Naskah Pidato Pasar Ekonomi

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Oleh : Nurfalah Hidayat

Puji dan syukur kita panjatkan ke hadirat Ilahi Rabbi, atas berkat karunia dan rahmatnya kita dapat berkumpul bersama dalam keadaan sehat wal afiat. Tak lupa sholawat dan salam kita haturkan pada panutan junjungan alam Rasulullah Muhammad SAW, berkat beliau kita bisa hidup di jaman yang penuh dengan ilmu dan pengetahuan.

Bapak kepala sekolah yang saya hormati serta bapak ibu guru yang saya hormati tak lupa kepada teman-teman seperjuangan yang saya banggakan. Sebelumnya saya menyucapkan terima kasih banyak kepada semua yang telah memberi kesempatan kepada saya untuk berdiri di sini menyampaikan beberapa patah kata yang mungkin kalau diukur nilainya tak seberapa.

Hadirin yang saya banggakan.

Apa yang ada dalam pikiran anda bila mendengar kata pasar? Mungkin anda akan berpikir mengenai pasar tradisional dengan banya penjual yang sibuk berteriak menawarkan dagangan, sementara para pembeli bernegosiasi berusaha menawar barang. Kita dapat mengartikan pasar merupakan tempat bertemunya penjual dan pembeli. Sebenarnya dalam ilmu ekonomi jauh lebih dalam mengenai pasar dan berbagai jenisnya.

Pasar tradisional sudah mewakili bentuk pasar, karena secara garis besar, bentuk pasar dapat digolongkan menjadi dua, yaitu pasar nyata (konkrit) dan pasar tidak nyata (abstrak). Yang termasuk kedalam pasar nyata yaitu pasar tradisional, supermarket, mall. Kenapa digolongkan pasar nyata karena memang adanya kenyataan, bisa dilihat dan diraba bendanya. Secara jelas kita dapat melihat pertemuan fisik antara pembeli dan penjuala dalam melakukan jual beri barang. Dengan demikian dapat disimpulkan bahwa pasar nyata adalah pasar tempat bertemunya penjual dan pembeli untuk melakukan transaksi jual-beli barang atau jasa.

Yang kedua yaitu pasar abstrak. Pada pasa ini pembali dan penjual tidak harus melakuan pertemuan. Dengan semakin majunya teknoligi, penjual dan pembeli tidak perlu bertemu untuk mengadakan transaksi. Pada pasar abstrak ini, penjual hanya perlu mengajukan contoh barang saja. komputer misalnya dalam iklan, pembeli dapat melihat contoh komputer yang akan dibeli lengkap dengan berbagai rinciannya. Bila kita suka, kita dapat melakukan transaksi melalui telepon, surat, atau internet.

Bentuk-bentuk pasar digolongkan atas dua sisi yaitu sisi penawaran yang meliputi pasar persaingan sempurna, pasar persaingn monopolistik, pasar oligopoli, dan pasar monopoli, sedangkan di sisi permintaan terdiri atas pasar persaingan sempurna, pasar persaingan monopolistik, pasar oligopsoni, dan pasa monopsoni.

Pasar persaingan sempurna merupakan pasar di mana terdapat banyak pembeli dan penjual yang menjual barang yang sama sehingga tidak ada pihak yang mempengaruhi harga pasar. Contohnya pasar tradisional yang harganya ditentukan oleh pasar atau oleh jumlah permintaan dan penawaran di titik keseimbangan. Ciri-ciri pasar persaingan sempurna yaitu jumlah penjual banyak, bersifat homogen, bebas keluar masuk, penjual dan pembeli mengetahui pengetahuan sempurna tentang pasar, distribusi relatif lancer. Kelemahannya barang yang homogen dan kondisi perekonomian ideal.

Pasar oligopoli dapat dikondisikan sebagai pasar di mana hanya terdapat beberapa penjual yang saling bersaing dengan jumlah pembeli yang banyak. Suatu stuktur pasar yang   lebih menedekati pada kenyataan bahwa struktur pasar selalu berbentuk pasar oligopoli atau pasar persaingan monopolistik. Kaadaan ini merupakan semacam bentuk campuran antara persaingan bebas yang sama sekali sempurna dengan monopoli yang sama sekali murni. Bahkan dapat dikatakan 80% kehidupan nyata dalam perekonomian masyarakat sepenuhnya ada dalam naungan dan kondisi-kondisi pasar yang besifat oligopolistik atau persaingan monopolistik.

