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Leaving America Redux: Sovereign Man's "Next Steps" Guide To Expats-In-Waiting
The musings of Simon "Sovereign Man" Black, whose prior post about leaving America as the only intelligent way to lead a noble fight against crony capitalism and a corrupt regime, provoked a very spirited conversation, received well over 20k reads, indicating this is a very sensitive topic to many potential expats currently on the fence about abandoning this once great country. Today, exclusively on Zero Hedge, we present Black's follow up thoughts on the topic of expatriation as the noble way of winning the fight with the "mob-installed government beast", by avoiding the fight entirely. For all those who are considering pulling the cord on abandoning an increasingly oppressive regime where the concept of liberty is now whispered about with the hushed tones of increasing nostalgia, here are some suggestions on what one's next steps may be. If nothing else, this should certainly engender another possibly combustible discussion on the benefits of passive versus active patriotism.
(Incidentally, Black's daily musing from various known and unknown corners around the world are extremely informative and entertaining, and we suggest everyone who wishes to get an unbiased perspective of the world to subscribe to the Sovereign Man's free newsletter - link).
From Simon Black of SovereignMan.com
Writing today from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Freedom, independence, and awareness are undoubtedly in decline in the western world, particularly the US. In the last 10-days, Homeland Security has started seizing Internet domains from 'rogue' webmasters, and TSA has begun labeling dissenters of its new security procedures as domestic extremists.
It's as if the government's actions are being ripped from Atlas Shrugged and 1984... and yet the trend, at least for now, is still more government control, fake security, and reduced freedom.
Earlier this week I published a controversial article about the nature of patriotism. In the article, I suggested that when you find yourself increasingly isolated from your country's declining values, it's probably time to pack up and head somewhere else.
Many people found this idea to be cowardly and weak. Obviously I believe the opposite to be true. One of the most difficult things you could ever do is pack up your life, leave everything familiar, and head to a new world full of uncertainty.
Just about everyone reading this had ancestors who did just that. These were not cowards, they were pioneers; they were trading tyranny for opportunity, heading to a land full of bright prospects where they could carve out a life accountable for their own successes and failures.
Granted, we have it easier today than our pioneering ancestors... but leaving behind the familiarity of home is still a difficult concept for most people to commit.
It's like staying in a bad marriage or dead-end job... people do it because their paralyzing fear of the unknown is often greater than the routine misery to which they've already grown accustomed.
Taking action requires a catalyst, and that's what we're experiencing today-- perhaps a mother who watches a government agent fondle her child, or an entrepreneur whose assets are wrongfully frozen, or a student who realizes that social security will no longer exist when she hits retirement age, etc.
One by one, people will wake up and consider their options. "Stay and fight" is just a bombastic rallying cry of the institutionalized, not a real option. The fact is, there is no enemy, there is no fight... there is only gradual erosion of freedom and opportunity.
Unable to change what we cannot control, productive people will eventually reach a breaking point and leave. The "stay and fight" crowd who remain will congratulate themselves on their patriotism, chastise the "cowards" who have left, and resolve to go down with the mob-mentality, mafia-controlled sinking ship.
This is neither honorable nor courageous, and unless you see Davy Crockett staring back at you in the mirror, the "stay and fight" crowd should question their own actions first-- what are you doing to change things? Who exactly are you fighting?
Here's the bottom line: your country is controlled by a very small group of people, and you're not one of them. You cannot control the machine, you can only control where and how to invest your time. Fortunately, there are a lot of options around the world for the open-minded.
One commenter this week lamented, "Leave to where? Guatemala? Panama? What other hellhole can you name, and what do you do when you get there? Raise chickens?" as if every other country on earth is a 'hellhole' with no economic prospects for talented, creative people.
Stop listening to what Sean Hannity tells you and see for yourself, the world is full of opportunity. I've traveled to around 100 countries and done business in dozens-- some of my favorites:
Chile: the new America. Strong, independent, civilized economy, you'll think you're in Europe given how modern it is.
Singapore: Too much to say here... you need a job? They're hiring. You need capital? They're investing. You hate taxes? So do they. Singapore is ideal for families, and obtaining residency (and citizenship) is simple.
