Laid-off Keystone XL worker shares his heartbreaking message for Biden

[BowmanMike]

15 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

We’re not perfect, far from it actually but I spent a month in Germany and from what I saw we are way better off here. All I saw over there was big Government control and very little freedom.

Instead of coming here and voting the US into that why not go back?


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I was just thinking about that governement control. When i was first over here i thought how great it was that there is so little regulation. The longer i live here i realize that a lot of the government regulations in Germany are there for a good reason and actually benefit the country. Of course there are things that overreach and i disagree with. But that is a democracy,where things are adopted to fit the times.

One example is zoning. In germany everything is zoned,you can not build a house in the middle of the woods unless it is zoned for building. How restrictive,right? What that does though is keep sprawl to a minimum and so it is easier to run the sewer,electric and gas lines. It also makes the villages more compact. The one i grew up in has about 5000 residents. There are two banks,a butcher,a couple of bakeries,some grocery stores and a couple of restaurants there. From the village center you can walk in any direction and within 10 mins you are in the woods or fields,no houses. So now i think zoning makes sense. It restricts personal freedom but benefits all. I am cool with that. It seems like the right approach if you want to live together.

[Versatile_Hunter]

32 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

We’re not perfect, far from it actually but I spent a month in Germany and from what I saw we are way better off here. All I saw over there was big Government control and very little freedom.

Instead of coming here and voting the US into that why not go back?


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That's such a tired whine: "if you don't like it, leave."

[left field]

Actually, thousands and thousands of Americans move when they retire to countries where their dollar goes much further, healthcare is a fraction of what it is in the US, real estate is cheap, and the quality of life is excellent.

https://internationalliving.com/the-best-places-to-retire/

Top ten:

10.Vietnam

9. Malta

8. France

7. Malaysia

6. Ecuador

5. Portugal 

4. Columbia

3. Mexico

2. Panama

1. Costa Rica

My wife and I have been looking at Panama, Portugal, and France. 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by left field

[phantom]

1 minute ago, left field said:

Actually, thousands and thousands of Americans move when they retire to countries where their dollar goes much further, healthcare is a fraction of what it is in the US, real estate is cheap, and the quality of live is excellent.

https://internationalliving.com/the-best-places-to-retire/

Top ten:

10.Vietnam

9. Malta

8. France

7. Malaysia

6. Ecuador

5. Portugal 

4. Columbia

3. Mexico

2. Panama

1. Costa Rica

My wife and I have been looking at Panama, Portugal, and France. 

 

 

deported is not the same thing .

[left field]

That's actually funny. Well done.

I'll remember that when I'm sipping Mai Tais on the beach.

[ApexerER]

20 minutes ago, left field said:

That's actually funny. Well done.

I'll remember that when I'm sipping Mai Tais on the beach.

So you vote for the higher taxes and then cut and run.....Thanks, appreciate that!

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, BowmanMike said:

I am interested in that rock...Haha.

Do you really think the reason for stuff being made in China and other countries is the lack of regulation or the cheap labor? That plays a bigger part by a long shot.

Well for 3 easy payments of $29.95 you can have your choice of rock colors.....

I believe the labor is a very small part of what makes companies move. I run a Store/Gas Station/Car Wash. The regulations, taxes, insurance, paperwork, environmental records, lawyer fees to make sense of it all etc. Are all totally ridiculous for this little tiny business compared to what i pay in labor. In reality, it is completely asinine and has only gotten substantially worse in the last 20 years. Dealing with DEC and the EPA etc. Now is some of that necessary, yes....I don't want my gasoline or diesel leaking into the ground anymore than they do. But if you had to see what needs to be done on a daily basis just to prove that isn't happening to the powers that be, (and of course it doesn't prove anything because it could all be fudged if I was a fraudulent person, again, regulations that only hurt law abiding people) you would see how burdensome and unnecessary it all is. I can't even put a cost on it....It would make me sick....

[BowmanMike]

9 minutes ago, ApexerER said:

Well for 3 easy payments of $29.95 you can have your choice of rock colors.....

