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Sprite, I too think it will not be very soon, but it might be a slow torturous decline. The collective goose that is being cooked, is because we are becoming apathetic, and have lost our collective b*lls. The rebellious and innovative spirit that was once our strength, has given way to fat, dumb and happy. Although, we’re not so happy anymore.
Capitalism, as with all other forms of government, begins to falter when corruption and greed are the driving forces. When everyone is doing well, all is OK. As soon as the few take from the many so much it affects the majority, then all hell breaks loose. Not one system has been able to hold together for more than 300 years. We are witnessing the twilight of another empire. There will be reformation after it craps out, and one can only wish for a better version. Somehow I’m not too confident we will ever learn from our mistakes.
I for one, would not like to see us go socialist or full blown communist, but there are things in those forms of government which seem to have leveled the disparity between their citizens. The problems that do arise, the poverty, lack of food and services almost always dog those forms of government. The ones that are successful are reaching a point where they are beginning to be overtaxed and will also have to readjust.
There are no simple answers, and governmental change will not solve all our problems. We constantly have to be on guard, try to effect change where we live now, and realize that no matter where we relocate to, there will be new challenges to deal with. Utopia does not exist. And it most likely will never be created.
Charlie hit the nail on the head again. With more and more power and wealth being consolidated into fewer and fewer hands, we can see where we are headed. The facts Charlie pointed to in his article are seeming to mount up to a point where they cannot be ignored. We are traveling down a path of destruction.
None of the politicians running for president seem to offer a real choice. They are bought and paid for, hyped by media moguls, and are being selected in this primary by an electorate that has no clue as to where most of them stand. Right now it is a populist contest, where most candidates are reluctant to state firm positions. Meaning, we will be on the chopping block again after the candidates are chosen, and our choice will be the lesser of two evils.
Patriots like Charlie speak out at a time just when some of think there is hope for a meaningful change and a solution to our problems are just around the corner. Now that I read the article, I see what I thought could be a turning point was just another false hope dream. It will take more than a new president, a new congress or a growing economy to solve what’s wrong here. it will take a change of minds, hearts, and a citizenry that takes into consideration every other person living here. We have to wake up to the fact that, greed is not such a good thing, and dying with all the toys, still means you’re dead.
Keep up the good work Charlie
It’s great to see Costa Rica is moving quickly toward protecting their greatest source of income. Most everything else takes forever for the government to wake up to. If they can apply this principle to other areas, you will see a totally different country in 10 years. Maybe some people won’t like that, but I’ll bet it works for the good of the nation. They are on the right track, I wish them well.
David and ScottB both make valid points. Costa Rica was still considered a third World destination and had to have lower requirements to attract foreign residents in past years. As their lot as a country improves, they can be more discriminating in the type of foreign resident they court. And make no mistake, they will limit the influx of foreigners by monetary and other means.
Rebeca, Not wanting to make more light of this man’s misfortune, but having a caretaker to watch his home makes this all the more comical. You can’t let the foxes guard the henhouse!
I hope he had insurance on this house. Although, how do you explain to the insurance company it’s not damaged, just missing, and may show up in bits and pieces in other parts of the country. It really has to hurt. I wish him well
Rebeca, If that story wasn’t so sad I would have laughed myself off the chair. That has to be one of the more unusual thefts I have ever heard of. The inventiveness of the criminal mind is extraordinary. Besides the fact they have the temerity to be thieves, you would think they would have been a little concerned someone might have caught them. Brazen acts such as this leave a person feeling nothing is sacred or safe.
I see now why the Tico is so in love with the block and concrete method of construction. Stealing a house brick by brick would seem a little too difficult.lol
Mark, Weld the nuts on. At least it might slow them down. Good luck to you.
Pura vida,
Algrifz, With regard to the Benz salesman, he was stating the situation as it stands. And yes, profits will suffer if they reduce prices, but they will still be moving units and keeping parts and service departments busy. Down the road, if this is a long and protracted recession, you could see that change. But right now it appears only the rank and file US citizen is being banged over the head with high energy and food costs, not to mention fear of lower home values.
The wealthy always seem to come out OK in most situations, and I suspect they will survive this downturn as they have before.
Most of us feel some measure of negativity in this current situation. I try to keep myself amused and content by not dwelling on it to heavily. The things we worry about in the “first world” are not quite the same as the rest of the planet. We seem to worry more about our excess than we do about our necessities.
Now that it appears the USA has sneezed, and the entire world is afraid of catching pneumonia, we have to look at these events in context. The US economy is still the standard by which every other one is judged, like it or not. The events in the Asian and European markets the past few days have evidenced that. The US is still the leader in technology, has the largest economy, and it will most likely remain that way for some time. We still are a large consumer nation, with other economies dependent upon us. As far as the luxury auto industry is concerned, ask a Mercedes salesman. I did that just yesterday, and he told me sales were just fine in New York. The luxury buyer has not been affected, and even if they were, Mercedes will just lower the prices on the leases and stickers and all should be fine.