Colombia: Forget everything you've ever heard and go see for yourself. With similar geology to Venezuela and peace at hand, the country is poised for a bonanza.
Sri Lanka: Ditto, except that the Sri Lankan government is bending over backwards to provide some of the strongest investor incentives I've ever seen. Oh yeah, it's one of the cheapest (and most beautiful) countries in the world.
Malaysia: Peaceful, beautiful, cheap, and thriving, Malaysia will constantly surprise you and exceed your expectations for its modernness and opportunities.
Estonia: With its flat tax structure, streamlined government, and brilliant work force, Estonia provides ample opportunity for entrepreneurs, particularly those looking for entry into Europe's harmonized customs union.
I could go on-- Brazil, Indonesia, Uruguay, Tanzania, China, etc., but you get the idea. Sure, you could pick apart any country for its faults. I call these the 'yeah, buts' as in "Estonia? Yeah, but it's cold." It's not going to look like Black Friday shopping in Topeka, but the idea is freedom and opportunity, and once on the ground, you'll feel it.
In case you're geographically constrained, you can still take steps to increase your freedom. Start by moving some money to an overseas bank account, and store gold in an offshore vault-- this safeguards your wealth from government bureaucrats who could otherwise freeze or confiscate your accounts on a whim.
Also consider buying some land overseas, even if it's just a small piece. This is a great way to move money, and it gives you a starting point if you ever need a place to go.
Remember, these options are not exclusive to the wealthy-- anyone who is willing to reject institutional programming can find opportunity overseas or start protecting what they have at home; it takes an open mind, creativity, readiness to learn new skills, and the will to act.
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If you have kids or plan on having kids, I suggest you take this article seriously; otherwise your children and grand-children will be tax-slaves of the state.
Working overseas, the 1st $80 or $95k is tax free - in most countries this is quite enough to live on. Additionally, there are ways to make more and keep it off the radar.
If you're over the limit on assets, don't declare that you are ex-pating - gradually move money into a Canadian bank and take several "vacations" to a sub-destination and wire $$ from Canada. Dominica has a cheap deal on obtaining their citizenship; $75k or $85k for individuals, $125k for a family (rates are approx). Once you have your new citizenship, emigrate to your new destination using the new passport - there will be no reporting of your bank accounts, income, etc to the US/IRS as your destination country sees you as a Dominica citizen, not a US citizen.
Get overseas and you'll meet the people you'll need to meet that can help and give tips.
Beware when the wall finally goes up on our southern border with Mexico - it won't be used to keep illegals out, it will be used to keep you in.
In my humble opinion, if you're not out in 6-12 months, it'll be too late - exit permits will be required for overseas travel. The noose is quickly tightening.
I suspect 12 to 24 months before overseas travel must be approved by the predators-that-be... but better safe than sorry. We're outta here in 4 months (hopefully soon enough).
Good news, I cut a deal with Breakpoint Trades they are allowing me to post the full-on not watered down version of their stock market newsletter.
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This is plain stupid. Where is everyone going to run away to? There's no new world or continent, no new wilderness or frontier. And even if you do find some region outside the grasp of the tentacles, you've only bought yourself a few decades. There's only two options. Kneel before them, or grow a pair and prepare for that three letter word.
This comment doesn't make sense, nor do any of the other comments that follow the logic of:
"We're already in America. Where could one go? Makes more sense to stay here and clean this place up."
This implies (perhaps unintentionally) that the only possible place to experience true freedom on this earth is on the soil that is currently known as America.
This is ridiculous.
If we were to chase the PTB and socialists and devaluationists out... wouldn't this place be the place to go on the globe? Then it would make sense for almost everyone else in the world to want to come here. In the same way that the savvy and motivated in America are now looking to get out. These are the same people that many on this thread would all cowardly or (at best) give the advice to "stick it out."
It stands to reason that there are places out there that have already achieved what misguided people on this topic have suggested is the reason to "stay here and fight." If that's the case, then it makes sense to move there and save yourself the trouble.