Pasar persaingan monopolistik terletak diantara pasar persaigan sempurna da pasar monopsoni, tetapi posisinya lebih dekat dengan pasar persingan sempurna. Di pasar ini, sejumlah besar pembeli dan penjual saling menukarkan produk yang relatif berbeda (heterogen) sehinga setiap peserta sedikit sekali memiliki pengetahuan untuk menetapka harga produknya, karena harga dipengaruhi oleh diferensiasi produk, produsen berlomba-lomba menciptakan produk yang sesuai dengan selera dan kebutuhan pasar.

Pasar monopoli merupakan keadaan di mana pasar dikuasai sepenuhnya oleh penjual. Penjual mempunyai kekuasaan yang dapat didiktekan kemauannya baik dalam bentuk harga, volume, tempat, waktu, dan pembelian dengan siap barang itu akan dijual. Hampir dapat dikatakan bahwa dalam pasar monopoli kedaulatan pasar berada sepenuhnya di tangan penjual. Penjualah yang berdaulat menentukan harga, jumlah, waktu, dan tempatnya di mana barang itu akan dijual. Jadi monopoli adalah kebalikan dari persaingan bebas. Contonya perusahaan “PT Pertamina” merupakan perusahaan yang berbentuk monopili segala hal yang mencangkup produktipitasnya diatur oleh pemerintah. Contoh lain PLN.

Hadirin yang saya hormati.

Kita tidak sadar bahwa ternyata dalam hidup untuk memenuhi kebutuhan yang diperoleh dari pasar-pasar yang sering kita jumpai dari satu pasar ke pasar lain dapat  berbeda bentuknya. Apabila kita pergi ke pasar tradisional di sanah yang dapat kita jumpai adalah pasar persaingan sempurna dimana harga ditentukan oleh banyaknya permintaan dan penawaran.

Lalu apakah peran pemerintah dalam mengendalikah harga barang-barnag kebutuhan pokok yang selama ini terus naik seiring dengan naiknya harga minyak di pasaran dunia. Pemerintah memiliki andil yang penting dalam menentukan harga pasar karena tinggi rendahnya sebuah harga akan memepengaruhi jumlah barang yang dibutuhkan. Hal ini berdasarkan hukum permintaan dan penawaran yang menyatakan bahwa apabila harga barang naik maka jumlah permintaan akan menurun dan apabila harga barang turun maka jumlah permintaan akan naik.

Peran pemerintah dalam pasar yang pertama adalah menentukan harga eceran. Penetepan harga ini dapat ditujukan untuk melindungi baik produsen dan konsumen. Jika harga yang ditawarkan produsen dianggap terlalu mahal atau tidak sesuai dengan harga pasaran untuk barang sejenis, maka pemerintah dapat menetapkan suatu harga eceran tertinggi. Sehingga produsen tidak menjual barang melebihi harga yang sudah pemerintah tetapkan. Contohnya harga keseimbanyan semula untuk gula pasir Rp 8.500 per kilo. Sebagai salah satu kebutuhan pokok, pemerintah memandang harga untuk gula pasir ini terlalu mahal sehingga dapat meugikan masyarakat. Oleh karena itu, pemerintah menetapkan harga eceran tertinggi sebesar Rp 6.500 di bawah keseimbangan agar masyatakan tetap dapat memenuhi kebutuhan akan gula pasir tersebut. Sebaliknya, jika harga pasar suatu barang atau jasa terlalu rendah, maka pemerintah juga dapat melindungi produsen dengan menetapkan harga eceran terendah. Misalnya saja, harga jagung manis per kilogram di pasar sebesar Rp3.000. pemerintah memandang hal ini dapat merugikan produsen karena harganya yang rendah. Akibatnya pemerintah menetapakan harga dasar sebesar Rp 5.000/kg.

Ke dua yaitu penetapan pajak. Pajak adalah iuran rakyat kepada kas negara berdasarkan undang-undang denagn tidak mendapat balas jasa secara langsung. Pajak dipungut berdasarkan norma-norma hukum unruk menutup biaya produksi barang-barang dan jasa kolektif.. Tujuan di pungutnya pajak adalah untuk membbayai pemerintahan dan untuk kesejahteraan umum. Sebuh negara tidak akan bisa berdiri kalau rakyatnya tidak pernah membayar pajak. Selain untuk kesejahtraan umum pajak pun dafat berfungsi sebagai pengendali harga. Apabila pemerintah menaikan harga pajak maka harga barang akan naik dan apabila pemerintah menurunkan harga pajak, maka harga barang pun akan turun.

