“If you want to be critical go ahead, that never accomplices anything.”

American imperialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
bailey83221: Philippines, Haiti, and Iraq striking parallels.
bailey83221:
Michael Hudson
Hudson is the author of the book "Super Imperialism" that I linked the PDF with the preface to, many good articles on his site...
From the second link:
* Constitutions were set up by the Americans, including provisions favorable to American business and not allowing the government to kick out America.
* American business quickly moved in to take natural resources of invaded country
* Massive uprisings of the people, leading to human rights violations.
* Majority of those nationals who were invaded wanted America out.
* Subtle racism: except the jargon changed (Haiti/Philippines: “we are here to civilize the people” Iraq: “we are here to bring democracy and freedom”)

 

We are on the same page so far as govts. spending money on non-citizens. I would not spend one dime on anyone who was a non-citizen of the US.

I chose to live in the Philippines for a variety of reasons, finances being just one of them. The main reason is the freedom here---you have just as many laws, they are just not enforced, so an American does feel much more free here, so long as they do not try to start or own a business.

BTW--I did not serve to protect a govt, I served to protect a glorious idea committed to writing---the United States Constitution. Govt. is the b@st@rd child of that idea and corrupt, self-serving politicians pervert it daily, but that does not detract (for me) the perfection of the Consititution.

 

Here is one that should interest all US Pensioners...
Obama’s Catfood Reform | Michael Hudson

 

That sounds bad, in many more years to come it'll just get worse instead of getting better. Goodluck to the future retirees.

 

In theory there is the notion "planning for retirement". However, several factors could have a negative impact on the best laid plans. Such as: divorce (there goes half), job layoff, stock market going down the toilet, death or illness, economy, losing all the equity in your house, bankruptcy, etc. I wish there were positive factors to list but none come to mind. Invest wisely and hope for the best.

 

I, for myself don't believe that anything can be done about the current situation, at the very moment there are twists and turns in all directions, I would even go so far as to say that it's intentionally done, all the scary prospects of losing ones ability to decide about ones own affairs, losing a job, a pension, a saving, property etc. for many this fears are very real,
health, shelter and food are the main needs, make them difficult to obtain and you have stress, stressed people behave irrational and make decisions on the spur of a moment without further thinking...

Easy Targets...

 

Means nothing. Poor people go to where they can get work easily and make money. Does not mean that Country is a good country. Also, USA (from memory) does not contribute alot of money when judged in relation to it's GNP. I can think of a dozen countries I'd rather be a citizen of than the USA. Take a look a tonight shows Jay Leno Jaywalk and you can see the intellectual quotient of most Americans. THe Country is imploding with crazies going on shooting sprees every other week. There are so many laws the Gov is looking up ur a** everytime u take a dump. What was good about the USA, civil rights is mostly lost now, common Citizens are being spied on every day. Health care sucks and is expensive. Rents and real estate in many places are so high most people cannot afford a place to live. One thing that is still good is the abundance of food and food choices at cheap prices. So it's not all bad. But as a whole the USA has lost alot of luster as a place to immigrate to.

 

Not true, MANY people die of inability to access quality health care in the USA every year. The USA has dropped quite low in relation to other first world countries and even below some 2nd world countries in studies of quality and access to health care. They only have an obligation to STABILIZE you at the emergency room, not to treat u beyond that. Many hospitals do not follow the law an dump patients to other hospitals and even on the street in a not too distant tv expose of an LA Hospital that was dumping sick old ladies at skid row (slum area in US) by taxi cab because they did not want to pay for their medical care.

 

Yes, if they followed the Constitution,

USA would be a much better place to live. Corruption exists in the USA but it is much more hidden and, as a result, much more insidious. Many of the laws in the R.P read like they were written by the Gestapo-thinking here of the ridiculous laws used against foreigners.

 

Today I drove by Bogarts and Why Not around 11:30 am and then again later in the afternoon and saw a lot of the same people I had seen earlier. Just wondering if a couple people posting late on this thread were hydrating on SMB all day. lol.