Resigning yourself to the belief that you have just "bought yourself a few decades" is just pessimistic and unnecessarily gloomy.
To begin with for me it's not an option. I am too old. Nevertheless I do have one thought. When an infantry unit loses the colors the one thing that is always looked at is how did they acquit themselves during the battle. It's always possible to be overwhelmed and that usually happens to slaves in every time in every society but the flip side of the coin is every reasonably educated man knows who Sparticus was. At least he made a go of it. As to packing up and leaving that's a very tough decision. Jewish intellectuals and artisans seem to have made a habit of it during the 1930's. Didn't work out too well for all those they left behind though. Also the thing that strikes me is that they are so few and we are so many. In their greed they have concentrated the power in the hands of less than say 50,000 individuals. Against a nation of 300 million? Nevertheless, the odds are very bad.
Nobody panic if we test $1375 tomorrow. Blythe tried to do it today, but she failed and she is spoiled and she will try to do it again, and with Asia higher, I could see the street taking profits on anything and everything. Yet with the whiteness wedged to land on Reality Lake, anything is possible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jj6vWBhHjg
A whole bunch of nothing is coming folks, you lost!
Ben Bernanke, you are no. 1, hun!
Ben's plan is brilliant! Provided the bill never comes due.
euro***s like black are encouraged to leave. those of us who matter will fight to take back this country, impossible though it may seem
Those who want to expatriate - do so. Just dont do it out of pique. I mean you will not in any way hurt the US by leaving. Dont expect tearfiul farewells. In the 1970-1990 period very large percent of the best and brightest ( top 1%) left India , China etc - the so called brain drain. Did not seem to have any adverse effect at all did it?
By the way your choices are a)Other large complex countries ( Euroland, India, China etc) - which are just as bad - so forget that.
b) Small, tropical vacation spots in poor countries - I would say try it for 6 months before you abandon everything to be a lower-middle class permanent tourist in a place which after the next hurricane or military coup may not look so appealing.
c) The small city-states - like Hong Kong /Singapore/ Swiss cantons - great if you have a net worth in the 10s of millions - but otherwise its extremely expensive.
My take the US is a great place. Its all relative. maybe its not as great as it once was - but compared to your alternatives its pretty damn great. Yeah we have problems - but we have food sufficiency, lots of land, water etc. A great industrial base ( huh? ) - yeah the US is the second largest exporter in the world wedged in between China and Germany.leader in high tech -( huh?) - OK name ONE product invented in China that you use.
Bank of America is heavenly, why hate?
Print 1 trillion dollars and divide up the money for Americans. All debt is gone (an illusion?). Price structure unaffected. Banks still afloat. Everyone happy? Good
You got that folks?!?!? Life is the Great Depression. ASk Tyler
Oh yeah - I forgot to mention the US Dollar - the best currency ( Huh?). Well, The US monetary base is covered by about 15% in gold owned by the govt. This is much larger than China, Japan, Euroland etc. So even gold bugs can rejoice that their currency is the most backed by gold of any currency.
I'm a current US expat in Singapore. After leaving the US in 2009, I don't want to go back. I've realized how "free" the U.S. actually is. Once my contract is up next year, I'm not sure what I will do but one thing is for sure, I will not be going back to the US.
The price of real estate is indeed high here in Singapore. If you want an actual landed house, you need 10's of millions, however a normal 2 bedroom condo goes for about a mill. You can eat extremely cheaply. Maintaining a western lifestyle is very expensive (house, car to drive to work, etc). I recently moved out of my 1200sq ft apartment that was costing $S4500 a month (there are much cheaper options available). My car (mazda 3 1.6L) lease runs me $S1780 month. If you like to booze it up such as myself, expect to pay anywhere from $8 - 20 bucks for a brew while out on the town. If you want to drink cheap, visit the local hawker center. You can live fairly comfortably on $S120k. Going somewhere else in the region and you could live like a king (Cambodia or Laos).
Although I like to travel around Indo, I would much rather live in Malaysia. KL is decent. If you ever want to escape the tropical climate, the cameron highlands are a 3 hour drive and the climate feels like you are somewhere high up in Colorado. From what I've seen, MY has a much more modern road system. Jakarta traffic is a f'ng nightmare. Being an archipelago, Indo is much harder to traverse and the local airlines are pretty hairy.