I believe the labor is a very small part of what makes companies move. I run a Store/Gas Station/Car Wash. The regulations, taxes, insurance, paperwork, environmental records, lawyer fees to make sense of it all etc. Are all totally ridiculous for this little tiny business compared to what i pay in labor. In reality, it is completely asinine and has only gotten substantially worse in the last 20 years. Dealing with DEC and the EPA etc. Now is some of that necessary, yes....I don't want my gasoline or diesel leaking into the ground anymore than they do. But if you had to see what needs to be done on a daily basis just to prove that isn't happening to the powers that be, (and of course it doesn't prove anything because it could all be fudged if I was a fraudulent person, again, regulations that only hurt law abiding people) you would see how burdensome and unnecessary it all is. I can't even put a cost on it....It would make me sick....

I am sure you are right with your situation. I was thinking more of manufacturing labor costs...And i do get  the thing about all the things you have to comply with as far as your employees. That is part of the reason why i dont have any,i despise the paperwork,so i do without employees.

[Buckmaster7600]

It restricts personal freedom but benefits all.I am cool with that. It seems like the right approach if you want to live together.

Spoken like a true commie.


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[Versatile_Hunter]

1 minute ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

 

Spoken like a true commie.


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**yawn**

[Buckmaster7600]

That's such a tired whine: "if you don't like it, leave."

I don’t like it either, but when someone leaves a place and try’s to make the new place like the old place why not go back?


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[phantom]

1 hour ago, left field said:

That's actually funny. Well done.

I'll remember that when I'm sipping Mai Tais on the beach.

When they kidnap you over there don't say I did not warn you , happened  to a rich friend of mine who went to live in  south America   but if you are poor maybe you have nothing to worry about . Visiting  a place and living there are to different things my friend . 

Edited February 5, 2021 by phantom

[left field]

1 hour ago, ApexerER said:

So you vote for the higher taxes and then cut and run.....Thanks, appreciate that!

Cut and run? I'm setting up a base elsewhere but will keep the NY cabin. There are a substantial number of guys here who can't wait to flee NY.

Have no fear about taxes though ... the US still collects income tax from expats who no longer live in the US. The only other countries in the world that do this are Eritrea and Myanmar.

25 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I don’t like it either, but when someone leaves a place and try’s to make the new place like the old place why not go back?

Not everyone does that. When I lived in India, I quickly realized that there was no way I was going to fight and beat this country of a billion people, so I just accepted what it offered. Over my time there, I saw expats come in and bitch about how things weren't like back home. If the taste of milk matters to you that much, go back to Des Moines.

They didn't last long.

There were times when I craved a western experience. Occasionally, I would go to McDonalds, though I never do that here. Or a few of us would arrange for a full-on Christmas dinner in Bali for a bunch of friends. It was cool to share that with local friends and then have them invite me to their important celebrations.

[BowmanMike]

33 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

 

Spoken like a true commie.


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Coming from a true libertarian. You are not alone in this world,or country,or state,or county. 

Must be nice living in a black and white world. There is color TV nowadays...

[Buckmaster7600]

Coming from a true libertarian. You are not alone in this world,or country,or state,or county. 
Must be nice living in a black and white world. There is color TV nowadays...

Unfortunately I’m well aware that I’m not alone. The only thing I want in this world is to be left alone. I don’t need you or the government, I’m very capable of taking care of me and mine. I just wish others would do the same!


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[Northcountryman]

2 hours ago, BowmanMike said:

I was just thinking about that governement control. When i was first over here i thought how great it was that there is so little regulation. The longer i live here i realize that a lot of the government regulations in Germany are there for a good reason and actually benefit the country. Of course there are things that overreach and i disagree with. But that is a democracy,where things are adopted to fit the times.

One example is zoning. In germany everything is zoned,you can not build a house in the middle of the woods unless it is zoned for building. How restrictive,right? What that does though is keep sprawl to a minimum and so it is easier to run the sewer,electric and gas lines. It also makes the villages more compact. The one i grew up in has about 5000 residents. There are two banks,a butcher,a couple of bakeries,some grocery stores and a couple of restaurants there. From the village center you can walk in any direction and within 10 mins you are in the woods or fields,no houses. So now i think zoning makes sense. It restricts personal freedom but benefits all. I am cool with that. It seems like the right approach if you want to live together.