Selain dalam bentuk penetapan harga eceran dan pajak, juga dapat dilakuan dengan pemberian subsidi. Tujuannya agar produsen dapat menghasilkan barang atau jasa yang kompetitif, terutama agar bersaing dengan barang-barang impor. Selain itu pemberian subsidi dapat mengendalikan inflasi.

Mungkin sekian yang dapat saya sampaikan semoga bermanfaat khususnya bagi diri saya sendiri dan umumnya untuk kita semia. Saya ucapkan terima kasih banyak atas perhatiannya dan mohon maaf apabila ada pertakataan saya yang kurang berkenan di hati.

Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

[Via http://rayvictory.wordpress.com]

Average "Family" Health Insurance Policy: $13,375, up 5%

Average “Family” Health Insurance Policy: $13,375, up 5%

By John Fritze, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — An average family health insurance policy now costs more than some compact cars, and four in 10 companies will likely pass more of that expense on to workers, according to a closely watched survey of businesses released Tuesday.

The average cost of a family policy offered by employers was $13,375 this year, up 5% from 2008, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust survey found. By comparison, wages rose 3% over that period, the study said.

The new numbers underscore warnings by President Obama about the growing cost of health insurance and were embraced by Democratic lawmakers who are pushing for legislation to change the nation’s health care system. “The trends are crushing millions of businesses and American families,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said.

The annual survey of more than 2,000 companies also found that 40% of small-business employees enrolled in individual health plans pay annual deductibles of $1,000 or more. That’s almost twice the number who paid that much in 2007.

Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser foundation, said it is the combination of higher health care costs along with the recession and other rising prices that “creates the pain level.”

Those who oppose Democratic versions of the health care legislation, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, agree that the rising cost of insurance has become a hardship on families and businesses. The two parties disagree on how to address the problem.

“It’s a significant issue for our members,” said Jeri Kubicki with the National Association of Manufacturers. “They want to continue to offer this benefit. At the same time, it’s a daunting task to try to control costs.”

Since 1999, health insurance premiums for families rose 131%, the report found, far more than the general rate of inflation, which increased 28% over the same period. Overall, health care in the United States is expected to cost $2.6 trillion this year, or 17% of the nation’s economy, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who is leading a bipartisan group negotiating health care legislation, has promised that his bill eventually will drive down costs. Baucus said the bill could come up for a vote this month.

As insurance costs increase, workers are also picking up a larger share, the survey found. The average employee with family coverage paid 26% of the premium, the study found, but 41% of companies said they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to increase the amount employees pay for coverage in the next year.

Marion Cowen, insurance coordinator for H.A. Cover & Son Lumber, Co., in Thayer, Mo., said her company switched to a plan with a $1,000 deductible a few years ago. Though Cowen expects the cost of the plan to rise about 4%, she said she doesn’t think employees will pay more.

“If there’s any way they can bring the costs down, that is the big thing,” Cowen said of efforts in Washington. “The costs just seem to be going up, up, up.”

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2009-09-15-insurance-costs_N.htm

[Via http://iactnow.org]

Wachovia Admits They Laundered Millions In Mexican Drug Money

March 21, 2010: Tim Elfrink / Miami New Times – March 17, 2010

Wachovia bank executives have admitted that the banking giant laundered millions of dollars for Mexican drug lords between 2003 and 2008, prosecutors announced in Miami this afternoon. The bank has promised to pay $160 million in fines and penalties and to set up new safeguards within a year to prevent drug money from coming through the bank. If it fails in that effort, Wachovia could face criminal charges, says Jeffrey Sloman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District.

“Wachovia’s blatant disregard for our banking laws gave international cocaine cartels a virtual carte blanche to finance their operations,” Sloman said at a meeting in downtown Miami. “[They] laundered at least $110 million in drug proceeds.”

The feds built a case against Wachovia around the bank’s relationship with Mexican exchange banks called CDCs (or casas de cambio). Wachovia execs knew as early as 1996 that the Mexican CDCs were hot spots for drug money but kept doing business with them anyway, Sloman says.

