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LakeArenal

(28,729 posts)
29. This is right on. Not only are you being ripped off...
Thu Sep 30, 2021, 11:34 AM
Sep 2021

US is spoiled.
If you moved to one of those supposed poor countries, you’d find how spoiled the US. Even the name “Americans” has been purloined from two continents. The US is not America as they think they are.

Just reported yesterday that folks in Costa Rica live longer. How is that possible?
No OSHA for highway workers, no big expense accounts, hourly wage about $3-$6 bucks an hour.

Luxuries like big new cars are rare. Ticos drive 20 year old cars they keep running because there are yearly inspections. Tires are so expensive, people rent good ones for the inspection. Very rarely can anyone buy a car because you pretty much pay cash for things like that.
There’s no Goodwills here, no rummage sales because everyone uses everything.

We put a broken lawn chair on the curb. Someone took it. Who knows why.
But someone will do something with it

A Third World country is an outdated and offensive term for a developing nation characterized by a population with low and middle incomes, and other socio-economic indicators.Oct 26, 2020

Well the US is well on its way.

This message was self-deleted by its author snowybirdie Sep 2021 #1
You obviously didn't read it. FSogol Sep 2021 #2
Here you go. BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #6
LOL. n/t FSogol Sep 2021 #7
LOL! Missn-Hitch Sep 2021 #64
Holy mother of God heckles65 Sep 2021 #66
That's because it's not really a patriotic song localroger Sep 2021 #79
+1 and thank you! Totally Tunsie Sep 2021 #92
He has an Oliver! A Real American man has a Minneapolis-Moline StClone Sep 2021 #115
Why so many people of color in that clip? Grins Sep 2021 #143
I tear up whenever I hear that song alittlelark Sep 2021 #155
I feel like a cat that just coughed up a hairball after listening to that and shutting it off again. NullTuples Sep 2021 #161
And this is why the problem remains. Aristus Sep 2021 #10
+1 KPN Sep 2021 #48
Wow! Love your response. It is the solution to what ails us! vishnura Sep 2021 #52
THIS malaise Sep 2021 #59
It has to be more difficult than shooting the messenger. soldierant Sep 2021 #131
I was born in the US. Grew up here. And have lived all over the US. róisín_dubh Sep 2021 #28
Cheaper???? Dublin? Paris???? Austria??? Denmark???? cinematicdiversions Sep 2021 #58
My place in England is 1 hour from London... róisín_dubh Sep 2021 #137
So you don't like the message so you want to kick the messenger. Get out of bubble much? Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #32
Seriously? KPN Sep 2021 #54
This message was self-deleted by its author Celerity Sep 2021 #60
This message was self-deleted by its author Prof. Toru Tanaka Sep 2021 #134
It's not that easy DSandra Sep 2021 #73
Forum rules dictate that I not respond to this how I would like Ferrets are Cool Sep 2021 #76
Did you read it? NQAS Sep 2021 #77
👍 Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #91
You're obviously pleased with the current state of the country... tenderfoot Sep 2021 #80
Excellent read. And sobering. chia Sep 2021 #3
When my German friend comes over, she can't believe the price of food Mysterian Sep 2021 #4
And the cost of housing is insane PatSeg Sep 2021 #11
++ appalachiablue Sep 2021 #41
Americans are trinket rich, but equity poor. CrispyQ Sep 2021 #67
Oh yes, that is perfect! PatSeg Sep 2021 #99
Thats a good phrase leighbythesea2 Sep 2021 #129
it has shifted dramatically since Reagan. Evolve Dammit Sep 2021 #163
THIS !!!! ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾 uponit7771 Sep 2021 #169
+1 Auggie Oct 2021 #173
Our "toys" are part of the problem. thucythucy Oct 2021 #199
Oh, that was an excellent rant PatSeg Oct 2021 #202
:-) Lemon Lyman Oct 2021 #217
This is one of my all time favorite clips. thucythucy Oct 2021 #220
It must be tough being that downtrodden. mahatmakanejeeves Sep 2021 #5
At no point did he claim to be downtrodden. He's talking about America's working poor and FSogol Sep 2021 #9
Do you Ad Hominem Barbara Ehrenreich, too? maxsolomon Sep 2021 #18
Elitist fuckwad living ivory tower lifestyle telling how the poors how poor they are? Fuck him Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #21
