First failed state?

[Wrath of Dagon]

Does anyone here understand the cost of legal immigration? The application alone is something like $2500, and that doesn't guarantee you entry. Plus there's immigration lawyers, and savings requirements. A few years back I was in a serious relationship with a girl in the US and she wanted me to look into moving down there. It was going to cost me between 6 and 10 thousand just to be allowed to live there. Not counting moving costs. Plus the steep requirements if you don't have a job offer or sponsor. I don't blame the mexicans for bypassing that crap and just jumping the fence.

Yes, cars are expensive too, therefore I should just go out and steal one. Also I don't think you need a lawyer if you go through the lottery like you're supposed to. It's not like Mexican immigrants aren't able to fill their legal quota because of cost.

[Oerwinde]

Does anyone here understand the cost of legal immigration? The application alone is something like $2500, and that doesn't guarantee you entry. Plus there's immigration lawyers, and savings requirements. A few years back I was in a serious relationship with a girl in the US and she wanted me to look into moving down there. It was going to cost me between 6 and 10 thousand just to be allowed to live there. Not counting moving costs. Plus the steep requirements if you don't have a job offer or sponsor. I don't blame the mexicans for bypassing that crap and just jumping the fence.

Yes, cars are expensive too, therefore I should just go out and steal one. Also I don't think you need a lawyer if you go through the lottery like you're supposed to. It's not like Mexican immigrants aren't able to fill their legal quota because of cost.

 

Cars were a bad example. New cars are expensive, but there are more affordable alternatives such as used vehicles or public transit. Theres no cheap alternative for immigration.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Sure there is, you can move to Zimbabwe.

[Hurlshort]

I don't believe moving from Mexico to Zimbabwe is actually all that cheap.

[Wrath of Dagon]

You can stow away on a tramp steamer.

[alanschu]

I'm sure there's lots of tramp steamers from Mexico to Zimbabwe.

 

Except that it's landlocked

Edited October 29, 2009 by alanschu

[Wrath of Dagon]

Just a short rhinoceros ride from Capetown.

[Nightshape]

Australia has 5.8% unemployment. Our interest rate also just went up to 3.25%...

 

10% unemployment is a pretty disturbing number. It's surprising so many countries have levels around that. Spain has had it for years I think.

 

That's actually the percentage of people who are employed in spain.

[Walsingham]

Please for the love of God don't try and understand Sand's theories. He simply refuses the concept of second order dynamics, let alone third order dynamics. Therefore explaining that if you tax something in one place people will buy it elsewhere is fundamentally 'impossible'.

[Guard Dog]

Please for the love of God don't try and understand Sand's theories. He simply refuses the concept of second order dynamics, let alone third order dynamics. Therefore explaining that if you tax something in one place people will buy it elsewhere is fundamentally 'impossible'.

Actually, most politicians have trouble grasping that concept as well. Just ask tobacco retailers in New Jersey! Maybe Sand should run for office.

[Guard Dog]

It is now a two horse race to see which state is the first to fail. New York State will run totally out of capital before years end. What do New York and California have in common? Foolish spending, uber-high taxes, and a rapidly declining population of upper middle class and affluent citizens (the only ones who actually PAY those ridiculously high taxes) and the business they work for. Think about t, Chase, Citibank, MBNA, EIB, Tyco, Lynxis, JC Penny, and Verizon have all left New York for other states with more business frendly tax policy and everyone employed there either left with them or lost their job. Taxing major companies and affluent citizens out of your state is stupid in the extreme. It's like cutting your own throat.

 

http://wcbstv.com/cbs2crew/david.paterson.....2.1300362.html

 

 

 

 

Oh, yeah, what else do New York and California have in common? They are both utterly dominated by the Democrats. Go figure....

Edited November 14, 2009 by Guard Dog

[mkreku]

People all die in the end! What do they all have in common? They breathe air!!

 

Don't you realize how pointless your "conclusions" are? Or were you joking? I can't tell.