The American bank routed billions of dollars in the past ten years through the CDCs without any effective oversight into where the cash was coming from. Prosecutors were able to trace some of that money to the purchase of several airplanes used in drug runs, which led to more than 20,000 kilos of cocaine being seized by investigators.

Under an agreement signed by federal Judge Joan Leonard this afternoon, Wachovia will forfeit $110 million in illegal proceeds from drug sales and pay an additional $50 million fine.

The Tonka Report Editor’s Note: What’s disturbing here is not the fact that these banks are laundering drug money, that’s been known for years. What’s bothersome is the fact that Wachovia not only got caught, but admitted their guilt and yet nobody goes to jail. Nope! They’ll just use the bailout money they stole from the taxpayers to pay a fine and that’s the end of it. Welcome the the new Amerika!  - SJH

Link to original article below…

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/03/wachovia_admits_it_laundered_m.php

[Via http://stevenjohnhibbs.wordpress.com]

REFUGEE'S TREK AIMS TO RAISE A BEACON OF HOPE FOR ZIMBABWE'S CHILDREN

ADOPTED FROM THE CAPE-ARGUS ( 24/12/2009)

A 17 year old Zimbabwean refugee set out on a 200km walk today,without provisions to shed light on the plight of Zimbabwean children who brave the perilous journey to South-Africa

Ephraim Ntlamo made that some journey from Zimbabwe to South-Africa with about 26 other illegal immigrants last year

He said they had walked for 100km and had swum the Limpopo River, where they came across bodies of people who had been trying to escape to South- Africa.

Ntlamo started at Hangklip light house at 9am today and plans to arrive at the Cape-Agullas lighthouse on January 2 with only his note book, which he will use to document every day of the journey.

On his blog Ntlamo talks about the importance of his journey today.

”What’s symbolic about the lighthouse to me is when I fled Zimbabwe for South-Africa, I did not know exactly where I was going to end up, but i was following the brightness of the lights from far away and it’s where I believed hope was.”

He said he hoped to gain the Zimbabwean government’s attention so they could consider creating a national holiday or memorial for children who died in Zimbabwe during political violence and while trying to flee the country.

”I also want the Zimbabwean to be accountable for it’s children in exile by considering the influx of Zimbabwean children into neighbouring countries as a crisis and therefore put something reasonable in place to get them back to Zimbabwe.

”You can not talk about fixing the economy or the country when half a million children between the ages of 14 and 18 are in foreign countries without any skills, What do you expect them  to be when that economy is fixed ? Criminals ”he said

Ntlamo also said the Zimbabwean government responsible for the immense suffering of Zimbabwean children in foriegn countries should put centres in place that would accommodate returnees and those should be run by international children’s organisations like Unicef and not ”former state thugs.”

He said he would be asking for food from people along the journey,in the same manner he did when he was coming to South-Africa.

”I will be resting anywhere without a blanket; if it rains, I will keep on as there was no way to hide from the rain on my way to South -Africa,” he said

Last night Ntlamo,who now has asylum seeker status in the country, said he was feeling excited about the journey.

He said it the perfect time to shed light on the issue of immigrant children as they would be vulnerable to human traffikers during the World cup.

Ntlamo said he did not have a structured plan for his walk as he’d had none when coming to South- Africa.

He will, however, be passing through Hanglip, Silver Sands, Betty’s Bay, Kleinmond, Fisher Haven, Hawston, Hermanus, Stanford, Die Kelders, Gansbaai, Franskraal Strand, Strandskloof, Baardskeerderbos, Vogelvlei, Struis Bay and Cape Agulh.

DUE TO TRANSPORT INCONVIENCE I HAD TO CHANGE THE ROUTE….…….

[Via http://childmigrant.wordpress.com]

Greece

The Greece problem was one of the uncertainties during the correction that began in Jan. It has now surfaced again. Reuters reported that the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou warned on Friday his country was one step from being unable to borrow and appealed to labor unionists to support his efforts to escape a debt crisis shaking the euro zone. 

The man seems unable to be take responsibility for his country’s problem.

From the Telegraph:

Mr Papandreou said speculators were the cause of his country’s woes and demanded that Europe “put the loaded gun on the table” to deter attacks by hedge funds. This argument is starting to irritate Berlin, where it is seen as a ploy to absolve Greece for responsibility for its own troubles, and to circumvent legal restrictions on EU aid.

The man also has a warped sense of reasoning.