Down to the Banana Republic
Down to the tropical sun
Go the expatriated Americans
Hoping to find some fun
Some of them go for the sailn’
Called by the lure of the sea
Trying to find what is ailing
From living in the land of the free
There is currently a very active discussion on Zero Hedge advocating for going Expat, taking your Money and Running for some FREEDOM elsewhere on the Globe than the FSofA. How realistic is the idea that you can esape the oncoming storm by evacuating to any of the Popular Destinations mentioned as alternatives?
The list is long, depending on what the particular writer believes about the nature of money and the nature of worldwide systems and the nature of this collapse. For instance, you get many folks who will tout plaes like Singapore, because its so Bizness Friendly and they’ll hand out citizenships pretty easily, though I suspect that is only to people who will deposit a few million in a Singapore Banks Account. Chile is touted as a great location with good honest Goobermint and low tax structure blah blah. Even Estonia was suggested as a great location to head for to escape the expanding Fascist State here in the FSofA! Apparently loaded with more Tall Gorgeous Blonde Bimbos than even Sweden!
A few of the Piglets also have advocated for the Phillip Nolan paradigm, the Man Without a Country. These are folks who over the last 10-20 years have hopscotched around the Globe doing various kinds of Consulting work, never staying more than a few months in one location and avoiding taxes through variety of quasi legal means.
Some of them are running from lovers
Leaving no forward address
Some of them are running tons of ganga
Some are running from the IRS
And late at night you will find them
In the cheap hotels & bars
Hustling the senoritas while they dance beneath the stars
What do all these paradigms have in common? They basically are Peak Oil Deniers. To be Jet Setting around the globe doing whatever kind of consulting work it is you do, you have to assume that sort of work is going to continue onward here, and that there will be Commercial Jets flying around to Zoom you from one country to the next 2 or 3 times a year. Far as Singapore goes or Chile, sure it seems nice and Organized right now, hell even NY seems fairly well organized still. However, when there really becomes a supply-demand problem worldwide, why on earth would you figure Santiago, Chile or Singapore to get the Fuel before NYC or Washington? Who is running the big fucking Navy here that might escort VLC Tankers? Are they gonna escort them to CHILE?
Now, I am all for looking for a sustainable location, whether it is inside or outside FSofA borders is to an extent your Choice, depending on how much Cash you have and what your current Job Skills might be that would enable you to find a Job somewhere else on the planet that somebody will pay you for. However, let us be realistic here, unless you are simply loaded, what kind of Job could you get in Estonia right now? If you are currently still employed in the FSofA, unless before actually leaving you could nail down a job in Chile, is heading to Chile such a good idea? Particularly if you don’t already speak pretty decent Spanish?
Spending those renegade pesos
On a bottle of rum & a lime
Singing, give me some words I can dance to
Or a melody that rhymes
First you learn the native customs
Soon a word of Spanish or two
But you know that you cannot trust them
Cause they know they can’t trust you
The whole concept here revolves around the Wannabee Elites who populate the pages of Zero Hedge. Well educated, high income people for the most part who in some cases do have work skills that they can in the current climate take almost anywhere on the Globe and find work, or just do what they are currently doing on their Laptops from another location, assuming it is connected to the Internet. This may work for a while, but for how long once the Oil supply crunch really hits?
Seriously, there are only really three classes of people for whom Emigration makes sense. The First Class is very well to do, well educated people who have job skills so fabulous that they can land a job anywhere on the Globe. I doubt this demographic even represents .1% of the population as a whole.
The Second Class would be the already Retired, people who have sufficient Pensions and Investments beyond Social Security which can currently buy them a good life as an Expat. Problem here would be for these folks a variety of Capital Controls which are likely to be instituted as the financial collapse rolls along, not to mention the fairly likely collapse of the Dollar as a currency. It most of your assets are in Dollar denominated assets, first off good luck with liquidating them and seond if you manage it whatever dollars you get after the liquidation probably won’t work too well down in the Banana Republics.
