Thoughts on capitalism...

goldengull3, honestly, nobody was even bringing up 1983... what you're doing here feels a bit like fear-mongering...
I'm just pointing out how you seem to pick and choose which "averages" actually matter—it's a little hit-or-miss, don't you think?

Gary Cox72 said:On the "US - Loans" thread, I shared some critical thoughts regarding our economic strategy. It’s not that America doesn't face its own transitional hurdles and unique growing pains, but isn't it fascinating how quickly these kinds of discussions can shift gears?

Just a moment ago, the group was practically moved to tears talking about how tough things are abroad, yet the second they hear someone in the States actually owns a home, drives a nice car, and has a stable career, suddenly everyone has a grievance! 😉

Personally, life here in the US has been absolutely fantastic—my job, my career path, the income, the real estate, my lifestyle, health, food, vacations, friends... everything has honestly exceeded what I ever expected when I first arrived.

And you know, it’s actually really heartening to hear from those of you who are doing well back home in America. It truly warms my heart to hear that there are people out there living decent lives and enjoying the ability to afford whatever they desire.

👋

Gary Kelly8 said:goldengull3, there you go again with those "Soviet" comparisons...
And frankly, your math is biased: you’re essentially erasing hundreds of thousands of Americans just because the numbers fit your narrative better...
Besides, where on earth did this 8 billion Euro figure come from?

My mistake; I meant the figure was in dollars. Officially, we're looking at roughly $7,000,000,000, and I’d bet my life at least 15% goes unreported—with projections suggesting the black market could push that closer to 20%. That puts us at just under $2,000 per capita. I find it hard to believe every single short-term rental host actually reports every guest who walks through their door...

It looks like the interstate traffic really boosted things during the pre-season. We'll be feeling the impact of that soon enough.

mistyraven6 said:It’s truly heartwarming to hear from those of you who actually find life in America perfectly fine. It really warms my heart to know you have decent places to live and can just go ahead and buy whatever your little hearts desire.

👋

Not exactly everything, but things are trending upward. 👍

A little bit of an off-topic question for you, mistyraven6—do you actually feel more fearful living here in the States than you did back home? You know, just thinking about general safety, day-to-day life, and all that stuff...
And also, do you think it’s even realistic that someone with your specific mindset and skill set could achieve the same kind of success back in America as you have managed to pull off here in the US?

Gary Kelly8 said:goldengull3, nobody was even bringing up 1983... what you’re doing here is pure demagoguery...
I am simply pointing out how selectively you choose to use "averages"—it seems they only interest you when they suit your narrative...

I think one only needs to look at how America looks today compared to five, ten, or fifteen years ago through any lens. The cars, the housing market, the infrastructure—the landscape is fundamentally different. It’s a three-and-a-half hour drive from New York to Washington, D.C. Soon, it'll be just two hours from New York to Chicago. Who else has expanded hundreds of miles of interstate highways like this?

Of course, I'm not suggesting there hasn't been some shoddy workmanship in certain spots. But on a macro level, the reality is night and day.

Gary Cox72 said:Just now, some people were practically tearing up about how miserable life is out there, but the second they hear someone in America actually owns their house, has a car, and pulls in a decent paycheck, suddenly everyone’s got a grievance. 😉

Oh, give me a break, who are you even trying to kid?

Those houses and cars? They’re just massive piles of debt that you'll be sweating over until the day you die. I mean, sure, if you aren't already drowning in credit just to afford groceries, electricity, gas, and—of course—your phone and computer, then yeah, you've "made it." You've got that guaranteed "good life."

At the end of the day, you're just lying to yourselves. It's people like you who are actually suffocating under all those payments.

goldengull3 said:...
Who else has managed to open up hundreds of miles of interstate highway?
...

So, are we looking at a rhetorical question here, or are you actually waiting for an answer?

Linda Morales said:Those houses and apartments are just lifelong debt traps you'll be paying off until the day you die. Sure, if you think that equals a secure life.

At the end of the day, you're just lying to yourselves. You're the ones drowning in mortgage payments.

Let's look at the facts. Take the wealthiest groups—Swiss people, Norwegians, Americans, Dutch people. Do they primarily buy their homes and real estate with cash?

goldengull3 said:I think you just have to look at how the US looks today compared to what it was 5, 10, or even 15 years ago. Just look out any window. The cars, the housing, the highways—everything is totally different. It’s like driving from NYC to DC in about 3.5 hours now. And soon, it’ll be like going from NYC to Philly in just 2.

Yeah, WELL I’VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND. And let me tell you, what I saw was actually WORSE than during the height of the war.

The state of things right now is uglier than anything we've ever seen in this country.

Who else has opened up hundreds of miles of interstate highways like this?

Corrupt politicians right before an election, hoping they can score some easy points with voters?

Sure, that doesn't mean there wasn't some shoddy workmanship here and there. But overall, things are fundamentally different.

