorists?' I asked myself the same question that Dr. Roberts asked concerning our troops overseas. Will we leave them there to fend for themselves? Where's CONgress? Are they totally irrelevant?

I believe that it was Einstein who said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We keep electing the same politicians over and over again, and yet we expect a diffent result? Hillary did play a roll along with Bill, the dems, and repugs in imposing NAFTA. Now she's opposed to it and supposed to make nice nice?

Joe

It's not our fault.