The Third Class would be the already unemployed Amerikan, who still has enough Savings to pack up a few suitcases, possibly convert his savings to Gold Coins, then somehow manage to cross borders and get through TSA Deep Cavity Searches with his coins to set up shop in some new country. I can think of a few ways to attempt this, most of them revolving around Sailboats leaving in the middle of the night from a Marina here and then hitting a Beach in the Banana Republic and Burying your Gold Coins before you actually hit Customs officials in your destination country, but of course this methodology is not an easy one to pull off here.
All in all, the actual percentage of Amerikans who can and will exit to the Banana Republics is vanishingly small on a percentage basis. If you are very well to do and get out NOW, you may be able to escape the coming Capital Controls. However, any kind of money you get as an Annuity like Social Security is not something to be counted on as this spins down. Even Job skills you have now which work inside the kind of Global Economy we are still barely running are unlikely to keep working once TSHTF for real. Heading for Parts Unknown where you have no local connections to the People is a very risky choice, particularly if there are Language barriers and you differ in your racial and ethnic characteristics from the Locals. No matter how much money you have now, you could find yourself very alone, very quickly.
Expatriated Americans feeling so all alone
Telling themselves the same lies
That they told themselves back home
Down to the Banana Republic things aren’t as warm as they seem
When none of the natives are buying any second hand American dreams
RE
excellent post! I have family in another country and native fluency and I still agree with you! well written!
I left in '97 and have no regrets. I can always go back if it pleases me. The internationals are as a rule more cosmopolitan than those without overseas experience; thus , more interesting and open-minded(in general).
Also, an American can open a bank and brokerage account in Sing or HK if he/she has a utility bill or anything that demonstrates he is domiciled outside the US. A lot of the fear-mongering 'big bro is watching' rumors are just not accurate.
What Simon describes is a CHOICE. If most are mystified by living overseas ... then they are just where they are supposed to be.
Agree. I think quality of life is a function of mostly micro things - family,friends, interests etc - so folks would be making a mistake if they move to a new location based on some hokey macro "analysis" and expecting miracles. There are no utopias out there.
It's incredible there is so much discussion about this. Anyone still living in the Usa is .. an idiot. It's that simple.
Why would you POSSIBLY want to live in the Usa of today? (2010)
For what reason?
The food? (Lol.) To feel good about having genocided the native americans? The 'culture'? The high-quality roads? The elegant shops? The comfortable race relations? The high levels of general intelligence? Erudite politicians? Lack of regulations and paperwork? Fine schools for your kids? The exciting manufacturing scene? The many benefits of being middle-class? The excellent medical scene?
THINGS CHANGE -- the place to be in, let's say, the 70s, 80s was of course the US of A. The best of everything was there.
Now it's a shithole, or a joke.
You have to face reality and live in the present day. What possible reason would anyone WANT to be in the Usa (of 2010)? Can anyone even STATE a reason?
Simple obvious fact:
The Usa is now a second world country.
Indeed, it's sliding to a third world country and is already a 3d world country in the (many) bad parts, both urban and rural. Even in the most "advanced" parts they can't build a bridge without it collapsing.
Spend one day in any first world country - Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, HK, Switzerland, etc etc etc etc. It's unlikely you'd even go back.
Again .. can anyone actually state by typing an example, WHAT FOR? Is there ANY attraction in the 2nd-world Usa of today, 2010?
The fact that there's hand-wringing over leaving the Usa is bizarre. I can think of at least ten people who have fled in the last six months, just in circle of friends or colleagues
I mean particularly if you have young children, nobody could seriously put their child in to the school system there? Really?
You must be joking. If you want to be in steamy Thailand - where evryone smiles - but try getting anything done - be my guest.
Why the Us? First of all its the people. Americans are the best people - witty, funny, big hearted and by and large hugely competent at whatever they do ( compared to your steamy, third world resorts). Easier to have a good time here.
secondly - cheapest high quality of life in the world. Great housing at half to one third of the price you would pay in Asia for a one bedroom apartment abutting a slum.Great food ( no one is forcing you to eat fast food junk - OK?).
