American thinking of moving to Australia. some questions.

**Kazikli Bey** · Oct 30 2008, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by Makedde

Well Spanky you know I am sometimes terrible at explaining things.

No, i think this one was my fault.

**Makedde** · Oct 30 2008, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by Kazikli Bey

No, i think this one was my fault.

Oh okay...

**Kazikli Bey** · Oct 30 2008, 01:39 AM

Look, Spanky, let me show you an example of the Australian political psyche.

[ame="http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=jxgP3heHU5k&feature=re lated"]YouTube - Farmers Union Iced Coffee[/ame]

**SpankyTheWhale** · Oct 30 2008, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by Kazikli Bey

Look, Spanky, let me show you an example of the Australian political psyche.

YouTube - Farmers Union Iced Coffee

That's interesting, but now I want iced coffee.

**Frolicking Dinosaurs** · Oct 30 2008, 02:08 AM

Interesting thread. Add us to the growing list of people who will very likely become citizens elsewhere if McCain should somehow get elected. As BobWilson notes, Canada isn't welcoming us with open arms these days - and will be even less welcoming should McCain get elected as I imagine they will see a mass influx of immigrants from the south.

We plan to attempt to buy enough land to accommodate our rather large group of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren because I have a feeling it will become necessary for them to have a safe place to come. Because of that, we will need to be close enough to a large city for the younger members to work, go to school, etc. and for us dinosaur-types to have access to medical care. While I could happily live way out in the woods right now, I know as I get older this won't be the case.

The reason I believe moving will be necessary:

I believe McCain's erratic, rash behavior will get the US in wars on many avoidable fronts (and he will have to reinstate the draft). The family members under age 35 will need a place to come to avoid being drafted. While all would fight to defend the US, I'm not about to have them used for quagmires like Vietnam and Iraq - and I fully expect McCain's lack of understanding that the US can no longer bludgeon the rest of the world into doing its bidding or count on the support of the rest of the world any old time it goes to war to have the US at war with much of the ME, Russia and former Russian states, and/or possibly with China or a related country.
I believe the US will become a state similar to Russia during the cold war years - a rouge state that many other countries will refuse to deal with any more than absolutely necessary. The US's research & trading partnerships and military alliances have already started to decline under GWB and would rapidly accelerate that decline under McCain. To be blunt, I think the only reason that other countries have not already pulled away from the US is they know the neo-cons are likely on their way out. If another neo-con puppet is installed, I believe the world's reaction will be swift, decisive and permanent.
I also fully expect the US economic system to collapse from the many years of "reducing taxes and just keep borrowing the money to live on' type of economic thinking. No one, not even the US, can live on credit forever and GWB has left this country in a fine mess in that department. McCain's talk of freezing government spending is all talk - it cannot actually be done - and most of his other plans are 'iffy' at best and will continue to raise the deficit ad infinitum. The failed 'trickle-down', cut taxes on the rich to stimulate growth policies coupled with failing to regulate things like global outsourcing and offshore financial management will cause America to continue the rapid decline seen during GWB's reign.

The things that are important to me in looking for a new country:

Don't absolutely despise US citizens or immigrants in general
Educational opportunities - a sound system for young children that provides education that competitive under world standards and higher educational opportunities (the US would currently fail the first part)
Leadership that understands the country's global position in the wold and understands the importance of good global citizenship
Government that is not given to theocracy of any sort - Christian, Muslim or any other
Civil rights and human rights are honored. Some of the family members are GLBT and/or mixed-race. I want them to have the same opportunites and freedom from hatred that others enjoy
Health care is universally available to everyone
Prefer a flat rate or tiered-flat-rate system of taxation - taxes can be somewhat high provided the services provided are good (infrastructure, education, health care, long-term senior care)
Prefer country that has already recognized that dependence on fossil-fuels is bad and is already traveling on the path to switching to other energy sources
Prefer a country that provides varied recreational opportunities - access to cultural events, playgrounds for children, museums, places to backpack. These can be in near-by countries provided traveling between the countries is an accepted practice

**Kazikli Bey** · Oct 30 2008, 02:12 AM

Come to South Australia Dino, what you desribed is what we have.

**B L Zeebub** · Oct 30 2008, 02:13 AM

As an unbiased world traveler , I have a top ten of places that I have visited that I would like to live in, Australia is third, America did not make the cut!