You're From Germany huh; thats cool.  Where exactly? Also, how did you come to emigrate to the US? Had relatives here or just wanted a fresh start?

[DoubleDose]

3 hours ago, BowmanMike said:

I was just thinking about that governement control. When i was first over here i thought how great it was that there is so little regulation. The longer i live here i realize that a lot of the government regulations in Germany are there for a good reason and actually benefit the country. Of course there are things that overreach and i disagree with. But that is a democracy,where things are adopted to fit the times.

One example is zoning. In germany everything is zoned,you can not build a house in the middle of the woods unless it is zoned for building. How restrictive,right? What that does though is keep sprawl to a minimum and so it is easier to run the sewer,electric and gas lines. It also makes the villages more compact. The one i grew up in has about 5000 residents. There are two banks,a butcher,a couple of bakeries,some grocery stores and a couple of restaurants there. From the village center you can walk in any direction and within 10 mins you are in the woods or fields,no houses. So now i think zoning makes sense. It restricts personal freedom but benefits all. I am cool with that. It seems like the right approach if you want to live together.

...and you think NY doesn't have similar zoning laws?  The difference between Germany and NY is not zoning laws.  It is blood lust for more tax revenue and corruption.  One can always get a variance on zoning laws,  provided it increases tax revenue and you pay off the right politicians!

[BowmanMike]

59 minutes ago, Northcountryman said:

You're From Germany huh; thats cool.  Where exactly? Also, how did you come to emigrate to the US? Had relatives here or just wanted a fresh start?

Love...the age old story...

[BowmanMike]

24 minutes ago, DoubleDose said:

...and you think NY doesn't have similar zoning laws?  The difference between Germany and NY is not zoning laws.  It is blood lust for more tax revenue and corruption.  One can always get a variance on zoning laws,  provided it increases tax revenue and you pay off the right politicians!

It all depends where in NY you are. No zoning laws in my town. The next one over has them,but all the other ones adjoining mine dont.

There is always people that will game the system,that doesnt mean you should forget about the whole thing.

[left field]

2 hours ago, phantom said:

When they kidnap you over there don't say I did not warn you , happened  to a rich friend of mine who went to live in  south America   but if you are poor maybe you have nothing to worry about . Visiting  a place and living there are to different things my friend . 

Other than America, how many countries have you lived in?

[Enigma]

I ran across this last week and it seems applicable to this discussion.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/politics/climate-executive-orders-joe-biden/index.html

Yes, I visit CNN and other liberal sites. The reason being the desire to keep tabs on and try to understand the mindset of the modern Democrat. Tough job I know but I do it for you guys lol.

Clear your head of all previous views on the subject (momentarily lol) and see the linked article. Read it very, very slowly and very deliberately. Whilst slogging through the hope and change and fairy dust you'll recognize all the same key words and talking points used by the left for years (most already mentioned here). "Global leader", "crisis", "environmental justice", "good paying green jobs," etc.. If you read the article with no preconceptions you should also realize how easily the whole "green" concept plays into the minds' of today's illiterate populace.

Skipping the debate on the legitimacy of him being president, the reality is that Biden and his cohorts are running the show right now and are committed to spending TRILLIONs of dollars on their quest. I have zero confidence that the Dem's "whole government approach" to heading off environmental catastrophe will ever amount to anything substantial, but, from a strictly capitalist and pragmatic point of view, if Joe's printing money I'm going to be in on the taking. Smart people and smart money should be busy NOW planning new businesses and products and researching new ideas to capitalize on the coming (like it or not), green revolution. Big or small companies it won't make a difference. In the near future the government will be handing out huge sums of cash, and anyone who's ever owned a business knows that the best paying client with the lowest expectations is your federal and state government. The Dem's concept is flawed and unattainable on many levels, and it's difficult to stomach listening to the hyperbole, but I won't let that stand in the way of my prosperity.