Now - I understand - folks who took on huge debts that they cannot repay - now want to act like it was the "system" that did it - and they want to expatriate- hahaha. you dont want to know what they do to deadbeats in some parts of the world.
Don't pay any attention to Ass Troll. He hates America because we lazy slobs want something more out of life than to scrub his greasy toilets with our toothbrushes for a couple pesos a month. He's just another useless gasbag bloviating about the free lunches he's entitled to gobble off the backs of Americans who really carry this country. He would be at home in Zimbabwe and we'd all appreciate if he would move there already.
At this point the best little bit of your once great country is this website.
And while I'm here that bullshit from Hillary Clinton about Wikilieaks and Assange being criminals is exactly why your so fucked. It defines your fuckedness.
Yeah, he's a sex criminal... Who didn't guess that was coming? Perhaps he swindled little old ladies and buggered small puppies too.
You are right b.c.; this defines our fuckness...
I live in Thailand, had enough of the Fatherland in 2000 and relocated.
It is easy to buy Gold and the living is sweet. IF you need any help check out http://taxfreeoffshoregold.blogspot.com/
TRAV777, where art thou?
Who is the END OF THE WORLD?
Gold is a bubble, GET OUT! RUN!
Where is ZH on the FED info-dump?
So quiet on Christmas.
Didn't expect HuffPo to be my source this morning. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/01/wall-street-borrowed-from_n_790...
I need a % yield, I am starved for one!
Yes I see this guy recommended storing your gold in an offshore vault in Panama...yeah right and then another Noriega comes along and confiscates it. O and of course soveriegn man will help you do this for a fee.
they are nationalizing the internet and TSA. yeah, good luck leaving the country with nothing but a LUMP OF COAL in your pants
if I put your UN into google, what will they find?
I am not talking about the United Nation.
You're not safe anywhere, doomie.
They will find you, take your Gold and throw your family into the streets.
You've already got another Roosevelt in the U.S., how long do you think it'll take him to do the same? Don't lie to yourself.
you don't have to move to a central american police state...we will become one...just give it a little time. we are pretty much there already.
Good riddance to trash like this.
Let him "Go Galt" and find out that the world sheds not a single tear.
We're not interested in your tears, we're interested in prospering. Oh and possibly having a laugh at your expense as you mistake getting robbed, sexually assaulted, beaten, caged and eventually killed (one way or other) for freedom and patriotism. What a joke. Have fun with your mafia, and don't forget to beg and worship appropriately down there on your knees.
Anyone interested in exploring some of the best places for an expat (with or without family) to put down roots may want to check out an inexpensive 22 country series of full-length eBooks "Cultural Dimensions of Expatriate Life" - try www.culturaldimensions.net and use the links on the 'Resources' page or just go to Amazon and do the search.
Holy crap, a lot of unhappy people writing shit here...
step away from the computer, go outside for a hike...
the USA ain't perfect, but running away to SA, or some island? No F-ing way....one bad election, and your little heaven turns into hell faster than you can load your gun.
take a hike
Guys, Simon, ZH and apparently several others have no idea how the US tax system works. The US tax system has significant provisions to ensure US citizens that leave to set up shop in another country are still subject to US taxation. This whole idea of expatriating to stop participating in the US fiscal situation is a farce and is more worthless than most of the stuff posted on ZH lately.
I lived in Norway for four years, I returned to the US a couple of years ago. Norway is a very wealthy country, beautiful women, robust economy, but one thing that no one tells you is that when you are a foreigner in a country, the locals know you have no social network and anything they do to you will not be advertised to the community. I was regularly abused, (mostly for my inability to fluently speak the language) was swindled several times and even beaten up once. The perpetrator in that instance was a Norwegian national, I, of course, was not. Though police witnessed part of the assault, they refused to file charges.
I don't believe this is isolated to Norway, I believe it is a dynamic you will encounter where ever you emigrate to. It's a not so pleasant side of human nature and you'll even find it here in the US.
Stun Gun
Freedom of speech. Wonderful. Not all over the world. Elections still pretty fair, with published exceptions. Courts that kinda work. Few people disappear in the night. Yes, life is somewhat good with storms about.