"I lived overseas" BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #23
I lived in Greece, Thailand, the Phillipines, not London, Paris or Berlin, so I should shut up, eh Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #26
Good call. BannonsLiver Sep 2021 #27
So Greece is the lone European place you lived? Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #31
Oh I just decided to stir things up, went to Walmart and got prescipt sunglasses for $94, I'm good Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #75
I also lived for months at a time in Colombia, Peru and Brazil, yeah, Americans are spoiled, you bet Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #85
Do their citizens have to start go-fund-me campaigns to help pay for health care too? tenderfoot Sep 2021 #106
What health care? Villiage doctors,drink water from the rivers, be lucky to have a toilet that works Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #110
So our dirt poor are living large? tenderfoot Sep 2021 #127
Yep, all guilty, its OK though, civilization ends when the power goes out, its only a matter of time Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #128
Uh huh. ShazzieB Sep 2021 #150
Probably RobinA Sep 2021 #39
Lol, this. Treefrog Sep 2021 #90
Debt crisis Greece is your sole European example? TiberiusB Sep 2021 #43
Fuck him because he is right? I've lived many years in USA and Canada. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #33
He's got his whole "We're DOOMED! USA IS DOOMED, EUROPE IS DOOMED!" Schtick going for him, yeah Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #102
Amazing what drivel is considered great analysis here grantcart Sep 2021 #50
You're comparing rent with purchasing? Where I live (SoCal) lower incomes can't afford to purchase chia Sep 2021 #87
There is much more volatility in rental markets so it shouldnt grantcart Sep 2021 #142
The US also has one of the lowest entry levels for first time home buyers grantcart Sep 2021 #144
You realize you need a sizable down payment, plus there's PMI until your equity is over 20% chia Oct 2021 #175
Agree with the drivel part, at least as it applies to this article. Equomba Sep 2021 #105
Drivel indeed wellst0nev0ter Oct 2021 #181
As I stated, it was the first source I happened upon, Equomba Oct 2021 #205
From your website wellst0nev0ter Oct 2021 #207
And? Equomba Oct 2021 #210
Seriously? Celerity Sep 2021 #57
I live in Germany Old Crank Sep 2021 #74
This message was self-deleted by its author Old Crank Sep 2021 #78
Spoken like an elitist with plenty for housing, food, fuel and repairs tenderfoot Sep 2021 #100
"Tell us how lucky we are in regard to affordable health care." ShazzieB Sep 2021 #152
There's a lot of people in this thread that make Ayn Rand look compassionate tenderfoot Sep 2021 #154
Sad but true. 😒 ShazzieB Sep 2021 #160
thinking the same thing Evolve Dammit Sep 2021 #164
This is supposed to be DU, right? wellst0nev0ter Sep 2021 #165
Sounds rather harsh. Equomba Sep 2021 #171
WTF? This is the sort of emotional, illogical, "patriotic" reaction that the Rs have relied on for KPN Sep 2021 #56
DOOMSAYERS, irk me , jibber jabber, thats all he writes Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #114
Nice Screed Old Crank Sep 2021 #84
Thanks for bio. Guy knows of what he's talking about. Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #95
I follow him on Medium. smirkymonkey Sep 2021 #124
I recall a thread about dogs this week. JanMichael Sep 2021 #8
Dang, I pretty much knew all that, but it was still depressing Biophilic Sep 2021 #12
Statistics show we do well in cost-of-living compared to Europe. But Afghanistan is cheap. Hoyt Sep 2021 #13
I think that metric is incomplete Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #17
Utilities, loans (borrowing to pay for things), etc., are included in "cost-of-living." But it is Hoyt Sep 2021 #20
Well, This Guy RobinA Sep 2021 #40
Yep. twodogsbarking Sep 2021 #22
COL index includes healthcare. New York and California are expensive the rest of the country isn't uponit7771 Oct 2021 #191
Food is cheap, but health care is hellishly expensive in US and not great unless you have gold. . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2021 #35
+1, nice facts. Thx for this uponit7771 Oct 2021 #189
This is a must read Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #14