[Guard Dog]

People all die in the end! What do they all have in common? They breathe air!!

 

Don't you realize how pointless your "conclusions" are? Or were you joking? I can't tell.

It was psuedo-sarcasm. Since we are talking about economics and tax policy it is relevant to point out that the same political school of... ahem... thought is responsible for the policy decisions in two of the states that are drowning. Actually, Michigan is pretty close to failure too. It would also be relevant to point out what political party makes State policy there. Texas and Oklahoma are cash positive and are experiencing growth, and it would be relevant to point out that the Republicans dominate the State government in those two states.

 

Granted, all states are experiencing economic stresses that are beyond their ability to control but how each state reacts to the same enviorment that all 50 must deal with go a long way to deciding that states financial health as a whole. And the people who make the policy are the ones who get the blame or credit so examining their political phliosophy (their party affiliation is a good indication of this) makes a lot of sense. So I'd say my conclusions are not pointless at all but actually pretty accurate in the case of California, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Democrats that run NY and CA continue increasing taxes and spending, utterly ignoring the fact that people who actually PAY those taxes are leaving those States in droves BECAUSE they are doing that.

[Walsingham]

I hope I'm not offending anyone here if I say that it has always seemed to me that both parties behave like cretins.

[Gorgon]

What are they spending all that money on. If it's schools and law enforcement those are traditionally things people are willing to pay for. As for why no one takes the long view, a politician needs to bring it home on a yearly basis or lose his job so naturally band aid type solutions abound.

[Hurlshort]

I hope I'm not offending anyone here if I say that it has always seemed to me that both parties behave like cretins.

 

Yes, and I have a hard time getting very worked up over any one politician. The actual changes made by each administration are rather small as a whole.

 

CA and NY will recover over time. As the wealthiest states in the US for so long, they are typically going to be hit the hardest by any economic woes. It's like the housing market, mansions are always the first to drop precipitously, but they are still mansions and they aren't going to suddenly start selling for the same price as Montana, err, a studio apartment.

[Gfted1]

CA and NY will recover over time.

 

 

I agree, the pendulum always swings back, but I think this time is more than a temporary blip. The mass exodus of citizens that GD describes in NY (I didnt know it was happening in CA too) is much harder to overcome. Less people and business = less tax revenue. So, without adjusting state budgets accordingly (hahahahahahaha), the situation rapidly spirals out of control. Its much harder to lure resident and business back once they have pulled out, it virtually requires a rethinking of their whole system.

[Lare Kikkeli]

Maybe the whole union will collapse. That would be awesome.

[Gfted1]

Edited November 16, 2009 by Gfted1

[Lare Kikkeli]

Poetic justice if you will. I find it quite ironic that the only war on american soil was a civil war, not counting your headbutting with mexico. Maybe this would lead to a bit more humble USA? At least it will lead to all those godawful reality shows and useless celebrities disappearing from the media.

[Walsingham]

Maybe the whole union will collapse. That would be awesome.

 

In your head.

[Wrath of Dagon]

When I came to the US in 1976 all was gloom and doom also, and a man probably even more pathetic than Obama became president. A few years after that we began a 30 year period of uprecedented success and prosperity. Something to think about.

[Guard Dog]

I really do believe that an eventual and possibly permanent schisim between the states is not only possible but necessary and inevitable. But I don't think it is going to happen relatively soon. Maybe not in my lifetime, but certainly not in the next few years which is all this (or any) economic downturn will last. Why do you think the break up of the US is a good thing? How will it improve your life?

[213374U]

Maybe the whole union will collapse. That would be awesome.

 

In your head.

No, I think he means it will be, literally, awe-some:

 

3. Obsolete. fear or dread.

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/awe

[Wrath of Dagon]

I think the Blue states are really holding us back. I propose we form a Blue super state and a Red super state. Each would have its own congress, supreme court, and governor. There would still be a common president, but he would only deal with defense and foreign policy matters. This would solve a lot of political problems we're encountering, as well as let the Red states reach their full potential.