American Expats in BA - Look at the Bright Side

[Dudester]

The title is a bit misleading because I DO fully understand those of you that are finding it harder and harder to live in BA with the sky rocketing inflation and costs of certain things even more expensive than in the states. BUT, look at the bright side for a moment, you don't have to sit and listen to GWB and his silly speeches. Yesterday's speech on the 5th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq Invasion/Occupation was classic. The lie's just never stop.... (I'm not going to rehash it all, we all know the drill with those guys, they just lie and lie some more with no shame what so ever). IMO Bush has made it impossible to pleasantly live in this place or be proud of America. I have so many friends that agree and a few that have left, some to Europe, one to Bali (I was living in France part time till the very weak US Dollar made it almost impossible)

The bottom line is when close to half of voting America is voting on insignificant things or social issues as there #1 priority one must begin to worry. As we sink into deep financial problems, more and more citizens without health care, and a war that makes the mistake of Vietnam look like a small blip on the chart you have to deeply question how aware the average American really is. One thing we all must agree on is that the average person from Argentina or Europe is much more aware of what their Gov. is up to. I'm not saying the problems of Argentina are not significant, deeply unpleasant, and a major daily grind, I 'm just saying if you live there as an American expat the one thing you don't have to witness first hand is the downhill slide of America - it sure isn't pretty to watch. Anybody here feel the same way? Disagree? Let me know,

Dudester

 

[HDM]

Ditto

 

[rmartinbuenosaires]

Dudester-EVERYTHING you said is completely accurate except you failed to mention that Bush should be sent to The Hague, along with Rumsfield and Cheney and put on trial for crimes against humanity like Miloslevic(?).....
Go OBAMA!!

 

[kre8ivelyXposed]

Since I am a Flight Attendant for American and fly to BA once a week for my work trip, I have to say that I am continually astounded at the Americans on my flights who just want to be pacified by doing Soduku puzzles and playing video games on our 777 "entertainment" on demand aircraft rather than read anything even remotely informative. I doubt half could even answer how many American troops have died in Iraq (or for that matter Iraqis killed). Nor could they answer likely much about their flight destination (Argentina) other than that a) the exchange rate is fairly favorable against the dollar b) Evita was an important Argentine historical figure who later became a movie musical of the same title played by the ever so inspiring Madonna or c) Argentina has pretty good beef.
I realize that we all go on vacation to "escape" sometimes and many prefer to relax inflight and just be passively entertained, but honestly I have had better and more informative discussions with Argentine taxi drivers than I have had with most of my US passengers onboard my flights to and from BA.
I am afraid that the US is in for more of a rude awakening about some things and their anger and disgust will eventually go far deeper than some of the Americans on my international flights upset that we now charge $5 for beer and wine.
A tad bit jaded here admittedly but still glad that I can experience the best of many worlds! And am certainly glad I have bought an apartment in BA should the US show continue to become even more of a spectacle than it already is.

 

[bigbadwolf]

Go OBAMA!!

What makes you think Obama (or Hillary) is going to be any improvement over GWB? Granted, GWB is a cretin, but he wouldn't be in office were it not for tens of millions of other cretins voting for him in 2000 (and then again in 2004); in other words, he epitomises certain unsavoury aspects of the American psyche. No politician can entirely ignore this big chunk of the population. Nor can any politician ignore the vested interests who supported GWB (and now support Obama). Obama and Hillary are unlikely to do anything radically different (except word their plans in more sophisticated and nuanced language). Indeed, many of GWB's domestic and foreign policies have their genesis in earlier administrations. GWB makes an easy target because of his oafish ways but the American malaise runs far deeper than just one man.

 

[RWS]

Quoting "bigbadwolf":
"What makes you think Obama (or Hillary) is going to be any improvement over GWB? . . . . Indeed, many of GWB's domestic and foreign policies have their genesis in earlier administrations. GWB makes an easy target because of his oafish ways but the American malaise runs far deeper than just one man."
Largely true, sadly. At times, I wonder about the accuracy of one of the chief American ideals -- that the ordinary man or woman can govern her/imself free of the interference of prince or priest. Not for nothing am I considering permanent relocation after fourteen generations.

 

[Johny]

Go OBAMA!!
What makes you think Obama (or Hillary) is going to be any improvement over GWB? Granted, GWB is a cretin, but he wouldn't be in office were it not for tens of millions of other cretins voting for him in 2000 (and then again in 2004)

In the 2000 election there was fraud. Remember Florida? Al Gore had won the popular vote but the US Supreme Court elected George W. So, it wasn't "tens of millions of cretins" who put him in office. At least not that time...

 

[Johny]

BUT, look at the bright side for a moment, you don't have to sit and listen to GWB and his silly speeches.

You're right!!! Of course I don't have to listen to GWB and his silly speeches... However, I DO have to listen to the Kirchner's and their stupid crap...

 

[bigbadwolf]

In the 2000 election there was fraud. Remember Florida? Al Gore had won the popular vote but the US Supreme Court elected George W. That time it wasn't "the tens of millions of other cretins" who put him in office...

Sure there was fraud. But not the kind of massive fraud one might see in, say, Zimbabwe. It was a close contest. That itself is revealing: almost half of those who bothered to voted went for an obvious moron. And did the same in 2004. Nor was this the first time there's been electoral fraud in the USA. I'm tired of Americans gasping with outrage at what the Republicans did in 2000. There's a history of electoral fraud and rigging in American politics. In 1960, both Nixon and Kennedy engaged in it and Nixon always thought the election had been stolen from him. Face the facts: the United States is a crooked place and it's never had an idyllic past except in nostalgic memory. It just doesn't make sense to go after GWB while ignoring everything else so fundamentally wrong with the country. GWB is but a symptom.

 

[RWS]

Quoting "Johny":
". . . . I DO have to listen to the Kirchner's and their stupid crap... "
Well, you must admit that Señora K.'s a pretty good public speaker, whether you agree with her or not . . . whether you can stomach hypocrisy or not . . . whether . . . .
Look, there's no perfect place on this earth. You adjust to the best you can find, then set about trying to add to its attraction rather than detracting from it.