The Road To Margaritaville

[Eagle43]

Fred's view on leaving the U.S. for Mexico
http://www.fredoneverything.net/FOE_Frame_Column.htm

A snippet...
I get hordes of mail (though I’m not sure how many emails in a horde) saying “Dear Fred, I too am sick of my job, the country, dumb-ass wars, the creeping mommy-state, and the hyper-regulation of practically everything, and I too want to live in paradise with a dusky maiden and sip funny drinks with lots of tequila in them and maybe die of cirrhosis but everybody has to anyway and it’s more dignified than a car crash on the Fourteenth Street Bridge. How?”

This is my nickel guide for people thinking about expatriation to Mexico. It may bore most people, but it’s supposed to be useful instead of scintillating. (Utility is a new departure for this column.)
.... lots more... read if you're interested....

Wonder if I could pick up the Cowboys during the winter and the Red Sox during the summer.

He does talk about a small coastal town called Melaque. I never heard of it, but he says you can build a 3BR house for $50,000. That's chump change in San Diego.

He also gave a link which might be useful.

http://www.mexcentralexpats.com/

 

[JPatrick]

Fred's view on leaving the U.S. for Mexico
http://www.fredoneverything.net/FOE_Frame_Column.htm

A snippet...
I get hordes of mail (though I’m not sure how many emails in a horde) saying “Dear Fred, I too am sick of my job, the country, dumb-ass wars, the creeping mommy-state, and the hyper-regulation of practically everything,

Can anyone tell me what a "creeping mommy-state" might be?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Can anyone tell me what a "creeping mommy-state" might be?

I interpreted that to mean excessive and increasing cradle-to-grave benefits and handholding (eg, Western Europe especially France) and the high (excessive and increasing) taxes that go with it.

By the way, That link to living as an Ex-pat in Ajijic, Mexico got me thinking.  I don't think the wife would go for it, but just maybe I'll go down there for a few days and check it out.

 

[razztazz]

Can anyone tell me what a "creeping mommy-state" might be?

I interpreted that to be mean creeping cradle-to-grave benefits and handholding (eg, Western Europe especially France) and the high taxes that go with it

Unfortunately nature abhors a vacuum. If the money doesn't get to the People who need it one way, it will get there another. It's how things work.

 

[justin]

He does talk about a small coastal town called Melaque. I never heard of it, but he says you can build a 3BR house for $50,000. That's chump change in San Diego.

You could almost build a simple 3 BR for that much in certain parts of the US!

 

[MasterBlaster]

A couple of comments:

If the money doesn't get to the People who need it one way,  it will get there another. It's how things work

well, as it is I support three welfare families and a B-52 bomber crew. However,  if the gov't wants to tax everybody (else) and give me money, well then, I'm all for that.  And believe me, I need it !

You could almost build a simple 3 BR for that much in certain parts of the US!

Construction costs are pretty much the same across the country at around $50-$100 per square foot - give or take. So a 1500 square foot house could in theory be constructed for as little as $75000 - give or take.

The difference in prices is the land that you build on. I just saw a local news show of how a quarter acre parcel is going for $750000 out here in SoCal now.

 

[justin]

You could almost build a simple 3 BR for that much in certain parts of the US!

Construction costs are pretty much the same across the country at around $50-$100 per square foot - give or take. So a $1500 square foot house could in theory be constructed for as little as $75000 - give or take.

The difference in prices is the land that you build on. I just saw a local news show of how a quarter acre parcel is going for $750000 out here in SoCal now.

From my limited experience in cost estimation for different types of construction, I've seen a wide variety of costs in different parts of the US. The unit costs for labor and materials can be 100% higher in higher cost of living cities, union dominated cities and places that don't have access to migrant labor. Ex: NYC suburbs versus rural TX. The cost difference goes beyond the price of raw land (although that is a huge factor, of course). Look at RS Means cost estimation guides. They publish locality cost factors that let you adjust national averages to local figures based on material and labor unit costs.

From the original poster's article, I found this quote particularly funny:
"Many guys write me asking about Mexican women. If you are a single guy, the woman situation is…complex. Because most gringos never learn Spanish, they have little access and so end up lonely in the bars, or just drunk. Learn serviceable Spanish, as a fair few do, and you will find a world of attractive and agreeable females. They like gringos, who can give them a comfortable life and don’t hit them or much cheat on them. Imagine a pretty, pleasant, warm-blooded young woman who doesn’t snarl, grouse, demand anything, or sue. Often bright and quirky, they run to domesticity, jealousy, and tranquility. Americans married to them do not complain."

 

[JPatrick]

OK, I was going to say that this moving to Mexico is not for me, but with this late breaking information I'll need to reconsider.

 

[Martha]

Snarl, grouse.

 

[Cut-Throat]

well, as it is I support three welfare families and a B-52 bomber crew. However, if the gov't wants to tax everybody (else) and give me money, well then, I'm all for that. And believe me, I need it !

To be more accurate, a very, very minute percentage of 'your' money is used for Welfare. As Clinton pointed out 'Don't confuse Welfare reform with Budget reform'.

Everyone likes to hate welfare, but it is not even on the radar in the currrent budget bloat. I understand why it makes for 'popular politics'.

 

[REWahoo]

Often bright and quirky, they run to domesticity, jealousy, and tranquility. Americans married to them do not complain."

Greg

I know you want to post a comment on how this is a dead-on description of Martha, but modesty prevents you from boasting.

REW

 

[Cut-Throat]

Welfare:

Oh excuse my shorthand: Welfare == AFDC, housing subsidies for the poor, medical subsidies for the poor, education subsidies for the poor. The list goes on and on, and the demands are unlimited. And despite your popular recharacterization of "welfare" the sums involved are tremendous and not just a blip on the radar.

