When is enough enough citizens?

There are hundreds if not thousands of threads on this website describing all sorts of issues our country presently has. Many of you rant, scream, describe, elaborate, enforce, dismiss, ignore, grandstand, etc. on all these subjects saying things from this has to stop, be changed, be more aggressive, etc. you get the idea. I am not excluded from these threads or posts either but lately I've had to ask myself when is it time to just get out?
I was born and raised in NJ, 20min. west of Manhattan. I lived there for 36.5 years before moving to a somewhat free state (NM). I have an idea of where I think my line in the sand is drawn but there are so many factors to a decision like this I am left in a state of perpetually arguing with myself.

my wife and i have been talking about leaving the U.S....we fear that this is only going to get worse. being 58 yrs old, i had to tell my son of 23, that in the future, it will be extremely hard for him to match what my wife and i have today. even with his college degree, there could be no fulltime employment, only parttime, no benefits, no retirement, no social security, no medicare, in his future. college will be out of his childrens reach because of the cost, housing will be out of his reach because of the low pay, his retirement will depend on how much he can personally save, and medical costs could end up costing him 25% to 50% of his takehome pay over his lifetime.

Where are you going to go that will be better over the next several decades?

The ‘have not’ countries are getting jobs that ‘have’ countries used to have.
This lowers the standards of one while it raises the other. The entire process will take many decades to complete.

But I agree that my children will have to work harder to bring home less. But isn’t that what we have all been trying to instill in them anyway?

I moved to Canada from the US .back in '79. Over those years, I had my misgivings. The Canadian economy wasn't always the best and, in spite of the similarities, Canada IS a foreign country. But I dealt with a slower economy -- for the time -- and I adjusted to the numerous, often minute differences between the two countries. And, in that time, I came to love living in Canada.

Now, as the US flounders -- economically and socially -- I realize that I made the right decision those many years ago. My life in Canada has been quite different from the one I might have foreseen living in the States. It's peaceful here....it's safe.....the cities are cleaner and more hospitable. I don't regret moving one bit!

Incidentally, I am originally from Detroit and the moment I realized that I had enough was when I was robbed -- at gun point -- by a kid who couldn't have been older than fourteen. If it hadn't been for that gun, I could have crushed that kid without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, I simply was not in the mood to deal with a handgun. He got my three dollars. The part that really shook me up was that the kid walked away......walked away. I remember when I was his age, I might have soaped a few windows or rang a few doorbells but I always RAN. That was my moment. That's when I realized that I wanted to get out.

reply to post by benevolent tyrant


I'm looking to go to Vancouver it is my first choice and is within my comfort zone. I have been to Canada many times on the East coast side. It is clean, friendly, vast and most of all the people seem very content with what they have unlike the american attitude being discontent for what they don't have.
Well we'll see but my line in the sand is still up for debate.

Saw how things were going back in the late 70s and left in 80 .. Found a much better life and quality of life here in s.e asia .. My kids grew up as citizens of the country they were born in here (adopted 4 war orphans as sterile thanks to agent orange exposure..) told them if they ever go to the states I will disown them.. Theyre grown and do well in their careers here and visit during Tet (new years) .. Its a big step choosing to live abroad and not one many can handle well.. You need usable skills, have to be able to adapt to the culture of the country you choose to live in.. And learn the local language .. Not easy for most americans to do.. You guys stick out like a neon sign in vegas when your abroad.. Think carefuly before you make the move as 1. You may not be able to adapt to life abroad 2. If things keep going the way they are there it may become harder for you to leave- have to make sure your qualified and the country you choose will accept you many are becoming quite strict in their requirements. 3. You may have trouble should you return stateside with how things are going there.. So think very carefuly before you do anything..