From Business Insider:

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has been making statements that reveal a frightening sense of entitlement to the wealth of outsiders. He has said that the markets must be tamed by democracy, which we take to mean that he thinks Greek politicians have some metaphysical right to borrow the world’s wealth at low interest rates. In particular, he seems to share the view of many Greeks that the wealthier European countries—and Germany in particular—just owe Greek money. Which is a very strange attitude for a the country with the world’s highest debt-to-GDP ratio.

The man is adopting the ways of terrorists as well.

From the Telegraph:

We have the worst of the IMF and none of the advantages. This is where Europe must come in and provide what the IMF can offer. Or Greece will have to go to the IMF. We hope that will not be necessary,” he said.

I prefer a European solution as part of the eurozone, to show the world that Europe can act together. This is not to ask for money but to have an instrument on the table to stop the speculation. We expect the EU to live up to the challenge facing it. We are a eurozone country,” he said.

The Business Insider explains why this is a terrorist act:

So what’s the problem? Why might Europe be scared into caving to Greek demands? Because if Greece goes to the IMF, some believe credibility in the euro would be shattered since it would be seen as unable or unwilling to support its member countries when in trouble.

The Greek Prime Minister seems to be a really exceptional man.

[Via http://unprecedentedtimes.wordpress.com]

For Americans Wishing To Leave The United States, What Is The Best Country In The World To Move To?

NOTE:  My choice is Costa Rica — short flight from most U.S. cities; a history of peace without a military; low rate of violent crime; year-round perfect weather; and — most importantly — a strong local community that still produces food and offers a self-sufficient lifestyle.  A friend of mine has started a business in CR to help people relocate and retire.  More info. is available here:

From The Economic Collapse Blog

For those seeking to move outside of the United States, figuring out the best country to move to can be a very daunting task.  There are a ton of social, cultural, economic and safety issues to be considered.  In addition, those who have never been outside of North America should not underestimate the severe “culture shock” that can take place when moving to another nation.  While moving outside of the United States may seem like an attractive alternative, the truth is that it is not easy and it is not something to be done lightly.  But there have been many Americans who have done it successfully and are now loving life.  Our recent article, “Is Moving Out Of The United States A Way To Escape The Coming Economic Collapse?”, generated some really great comments about what various areas of the world are like for Americans who move there.  Today we wanted to share with you some of those comments.  These commenters have some very strong opinions about where the best places for Americans to move to are, but the reality is that each person and each situation is different so keep that in mind as you read these….

Saigonbrian:

I’ve lived in China, Vietnam, and am currently living in Malaysia for the last few years. I’ve also traveled extensively during that time. Given the likely future problems in the US it’s certainly prudent to at least evaluate an alternative.

Our top two choices would be New Zealand (NZ) and Costa Rica (CR) with Malaysia coming in 3rd. NZ and CR are both beautiful countries and pretty much self-sufficient in needed resources. English, of course, is the language of NZ and it is widely spoken in CR. Though if you choose a country where English is not the native language; you’d be way better off learning the local language.

Some other options would be: Thailand; a beautiful very expat friendly country. Indonesia, in particular Bali. Vietnam and Cambodia would be OK for the more adventurous and they are cheap, cheap. Australia is fine, though the prices are pretty much US level. Singapore is nice if you want to live in one big city. Malaysia is interesting. It tries very hard to get expats to retire there. They have a formal program called “Malaysia My Second Home” (MM2H). You apply for it, and if you meet the criteria, you get a 10 yr, unlimited entry visa. There should be no trouble renewing it. You need to keep about $30,000 USD in a local bank account, buy a home that costs at least $175,000 USD, and have an income of $3,000 a month. I suspect these requirements will lessen. The program is relatively new and the government hasn’t seem to have chosen which expat group they’re really targeting: rich foreigners, well off investors, or retirees with more modest moola. The country is beautiful and fairly cheap to live in. We have a gorgeous 5,000 sf apartment with great, modern security features. Did I mention it’s on the beach with amazing views. The cost? About $2,400 USD a month!! Our electric bill, and we run the aircon a lot; is $25 bucks. We haven’t used our health insurance yet, as we’d not hit the deductible limit and the prices are very cheap. And the quality of care is 1st rate. My daughter twisted her ankle recently so we put the system to the test. The initial exam by an orthopedic surgeon, xrays, and a soft cast cost about $35 USD! Follow-up visits with the orthopedic surgeon cost $9 USD! Pretty darn good. My primary concern? The worry that the country will become too islamic. It is the official state religion though now it does treat the Chinese and Indian minorities relatively fairly. I’m just not sure it can resist the tendency for islam to become more intrusive and radical. Hopefully not, but the jury is still out.