I'm on my way to China soon to steal back some green technology. Just bought a new building and the plans for the chip/battery plant are moving along nicely. Most of my friends and family will be on the payroll lol. Best case scenario Joe makes me a millionaire and I help save the planet. Worst case I get paid and then tell Joe "Sorry it didn't work, I coulda told you that in the beginning."

No matter where you stand on US energy policy, like it or not, change is coming!!! Embrace the opportunity and prosper or piss and moan and get left behind.

[BowmanMike]

2 hours ago, Northcountryman said:

You're From Germany huh; thats cool.  Where exactly? Also, how did you come to emigrate to the US? Had relatives here or just wanted a fresh start?

I grew up in northern Germany,about 45 mins south of Hamburg. The landscape is flat there,almost like the Netherlands. That is why i love the area i live in now,the mix of woods and fields and hills. Oh,and the space is nice too. 

[Northcountryman]

27 minutes ago, Enigma said:

I ran across this last week and it seems applicable to this discussion.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/politics/climate-executive-orders-joe-biden/index.html

Yes, I visit CNN and other liberal sites. The reason being the desire to keep tabs on and try to understand the mindset of the modern Democrat. Tough job I know but I do it for you guys lol.

Clear your head of all previous views on the subject (momentarily lol) and see the linked article. Read it very, very slowly and very deliberately. Whilst slogging through the hope and change and fairy dust you'll recognize all the same key words and talking points used by the left for years (most already mentioned here). "Global leader", "crisis", "environmental justice", "good paying green jobs," etc.. If you read the article with no preconceptions you should also realize how easily the whole "green" concept plays into the minds' of today's illiterate populace.

Skipping the debate on the legitimacy of him being president, the reality is that Biden and his cohorts are running the show right now and are committed to spending TRILLIONs of dollars on their quest. I have zero confidence that the Dem's "whole government approach" to heading off environmental catastrophe will ever amount to anything substantial, but, from a strictly capitalist and pragmatic point of view, if Joe's printing money I'm going to be in on the taking. Smart people and smart money should be busy NOW planning new businesses and products and researching new ideas to capitalize on the coming (like it or not), green revolution. Big or small companies it won't make a difference. In the near future the government will be handing out huge sums of cash, and anyone who's ever owned a business knows that the best paying client with the lowest expectations is your federal and state government. The Dem's concept is flawed and unattainable on many levels, and it's difficult to stomach listening to the hyperbole, but I won't let that stand in the way of my prosperity.

I'm on my way to China soon to steal back some green technology. Just bought a new building and the plans for the chip/battery plant are moving along nicely. Most of my friends and family will be on the payroll lol. Best case scenario Joe makes me a millionaire and I help save the planet. Worst case I get paid and then tell Joe "Sorry it didn't work, I coulda told you that in the beginning."

No matter where you stand on US energy policy, like it or not, change is coming!!! Embrace the opportunity and prosper or piss and moan and get left behind.

Sounds promising, Bud; what business are you in anyway?

[Elmo]

When I talk to sports fans they complain about their teams.  They blast the owners, they blast the decisions their teams make, etc.  Whenever you ask them "why don't you root for a different team" they will always respond with "Never!  I grew up a Bills (or who ever) fan.  Been a fan all my life.  Will never switch!"  Funny because whenever someone criticize the country the first response is always "If you don't like it then just leave."  They make it sound they believe allegiance to sports team is greater than allegiance to a country.  You can pledge your full allegiance to the US and still criticize it for making bad decisions.  To me, a country is almost like family.  I bitch constantly at my big bro for being lazy and smoking all the time but it'll be pretty absurd for anyone to tell me to ditch my brother.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Lucky118]

On 1/26/2021 at 10:28 PM, BowmanMike said:

I am ready for something different..I also drive a truck,but would not mind going back to horse and buggy.  It doesnt hurt to think of the big picture. If anyone thinks burning fossil fuels that took hundreds of thousands of years to form at the scale we are burning it has no effect on the environment they are fools. 

It makes me happy i dont have any kids that will have to live in an ever crazier world because we did nothing to change. You think caravans of people seeking refuge are big now,wait another 20 years and get back to me then. 

Business as usual will be anything but.

The funny thing is that people think they can control it when it starts. Arrogant  humans.