Having said all that, we should look to what may happen in the next year or two. Interest rates in the short term will come down here. Those on the verge of losing their homes may have the opportunity to refinance. Banks will be able to keep up cash flow, and not end up becoming real estate managers. Those who are sitting with cash may look to diversify and move their holding offshore into places like CR. The political situation and economy in CR still make it attractive to anyone looking to do just that. Stability is what investors look for in markets, and CR still has that going for it. While there most certainly has to be some ripple effect on the market in Costa Rica, it may be more of a leveling out than a downturn. Unless the entire world economy hits the skids, CR should be in good shape. The appreciation levels seen in the past 10 years may not be achieved again for a while, but then again, we thought the sky was the limit here in the US.
In the meantime the US stock market will continue to grind along, and most likely will go lower until the panic around the world settles down. People have short memories, and this too shall pass. If you are buying in CR for the long term, there will most likely be some good opportunities coming up, but still, if you wait to long, many of the premium properties will be gone. There is only so much ocean front property. And when it is fully developed, The premium attached may be more than some are willing to spend.
As for us, retirement is far enough away, and we do not have to live on the beach, or in the highest valued neighborhood. So we’ll sit here and watch everything unfold, and when we are ready to make the move, we will go.
Very good analysis Sprite. Plugging into multiple economies may be the safest bet right now. Even if we go into a deeper and more prolonged recession, investing in CR may be just the thing to balance the risk. My crystal ball cracked a number of years ago, so I think it is fair to say guessing is just that, and no more. I think we can see the turbulence in the way the presidential primary is going. Some will latch onto any glimmer of hope for a turnaround in our economy and in our political situation. It appears this mess will take some time to recover from, and the uncertainty of the upcoming election just adds a bit more of that to it.
We had Imperial for a while here in upstate NY, but it seems it did not do well, and I have not seen it for almost a year. It tasted the same as in CR. Hopefully it returns.
Rebeca, I always knew you were one of the good guys. Your head and heart are both in the right place, and you are intellectually honest with your reasoning. It is people like you, and the many others here, who are able to distinguish what truly matters from the inconsequential, and are not afraid to say so. Some may label us, paint us with broad brushes, and admonish us for what we say, still, there are the principles and convictions we have learned through our founding fathers that continue to keep us grounded.
We can love the USA, while properly pointing out its faults, and still love Costa Rica at the same time. We do not need to follow blindly with false loyalty, instead, we can honor the greatness of both countries, while maintaining loyalty to our beliefs.
Diego, your heart is in the right place. I said that pledge everyday in school without a second thought, along with millions of other kids. Through the Vietnam war we still said it every day. I said it as an adult when we would open every board member and general membership meeting at our organization. Any place that I find myself where the pledge is being said, I put my hand over my heart and repeat the words I have said thousands of times before. Sometimes now, as I have gotten older, I get a little choked up when I realize why we say it, what it means to be an “American,” and all those who have shed their blood, with honor, for it. I think of my father and father-in-law who served honorably in WW 2, the uncles I had who served, the friends and others we have lost through wars. These are some of the reasons I will always say the pledge.
As far a complaining, and I’ve done my share, it is because I see what is wrong with this country now. The sickness that has pervaded every institution and many minds in this country, leaves me feeling less and less likely to want to live here, but still I cannot forget how it once was.
The beacon of freedom and prosperity this country has been for the world, made this country the destination for millions of immigrants, and it still does. More still try to get here legally or illegally, than try to leave. We haven’t fallen into total despair or disrepair yet. My hope is it can still be a destination for those who want a better life for themselves and their families.
Until such time as I decide to leave, I will continue to try to leave this place a little better than It was given to me. It may be an impossible task, still, it is worth trying for.
There are plenty of things wrong with this country, and right now it looks like it is not getting any better. All of us are in the same boat. The question is, do we sink, bail the boat, or just swim away?
The silver lining of the ominous cloud today, Chavez lost! 2012 and he’s out, maybe.
Chalk up one for Democracy!
Rebeca, You may think I believe all is lost, and there is no hope at all, but that is not the way I see it. My belief is we are in very tough shape as evidenced every morning on the news and in the papers, but there still is a shred of human decency and hope here. We have to live against our natural inclinations for self, and begin to live a more servant to others lifestyle. It isn’t an easy thing to do, but the little things you perform in your daily life goes a long way. It could be as simple as saying a comforting word to someone even though you are having a terrible day. The small things you do give way to bigger and better things.
We are not totally lost, yet. Close, but not at the bottom of the slope. If you live your life as a good and kind person, that transfers to others around you. It may not transform them immediately, still, it may leave a lasting impression that will move them to do in kind.
We can’t all be Mother Theresa, and most of us probably shouldn’t try to be. All of us have our own unique gifts. It is that we have to find them first, and then be satisfied that they may be less grand than we had hoped for.
Sprite, my sentiments exactly. In the email I got from this post, I read Rebeca’s first, and thought of responding with exactly what you said. You took the words right out of my post. lol. We have gone down that slippery slope and put our material wealth and all the other self-serving things ahead of what is important. The endless striving for just a little bit more, has been drummed into our heads. It’s what makes capitalism work, but it also brings out its dark inhumane side. That’s why there is no perfect form of governing.
Rebeca, The balance sheets are one of the major controls of our lives, much to our shame. As much as we like to think we are altruistic, real life and the situations we have been brought to, and what we’ve been exposed to on TV and in the media, makes us focus on self preservation and wealth accumulation. Not all of us, of course, are like this, but I would venture a guess it is a large segment of the population.