If you get a better deal, take it. If you stay, go alert to keep the above in place.
I'm willing to stand and defend and send guys like Bernanke, Geithner, and Paulson to prison or Siberia which ever the f they choose.
If a day comes that these freedoms no longer exist (2nd Amendment, and imperfect republic, due process, restrictions of what law enforcement can do) then it may be time to look for a second place to go.
As for storing wealth, I can't see any better investment for the next few years than precious metals. Store some in Switzerland or Hong Kong if you want (maybe not a bad idea), but the good thing about gold and silver is that it's pretty portable and would be trivial to run for the Canadian border with a box of gold and silver. It is impractical for the government to block people from leaving. It was hard enough in East Germany, and that was tiny.
One of the most important points everyone should be very aware of is of the weaknesses of government and large corporations aganist the individual. Being small individual people give us a huge advantage over government. We are nimble, quick and manuverable, while governments and large corporations will never be. Push that as much as you can to your own advantage. Obviously, if you allow yourself to become a specific target of government and corporations (Julian Assange) you're probably completely screwed. However that is easily avoidable in most cases.
He's still a dumbass.
Ancestors left a monarchy (usually) where they had no rights.
Here we have those rights, and if taken away, the ability to regain them.
Thus there isn't a reason for anyone to move anywhere. Leaving will just be cowardice, because you aren't leaving TO START SOMETHING NEW, YOU'RE JUST LEAVING.
Now if there was a New America to sail to, and that's where you were going, even then, since America is here, you'd just be dividing your forces between two states, easier to conquer both.
last I checked, we didn't have space travel yet, nor a destination.
Thus your ONLY claimed land by free men on this planet, is, the USA.
Glass-Steagall
NAWAPA
American Credit System
Fixed Exchange rates
Space Program
Fusion program
Nuclear program
Maglev
Why move? Kick the British, imeperialist, monetarist, fascist whores OUT.
Why move, because the Brits took over? How about kicking the Brits, and their failed, fucked up ideologies out?
Does the author even know that in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue....HE WAS GOING TOWARDS WHAT THEY KNEW TO BE THERE.
It all springs from Cardinal Nicholas De Cusa. The idea, carried forth by Columbus, and later Massuchussetts, was to bring the BEST of europe, without what was THAT TIME'S version of the BRITISH EMPIRE, so that it didn't have to go through, what we are currently going through. IMPERIALISM and control from an oligarchy.
Oh yes, that's what America is for, to DESTROY the OLIGARCHY.
That was America's #1 Mission. We almost succeeded. But we forgot our mission, and we let into our house those who we are supposed to destroy.
So why move? How about taking control of our own house.
But it starts from understanding the basics, instead of the sophistric nothings of an idiot who doesn't know history, doesn't know the present, and surely won't bring you to the future you want.
The spirit of America started before Columbus, and it involves outing the same foe that is crushing us now. MONETARISM, IMPERIALISM, OLIGARCHY.
Why just ignore that and leave because it's 'too hard'. It's just 'too hard', and maybe it is, when you are ignorant of the true place in history America holds. Maybe if you only read the first page in America's history you would think leaving is better. When you REALLY know America, when you REALLY ARE a patriot, you won't leave, because to leave America, is to admit defeat to the same parties that forced you to create America, 500 years ago.
The amount of nationalistic, jingoistic fervor on here is nauseating. It reminds me of exactly why I'd only be too happy to leave the US. Not only to "starve the beast" but to get away from these institutionalized nut-jobs that pass as "patriots."
After winning the long, expensive and contentious fight with the county, state and federal government over theOrange County, CA, El Toro Marine Base reuse, then watching my fellow citizen warriors go right back to sleep once their property values were secure, I decided it was time to pull up stakes and move. The beast was closing in on the constitution and it was evident that things were not going to get better before they got much much worse. It was not easy to retire from my secure job, close out the retirement funds and take the tax hit, but I did. I then sold my SoCal coastal retirement home at the top of the market. Plowed the money into physical gold and silver and the juniors. Called Allied Movers and headed off to the south of France. This was 2003.