"To not be poor, you need savings." tiredtoo Sep 2021 #36
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Sep 2021 #38
I've read Richest Man in Babylon Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #45
Amen. Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #96
I Disagree RobinA Sep 2021 #46
Well it should be obvious if you don't have income you can't save. tiredtoo Sep 2021 #69
No, there is a whole Karma13612 Oct 2021 #176
Have no intention of arguing the point but tiredtoo Oct 2021 #201
The infrastructure requiring car ownership IS the trap Effete Snob Sep 2021 #70
That's a huge factor Johnny2X2X Sep 2021 #71
Europeans are pissed because they ain't got a Starbucks on every corner.... and 3Hotdogs Sep 2021 #15
America does not believe in helping its citizens. Irish_Dem Sep 2021 #16
Not "America." Republicons. Big difference. JudyM Sep 2021 #166
Recent events show us it is not just the GOP. Irish_Dem Oct 2021 #188
What do you mean? The whole Democratic Patty is Both Sides because of a few people? betsuni Oct 2021 #194
IKWYM but they are outliers, not representative of the Democratic party, at least IMO. JudyM Oct 2021 #203
Yes, Americans have been deluded with propaganda while corporations take in enormous profits dlk Sep 2021 #19
This all started with raygun Casady1 Sep 2021 #24
Yup Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #97
++++++++++++++++++++ not fooled Sep 2021 #167
No Mad_Machine76 Sep 2021 #25
I don't want to be like EU Calculating Sep 2021 #53
Well, in the few urban centers of Europe I have been, driving is not a thing... Moostache Sep 2021 #98
$8 a liter for gas is appx. $2.11 -sorry, this post should be trashed. haele Sep 2021 #120
1 gallon about 3.8 litres, at $8 each $30 nt msongs Sep 2021 #138
Not Close ProfessorGAC Sep 2021 #147
This is right on. Not only are you being ripped off... LakeArenal Sep 2021 #29
Back in April, at the age of 65 iwillalwayswonderwhy Sep 2021 #30
Since you are 65 you would be covered by Medicare. former9thward Sep 2021 #107
that covers about 80% Skittles Sep 2021 #172
Not on a hospital visit. former9thward Oct 2021 #177
that is not all you are charged for Skittles Oct 2021 #179
Under Medicare you still have to pay for the ambulance and burrowowl Oct 2021 #180
"Free" has a cost. former9thward Oct 2021 #182
The US and UK have burrowowl Oct 2021 #215
How long are we going to blame our problems on long dead people? former9thward Oct 2021 #216
The problem with these articles is it is hard to trust anyone. Steelrolled Sep 2021 #34
Totally Biased RobinA Sep 2021 #47
Correct grantcart Sep 2021 #51
+1 uponit7771 Sep 2021 #170
A little digging on the author Dukkha Sep 2021 #145
Europe is more expensive to live than the US (COLI Link) uponit7771 Oct 2021 #192
I'm in the top 20% Marthe48 Sep 2021 #37
I agree with much of the article. cate94 Sep 2021 #42
K&R bluewater Sep 2021 #44
Shorter article Loki Liesmith Sep 2021 #49
Depressingly true. Dems should burn the whole system down Roc2020 Sep 2021 #55
I don't know what it costs to live in the states anymore LittleGirl Sep 2021 #61
We pay so much for healthcare so we don't have hundreds of thousands dying of treatable issues IronLionZion Sep 2021 #62
We still have one of the greatest propaganda machines in the world OldBaldy1701E Oct 2021 #187
He fails to mention how lobbyists buy the politicians to enact the laws that protect them, and bucolic_frolic Sep 2021 #63
US ranked 17th in overall quality of life rankings. Jon King Sep 2021 #65
Median Household Income in the US varies from $67.5k to $79.9k, depending on source Martin Eden Sep 2021 #68
He said average income Old Crank Sep 2021 #82
"Average" could divide the total population by total income Martin Eden Sep 2021 #111
Could be Individual v Household Thew Sep 2021 #86
I totally disagree with the idea that life is immeasurably better in Canada. BobTheSubgenius Sep 2021 #72
Thank you! Duppers Sep 2021 #133
My grandparents homesteaded on the Saskatchewan prairie in the early 1900s. Grasswire2 Sep 2021 #146
I guess the price would depend, as the price of all land does, on location and quality. BobTheSubgenius Oct 2021 #213
You are more than welcome....and thank you, as well! BobTheSubgenius Oct 2021 #212
A bit of an over simplification, of course. RVN VET71 Sep 2021 #81
Further to this post, watch Michael Moore's "Where to Invade Next" OMGWTF Sep 2021 #83