Overall I’d suggest doing some research and find a few contenders. Then go to these places for a vacation. That will give you some 1st hand data. One thing you notice living overseas is that Americans are the least adventurous, 1st world; folks. We need to get over that.

Bon voyage!

Gringo in Brazil:

I recently made the move to Brazil with my family based primarily on the social and economic factors I witnessed and experienced. In Michigan, I found my business drying up, my home value plummeting, the job market disappearing, etc. More importantly, if the youth I saw at the malls and high schools are any indication of the future leadership of our country; we are in serious trouble. With less than 50% of our youth even graduating from High School, how do we stand a chance.

Fortunately I speak fluent Portuguese so I am able to adapt. I am earning about $1,300/mo plus commissions which is enough for a simple apartment and living expenses. My wife is looking for the right job and should be able to earn about the same which will afford us a modest lifestyle.

Most Americans couldn’t cope with the heat, mosquitoes, open sewers, long lines, hellish traffic, and other cultural issues, unless they could afford to live in a luxury neighborhood and have a maid and personal assistant. However, the outlook here in Brazil is very positive. Most young people are investing in their education and advancement. I liken it to stepping back 70 years in our country and being on the verge of a great industrial revolution that I can be a part of. I have decided it is better to be starting at the bottom of the hill, climbing towards the top, then to be at the top and sliding out of control towards the bottom.

If you can afford it, do what my wife and I did, we took a two month “vacation” a couple of years ago, rented a furnished apartment and did a trial “residency” in which we had time to evaluate the pros and cons. When we moved here last month, we were well prepared, knowing what we were getting into, bringing along the necessary items and resources to be able to live relatively comfortably.

If you can master the native language sufficiently (or take an immersion course when you arrive for 6 months), you can often get a job at a language school, or company needing bi-lingual workers or professionals. Best bet is to scour the classifieds online ahead of time so you have something guaranteed when you arrive.

Kenneth:

Australia is the best country in the world to live in. This is the statement of Australians who have been to USA and other countries. It is what USA used to be years ago. It will be a few years before Australia becomes like USA. USA has left its Christian roots and I am afraid there are those who will make sure it never goes back.

AsiaExpat:

Singapore is the best place to live and work. It has a real future and very reasonable taxes. Peaceful, modern, they even speak English (kind of). Bring your best attitude and a necktie, because you have to work and you have to be kind to your neighbors. Who wants to be cloistered nervously behind a wall, anyway?

Bill:

Best places as far as quality of life? Social Democratic countries like Scandanavia- Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark.

If language is a problem Canada would be the closest best choice, then Australia, New Zealand, and for Central America, Costa Rica would be the number one choice for climate, civility, medical care and a beautiful environment.

For most places that provide good quality of life, expect to pay high taxes, which most civilized countries, yours excepted, equate with civilization. I’m afraid you folks are letting your inherent selfishness, ignorance of other cultures, militarism and a “screw you Jack, I’ve got mine” mentality destroy you.

Better than moving, stay there and try to turn things around. You have too much that is still good to lose it all. We’re all hoping-well, your firends are anyway- that you’ll pull out of this before its too late.

Time is running out folks.

Mongoos:

Not all Americans are “ugly Americans.” We are guests in the host country and most expats act as such. I retired in Sept 2009 and plan on living, teaching, and writing in Thailand. I have lived and worked overseas before, so this is nothing new for me. You make do and blend in and stay out of trouble. Leave your attitudes and preconceptions at the door when you check in. Otherwise, you will be creating problems for those of us who wish to live in peace and enjoy the pleasures of a different culture.

James:

There are over 100,000 Americans living in Costa Rica and loving it. Things are getting stronger here everyday and in most schools they teach English for half the day and Spanish for the other. The majority of the people like Americans and if you want to have it shipped here you can get everything here that you can get there. WalMart is the largest retail chain here as well as there.