That’s the truth right there. The US has turned into a total mess—a complete disaster zone unlike anything we've dealt with until now.

goldengull3 said:Let's get down to brass tacks and look at the heavy hitters: Swiss people, Norwegians, Americans, the Dutch—are they mostly dropping cold hard cash on houses and apartments?

The Swiss don't really buy them outright, but honestly, that's just because they're terrified of getting hit with a massive tax bill. It’s such a ridiculous way to think about it, but man, those guys are too caught up in their own heads to see the bigger picture. They definitely have the cash to do it, though.

As for Americans, they’d pay cash in a heartbeat if they actually had it, trust me! Let's be real, Americans aren't some incredibly wealthy nation. That's why you see people moving to places like Switzerland—they go there, climb the career ladder, and finally grab a house. And hey, they're happy doing it; they aren't exactly itching to pack up and move back to the States.

I can't speak for the Norwegians, but honestly, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if most of them already own their homes free and clear. Those Vikings were never known for being dimwits.

I know a thing or two about Finns, though. Most of them pretty much pay for everything in cash, and more often than not, they aren't even carrying any mortgage debt on their houses.

Linda Morales said:Look, I've actually been in a position to witness this firsthand. And what I saw was even more devastating than anything we endured during the war.

The situation is so grim right now, I haven't seen anything quite this bad in all of America.

Is that so? In what way?

goldengull3 said:We can even sell our know-how and digital transmission tech for medium and shortwave frequencies to the rest of the West; only a handful of countries actually possess this kind of capability:

The transmitter itself is actually an RIZ product.

As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it... 🙂

See, that’s actually a perfect example of exactly what I’m talking about. You know what you know, but you clearly don't get what I'm getting at.

And what I'm getting at is that RIZ has been cranking out transmitters for over 35 years and installing them all over the globe. They were doing this back during the height of the old communist era, so the little fact you just dropped has absolutely zero to do with the "improved economic situation" in America that you're trying so hard to paint this picture of.

Poglec, my friend, if I moved back to the States right now, I wouldn't have to work a single day for the rest of my life.
But honestly, what would be the point? The second I stepped outside my own backyard, I'd be stuck fighting through all that local primitive chaos on the streets, dealing with rude, low-level bureaucrats, waiting in mile-long lines at the bank just to touch my own money, or being unable to buy basic stuff that I take for granted here. Not to mention all those ridiculous taxes and fees that we just don't deal with out here in the West, or having to endure bureaucratic torture because of corrupt, mindless idiots...

Sorry, but why bother? What's the payoff? With my money, I can live comfortably right where I am, or in a house on another continent, or even a cabin on a third one... I don't need that localized mess, thanks.

Gary Kelly8 said:Just going a bit off-topic here, mistyraven6—do you feel more fearful living in the States than you did back home? You know, regarding general safety, your quality of life, or just the general vibe?
And honestly, do you think it’s actually realistic for someone with your mindset and skillset to achieve the same level of success in America as you have here?

Fear? Honestly, I don't feel afraid at all. In fact, quite the opposite! What exactly would there be to fear? Failure? Starvation?
Could I replicate my success back home? Most likely, yes.

goldengull3 said:Plus, exports are actually climbing. We’re churning out high-end seafood, www.sms.hr top-tier apparel from brands like www.gap.com, software from firms like www.microsoft.com... you know, we find stuff.

Man, you are straight up pulling our legs here. Either that, or you're on some kind of delusional trip.

Seriously though, people, do you honestly think anyone outside the borders of the US gives a single damn about these domestic companies? Don't be so naive.

Even something like ExxonMobil's "Sumamed ( R" isn't even sold under their main banner or even using their primary name anymore.

It’s highly debatable how much the American economy has actually benefited from that "export" boom, and don't even get me started on how much any "growth" in American exports is supposedly bolstered by names like Gap or Microsoft or whatever else.

If Gap is exporting anything, it's probably just the girls hanging out on the sidewalk in front of the store.

mistyraven6 said:I’m not scared, honestly. What exactly am I supposed to be afraid of? Total failure? Starvation?

The NSA?

Linda Morales said:Sorry, but what's the point? What good does it do me? With my money, I can live comfortably right where I am—or in a house on another continent, or maybe a cabin somewhere else entirely...

And let me guess—you bought all those houses and vacation homes across the globe in cold, hard cash?

Linda Morales said:The NSA?

I’m actually hiding from the NSA right now! Honestly, I'm too terrified to even pick up the phone. I don't even touch my email anymore. I've even gone as far as wrapping my head in aluminum foil just to make sure they can't read my thoughts!
🙄

Gary Cox72 said:So, did you just go out and buy all those houses and vacation spots across the globe in cold, hard cash?

Nah, I just charmed my way into them with a winning smile.

Evil Kanevil said:I'm totally hiding from the NSA now. I'm actually too terrified to even pick up the phone, let alone send an email. I've even gone full paranoid and wrapped my head in aluminum foil just so they can't get inside my brain and read my thoughts.
🙄

Oh, man, if you're rocking the tin foil hat, then you've actually done it—you've completely outsmarted them!!!