I am so tired of seeing the words 'their,' 'there' and 'they're' misused that I thought I would put all three in the title of this post. That way, anyone who might chance on this blog could at least see that each of the homonyms is spelled differently and might also deduce from the example that each has a different meaning.
Besides the purpose stated above, the title of this post refers to the reasons people I met in Panama had either settled there already or were exploring that possibility for the future. The reasons below were given to me either in response to my direct question or I was able to form a conclusion from conversations that left little room for doubt in my mind.
- To find a safe, warm and affordable place to retire.
- To seek investment opportunities, mostly in real estate.
- To get away from bad marriages or relationships while hoping for better luck in a place where more traditional male/female roles still existed.
- To escape increasing state control over the individual in their home country.
"The only power any government has is to crack down on crime and criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, then one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens. What's there in that for anyone. But just pass the kinds of law that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of lawbreakers - and then you can cash in on their guilt."
Doesn't Rand's quote remind us of how things have been becoming in Canada and the United States? Is Panama any better? I am unfamiliar with the power of the state in that country. I just imagine that the level of bureaucracy has not yet advanced to the point it is in North America. But it will, eventually. It always does. In the meantime, though, there might be a few years where people can feel relatively free.
Maybe.
I have no intention to cut and run myself. Yes, Canada is cold in the winter. Yes, it is far too socialist for my taste. Still, Canada has been good to me and I will be here for a long, long time.
Freedom is a lot like air: One rarely becomes aware of its importance until one is choking!
ReplyDeleteThat is how taken-for-granted it has become, and I worry, will continue to be until Der Schtaat finally manufactures the "emergency" crisis or war that will empower it to take away everything we have.
How true, Ted. I found bureaucracy and government far too restrictive even back in the sixties when I started in business. Although some things have improved, the general trend has been discouraging. And it's going to get worse.
ReplyDeleteThank God you are a Canadian, if they do not have Comcast Cablevision up there. That means "Commie-cast" isn't in bed with your government yet.
ReplyDeleteI am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sick and tired of being bombarded with their propaganda in the mail, on free TV and radio, because I'm not "stupid" enough to spend $50/mo. for commercials about Commie-cast.
The so-called consumer advocates never ride monopolies like Comcast because they're on board, politically. They ride WalMart or Microsoft because they do something the "consumer advocates" want Der Schtaat in control of!