This week Costa Rica moved ahead of the US in medical care. A huge % of the national income is from Medical Tourism. They are using adult stem cell treatment here to cure MS, Heart Decease, diabetes, Spinal Cord Injuries, Cancer and many other conditions. A good source for getting information on Costa Rica is the Association of Residents of Costa Rica.

http://www.arcr.net

They have a seminar once a month that brings in Doctors, Lawyers, Dentist, Shippers, Realtors, Investment Councilors and many other experts to brief you on the pros and cons of moving to Costa Rica. There are many communities here that are all American and the “Culture Shock” is nonexistent. The weather is perfect and they have never had a hurricane.

Bruce:

We moved to the French Riviera 10 years ago when we retired. Cost of living here in Nice is much less than New York or any other major American city. We’re on the sea, a big plus, near Italy, also a big plus, and we enjoy terrific food that we can afford. The medical system in France is incomparable and truly inexpensive compared to the U.S. We calculated our fixed living expenses for the year: it came to 11,000 Euros, or about $15,000 for all our taxes, medical coverage, utilities, condo fees, dentistry, etc. We live in a 2 bedroom top floor condo with a very large terrace and 2 balconies. There’s plenty of money left for travel, dining out, movies, and quick jaunts up to London and Paris for culture and ethnic food (especially London). Don’t regret the move at all.

John:

I moved to Ensenada Mexico in 2000. It was the best thing I ever did for my future because there is no future in America. I now enjoy more freedom than I ever had in the US. Spanish is easy to learn and the people are much more friendly here. There are lots of ex-pats here also. In the coming years the US is going to be the worst place to be. Escape now while you still can.

AmericanInOz:

I am an American that immigrated to Australia in 2001 (after Bush took office). My wife and I didn’t like what we saw coming. Politically, culturally, financially and socially.

When Big Media first started covering the US’s economic problems here in 2008 they drug out the old phrase “When America catches a cold Australia gets a flu”. Two plus years on and this couldn’t be further from the truth. The economy here is going great guns, and demand from Asia and a better government are a good part of the reason.

House prices are having solid gains every year, unemployment is reasonably steady, and the federal reserve is trying to raise interest rates to cool the economy (.25% again today)

To that point, the government here doesn’t subsidise 30 year fixed mortgages the way they do in the US, so they can still manage the economy by slightly manipulating interest rates. The longest you can fix a mortgage for is 5 years, at a very high premium, so most people don’t.

America has become an after thought, if not the laughing stock, of many Australians. It saddens me to see how far everything has fallen over there. I no longer try to defend the US or the American people. The time for real public outrage passed many years ago, and I have not only given up on the government, but also on the people themselves. So many dear family and friends spend their lives watching TV while their freedoms, lifestyle, culture and wealth were/are being destroyed around them. Ignorant and apathetic to the realities of the real world. Living with some strange notion of the past as if it represents the present.

Not all is doom and gloom here. And although it could still come, if it does it will have little, if nothing at all, to do with the problems in America.

[Via http://rulersofusall.wordpress.com]

Fake Fight

Have you noticed the sense of urgency the President has attached to getting health care passed. Time is of the essence, even though the health coverage promised by the Castro Care legislation doesn’t kick in for a few years… and our economic survival depends on getting it passed.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday a broad healthcare overhaul was critical to an economic recovery and promised to push a reform package through Congress this year despite growing doubts about the plan, even among fellow Democrats.

Is this part of a strategy of creating a phony crisis over healthcare? Here’s what author David Kupelian writes:

As I explain in my new book “How Evil Works,” anyone even superficially familiar with the history of the political left has heard references to the strategy of creating crises as a means of transforming society. You’ve probably heard of the “Hegelian dialectic,” a key Marxist technique whereby an idea (“We need more gun control laws!”) generates its opposite (“No, we don’t need more gun laws, we just need tougher sentencing of criminals!”) which leads to a reconciliation of opposites, or synthesis (“OK, we’ll compromise by passing new gun-control laws, but watering them down somewhat”).

The Obama economic argument may make perfect sense to you given our economic situation, but Bill Clinton took the White House during a recession, and here’s what he had to say about health reform and the economy!

Sound familiar?

Likewise, maybe you’ve heard of the “Cloward-Piven Strategy” inspired by leftwing radical organizer Saul Alinsky, whose methods Barack Obama adopted which openly advocates the creation of crises to destroy capitalist society. This is how socialist progress is achieved “peacefully” through conflict or crisis and always in the direction of greater socialism.

Something to think about as the Castro Care legislation makes its way to a vote.

[Via http://realclearthinker.com]