He has a point Joinfortmill Sep 2021 #88
What happened to DU? Loge23 Sep 2021 #89
Because RobinA Sep 2021 #101
+1 chia Sep 2021 #113
Did you see my thread about the average family owning a DOG? Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #117
That was actually funny reading the comments... radicalleft Sep 2021 #122
Jesus, you aren't kidding. Thank you Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #126
EVERYTHING is more expensive radicalleft Sep 2021 #130
Agreed, there's a huge "love it or leave it" response traitorsgalore Sep 2021 #151
Absolutely. This country is one giant corporation that chews up and spits out its citizens budkin Sep 2021 #93
Lol this thread WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2021 #94
Umair Haque publishes many deep and dark articles a week - I read them on medium.com erronis Sep 2021 #103
Veilikovsky sold a lot of books on the DOOMSDAY scenarios too, Worlds in Collision Earth in Upheaval Shanti Shanti Shanti Sep 2021 #112
K&R BlueJac Sep 2021 #104
I tried to read the piece and got the following response Ford_Prefect Sep 2021 #108
Still works for me. n/t FSogol Sep 2021 #109
Tried another browser, SRware Iron to Firefox, and it worked ok THX. Ford_Prefect Sep 2021 #135
The statistical analysis is skewed and his facts are weird Sympthsical Sep 2021 #116
We have a two bedroom house in Podunk, NC Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #119
Even with that, you're well below his averages Sympthsical Sep 2021 #132
Many in the South Thtwudbeme Sep 2021 #156
Very accurate and depressing article. And the sad thing is NOTHING will ever change here beaglelover Sep 2021 #118
K&R spanone Sep 2021 #121
Yes and no. Act_of_Reparation Sep 2021 #123
Archiving leighbythesea2 Sep 2021 #125
I guess I have it pretty good. CaptainTruth Sep 2021 #136
+1 betsuni Sep 2021 #149
Umair has made SO many mistakes in logic that I'm beginning to believe it's on purpose. Equomba Sep 2021 #162
I'm pretty sure everyone has an agenda, wouldn't you agree? ChubbyStar Oct 2021 #204
Sure, I guess you could say that to one degree or another everyone Equomba Oct 2021 #218
$100 or less for heating, electricity and gas? Don't know if I paid that little in 1983... chia Oct 2021 #178
We pay that now Sympthsical Oct 2021 #183
Perhaps you can help me make sense of this. Equomba Sep 2021 #139
some relevant information presented hysterically by an elitist. nt msongs Sep 2021 #140
three words: temporarily embarrassed millionaires Dukkha Sep 2021 #141
Yes, perfect, one of many contributing factors Auggie Sep 2021 #168
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. onecaliberal Sep 2021 #148
That was a great read. LiberatedUSA Sep 2021 #153
Because Republicans politicized religion and created a media empire to spread their propaganda. betsuni Sep 2021 #157
America is a great scam if you can pull it off. Crunchy Frog Sep 2021 #158
Thes are the facts Progressive dog Sep 2021 #159
Pointless to compare the US with undeveloped countries Johnny2X2X Oct 2021 #197
America is part of the developed world Progressive dog Oct 2021 #208
I guess he's never been to Tokyo, London, Singapore, the Emirates, Dubai, or Disneyland. marble falls Oct 2021 #174
Carefully selected statistics and vague generalizations do not describe ANY country accurately DFW Oct 2021 #184
+10000000000000000000000000Thankyou. betsuni Oct 2021 #186
+1. n/t obnoxiousdrunk Oct 2021 #209
A couple of comments on article Kaleva Oct 2021 #185
An economy driven mainly by greed moondust Oct 2021 #190
I remember several years ago posting here... Takket Oct 2021 #193
Actually...You're Being Screwed In More Ways Than You Realize DAngelo136 Oct 2021 #195
Actually...You're Being Screwed In More Ways Than You Realize DAngelo136 Oct 2021 #196
When I first spotted this thread yesterday unsure where it was going lambchopp59 Oct 2021 #198
People have a visceral reaction to criticism of America from an outsider, so I understand that FSogol Oct 2021 #200
Michael Moore's movie "Where to Invade Next" kskiska Oct 2021 #206
I read this post yesterday Marthe48 Oct 2021 #211
Unfortunately, the US is a failed state. BeckyDem Oct 2021 #214
At this point, I should start exploring moving back to Europe. Mr. Scorpio Oct 2021 #219
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