Then there are all of the farm subsidies and business subsidies.

As an aside, here's the difference between Democrats and Republicans:
Democrats take money away from people that work and give it to poor people. Republicans take money away from people that work and give it to Big business and corporations. Either way they take my money and give it away.

What part of the Pie Chart do you consider Welfare? - Military Pensions? Education? Social Security? Public School Lunch Programs?

The 34% Human Resources is $722B: Education, Health/Human Services, HUD, Food/Nutrition programs, Labor Department, Soc. Sec. Admin

Just Wondering.

You know, there is some real information out there as opposed to the Rush Limbaugh show.

 

[JPatrick]

I think one's perception of the extent of the welfare problem depends to a large degree on where you happen to live and what you happen to experience on a day to day basis. I can relate fully with what masterblaster is saying, yet I know folks in rural midwest who may occasionally bitch about a farmers subsidy, but generally are clueless about the rest of the country.

 

[JPatrick]

http://www.warresisters.org/images/pieFY06.jpg[/img]





What would be more germane to the discussion would be a pie chart of selected state bugets. Much different picture.

 

[Cut-Throat]

OK:

I'm not going to argue with fuzzy thinking liberals.

However you could put most of the budget of Health/Human Services, HUD, Food/Nutrition programs into "Welfare" as with all of the other "transfer" programs.

For you fuzzy thinking but good-intentioned liberals. If you want to give your money to poorly thought out, poorly run, government programs with poor results to help poor people. Then go right ahead. Just don't expect everyone else to share your values.

- You breed em, you feed em !

I am wondering who paid for your K-12 education (A leap of faith here)?

 

[justin]

What part of the Pie Chart do you consider Welfare? - Military Pensions? Education? Social Security? Public School Lunch Programs?

You don't consider Social security to be welfare? In what sense is it not a wealth redistribution system?

The pie chart is funny. Military = red. Everything else = not red. The military vs. non-military dichotomy that is always shown by liberals. "We're wasting XXX billion dollars on our military, and only one quarter that goes to welfare!!!111!!11one".

 

[shiny]

I've been trying to stay out of these political debates, but the the term "you breed them, you feed them" is just heartbreaking to me. I'm well aware that there are many people who take advantage of the system, but I am thankful that we have a system that helps to feed and educate children. If we did not what would our country look like? No child asks to be born to deadbeat parents, the least we as a society can do it to see that they have some kind of chance to make it in the world. The hope is that once those children grow up they will be productive members of society.

 

[Cut-Throat]

You don't consider Social security to be welfare?  In what sense is it not a wealth redistribution system?   

The pie chart is funny.  Military = red.  Everything else = not red.  The military vs. non-military dichotomy that is always shown by liberals.  "We're wasting XXX billion dollars on our military, and only one quarter that goes to welfare!!!111!!11one".

Maybe you like this one better.

 

[JPatrick]

What would our country look like??
How about this question-- - -If we didn't have the system would we still have the problem?

 

[shiny]

Just take a look at all the folks trying to escape from Margaritaville.

 

[justin]

Maybe you like this one better.

I do like it better. The welfare components of Soc. Sec, Medicare and Medicaid are shown. The percentages changed from your earlier graph. This must be fuzzy math

 

[Nords]

Snarl, grouse. 

Don't worry, Martha.  Wait 'til the guys find out their new amors want big families, too...

And oh, wait, honey, how long is your mother staying with us?

 

[riskadverse]

I just renewed my San Diego house insurance and the figures they are using for construction of a replacement house (no land cost included) is $175 to $210 per square foot.  I wonder why it cost so much more to build here?

 

[Martha]

I was not going to get in the latest go around about "welfare" and government spending and whether welfare causes people to be poor, but I can't let it go.

Liberals are accused of fuzzy thinking. But it is fuzzy thinking to assume without facts that having a safety net causes people to behave in a way that creates a need for that safety net. Give me facts, please.

I know people who are ill and can't work and need help. I know people who were born to worthless parents and need help. I know people who were sexually abused by a stepfather, ran away from home, and now need help in learning how to integrate with society other than "street" society. I know people who are developmentally disabled and need help. I know women whose husbands left them and they and their children need help. I know people with poor paying jobs without insurance who can't make ends meet who need help. Did they ask for their problems and so should be cut off when they fail? Will cutting them off make things better? For some people, they will never be productive members of society. Others can be.

I support social security and social security disablity. I support some system of national health care. I support good schools that are required to have their students meet minimum standards. I support increases in minimum wage. I support helping people get on their feet and be, if at all possible, productive members of society. I have no problem with holding programs accountable, especially schools.

My feeling is that the job of government is not just to defend us from attack, but to promote the general welfare of society. The kind of world I want to live in is one that gives a hand up, not a kick in the face.


I am proud to be a liberal.


Webster's dictionary defintion of liberal:
Liberal
(lib'er el, lib'rel), adj 1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. 2. (often cap.) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. 3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism. 4. Favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties 5. favoring of permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers. 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies. 7. Free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners. 8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. 9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: A liberal donor 10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation. 11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule. 12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts. 13. of, or pertaining to, or befitting a freeman. -n 14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion. 15. (often cap.) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain. [1325-75; ME < L liberalis of freedom, befitting the free, equiv. to liber free + -alis -al] –lib'er-al-ly, adv –lib'er›al›ness, n

Sorry for the rant. Walk a mile in someones shoes . . .

 

[Martha]

Don't worry, Martha. Wait 'til the guys find out their new amors want big families, too...

And oh, wait, honey, how long is your mother staying with us?

I'm not worried. Most men I know actually like to be nagged.