There was a story a couple months ago about some lady buying a house in Eastern Michigan (either Detroit or in the region) for a couple hundred dollars.

The cost of maintaining a repairing these houses is often greater than the value of a house in that neighborhood.

There are entire blocks in Detroit where anyone who agrees to repair the buildings can have the property for free because the property taxes on the house are greater than the value of the house.

Damn I know there are some people here in Michigan I wish would leave.

Pray that my company wins their bid for business in Australia, and that they offer me the job I want, and you might just get rid of one of them.

Funny, my company just might offer me a job in China. I can't wait. I've talked to a guy who lives there, he says it is all propaganda. There are so many Americans who fled the communists here at home, it is not funny. They live just fine, have businesses, etc., etc.

The most interesting thing was that I have asked how come they like it so much in a communist country. He said, this is not a communist country no more. Huh? I asked what about the freedom to obtain information, etc.? Turns out the Chinese govt. wants it this way for now. The deal with western governments currently is that China must appear a communist country. Until such time that it doesn't have to any more.

I was confused. He said: do you think the people who own US government like it so much in USA? They only bribe the government because it is having the power to regulate, and if they don't bribe it, then someone else will. But, they don't like the socialism, that we are building.

So, they want to move to China. Unlike it is for someone with nothing much to save, the move is a complicated process and will take time. They want to slow their business here to nothing, move capital, start businesses over there. Most of all they want to be on top, and the only way for them to do it is if the truth about capitalist China is hidden for a while. They want to have it all sorted out, by the time majority finds out. This is why Chinese government was offered a deal, to keep the red appearance or to have certain problems.

Ford, wants to move out of USA like hell. But, currently, they can't, they are liable under the contracts with all this worthless trade union crap. So, their plan has been to let it die off slowly, while their overseas operations get better and better. Once they are bankrupt here, they will be able to sell their plants, without any pressure from the unions.

A whole new conspiracy theory, if you will. Don't know for sure, need to see it for myself.

I am not to sure about all of that regarding China, but I have seen many reports about China moving towards capitalism.

I hope they are more successful than the USSR in transitioning from Communism to Capitalism, but only time will tell for sure.

Lotta ex-pats find life in very poor countries quite comfy.

Servants...

haha

Yes, I am not so sure either. But, I am keeping an open mind and want to check it out.

You bring up an interesting question, why China seems to be doing what Russia couldn't do?

A friend from Russia, told me that it was the entitlements and the education.

They have created a huge class of people who got used to be fed by the government, they constitute a significant voting block now. For example, retirees. They have spent their life believing that there should be a government retirement system, and paid into it. Now, they demand pensions. It is not possible to provide those and at the same time to become a capitalist country. This means that the socialism must be continued, but then there will be yet another generation of those who paid for these pensions, and will expect to be taken care in return.

Russia had an extremely well built system of education by the government. Of course, this is nothing less than brainwashing, because while they taught kids how to write, read and calculate, they were also implanting the evil destructive beliefs that one should be able to live without being useful to others. These kids now have grown up, and become the best tool of communist ideology. Just like in US,there are millions and millions who think that they deserve more than what they can earn in a free markets without any tilting of playing field in their favor.

As a result, Russia had turned into a lawless state first, and then the gangs took the power and currently hold it. They run a system where there is a socialism for most, but an unlimited capitalism for themselves, however, such a society can not provide equal rights under the law.

China, on the other hand did not have these impediments. China had hardworking people who still do not believe they deserve anything beyond that they can honestly earn.