I chose a country that was not English speaking. It was evident that the masters of the universe had their sights set on unifying/tyranizing those anglo countries first. Why move from one nightmare to another?
I was fortunate that I had friends living here in a large old chateau who welcomed me to stay with them until I got things sorted out. My high school French was useless, so I set off to learn the language. In the classes I met many Brit retirees who were also in the same boat. New friendships were made.
I chose to make this move for all of the reasons that Simon Black outlines. There was a good deal of preliminary work involved in getting a long stay visa, permits for the dog and making moving arrangements for household possessions. It all fell into place, though.
Although France is a tightly regulated culture, the entire atmosphere was so much freer. The population was much more courteous, and the lack of collective stress and violence was palpable. The only downside is capital gains. After you pay it to the IRS, Sarko takes an equal amount for France. 56% of the gains going to fascists was not acceptable. This put an immediate stop to my trading. I created another source of cash flow, internet based, that did not expose me to capital gains tax. It covers the nut and the investments do not need to be tapped for expenses.
I also lost 75 pounds of bloat and 6 inches in the waist. The local butchers offer grass fed locally raised meats, with no growth hormones and other toxins. The poultry is free range, The village open market, two days a week, offers produce that is near organic and the municipal water is not fluoridated. My health problems disappeared... and even if they hadn't, I had access to the excellent national health system, for next to nothing.
At my age, I figured that I had one last big adventure left in me. This was it. No regrets. Life is good in the French countryside. If France gets haywire, which it possibly will at some point now that the zionists are in power, but hopefully not in my lifetime, there are the Pyrenees right down the road. Euro 26,000 and voila! you are an instant citizen of Andorra.
I am occasionally called a coward and a traitor by my "patriotic" ex-homeboys. To which I offer:
"The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while themark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one." ~ William
Stekel
Au revoir
Great thread with lots of useful info/advice. How come nobody mentions moving to Israel as an option? It's a very wealthy nation and or "greatest ally in the Middle East." LOL
Is it because we're not welcome, or that Christians are forbidden to marry jews? Why don't they open their borders, especially to Americans that have funded that terrorist state, regardless of race/religion? They even have 50 ft high walls to keep the "Muslim Booie-men" away!
Fuck it, I wouldn't go there or anyplace else on second thought. Can't bring the guns and ammo I've been forced to sink my life savings into.
You mention "moving to Israel" but they won't allow your hatred so get over it and imbicile wtf is a "booie-men"? "Don't underestimate the power of the Schwartz!"
A friend, a Costa Rican national, called me and described the furor of Black Friday shopping in Costa Rica the day after Thanksgiving. The malls were crammed, and people were rushing all over themselves. They don't even celebrate Thanksgiving!
Thinking that we can make a difference to kill the beast by not consuming is insane. There are millions throwing their money into the corporate maw day by day all over the world.
There is nowhere to go, and only one way to face up to it. But they are few, and we surround them.
Yeah, it's happening in Africa to.
Wal-Mart in Africa
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=194140
As far as I know, the only country on earth without a central bank is Panama. And I'm not sure that country doesn't have problems of its own.
It boils down to money. What it is, who decides, etc.
You might find this interesting:
http://strikelawyer.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/money/
For the record: I have lived outside of the USA for more than 18 years. I moved out in 1984. I am pretty alarmed by the disinformation presented as facts in some of the comments to this and pass articles on this site.
Inspite of what is pictured on the back of a dollar bill The USA government does not possess any all seeing eye. The technology simply does not exist. I have had no problem whatsoever opening numerous bank accounts overseas with out the USA government knowing. There are numerous techniques that work.
For a fact, the tax man has never come anywhere near any of my houses. I have worked at numerous companies,ran my own business, bought and sold stock in Hong Kong and Tokyo and never paid any uncle sam anything at all. There is no reason to feel trapped by American law. You can leave, keep your passport and citizenship and not owe the gov anything. Just do some research on the internet. There are even a number of helpful books on amazon dot com.
all the kings,
Exactly how do you renew your Passport every 10yrs.Since you have been gone that long?.