OFF TOPIC - The IOC sucks.

Alpha Kodiak · #1 July 22nd, 2001, 12:51 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Dragonlord:
I take a somewhat different view. I too am an immigrant to the US, though I have only been here for 9 months. I have been very frustrated by the immigration laws and here, and the work culture which is *very* different from Europe. I came seeking the American Dream (which maybe 5% of the population actually obtains) and being frustrated every step of the way. America is a very opportunistic, cold-hearted money-driven country.
(of course I may be somewhat prejudiced since I recently fell victim to the rounds of lay-offs in the IT industry, which is why I play SEIV all day).

As a model for government, I think the socialism of western Europe is best, though that has problems of its own.

I'm sorry to here that you are having problems, but I have to ask you what you think the American Dream is if only 5% attain it. If it is wealth beyond your wildest dreams, then you are right, few attain it. If it is a comfortable life with freedom to live and be what you want, I believe that the percentage is dramatically higher.

A friend of mine is from China. He also fought with the INS to get his permanent residency status. For some reason, the past few years have been worse than previous times, and have actually brought about a Congressional investigation into the INS, as I understand it. He stuck with it, though and is happy to be living here.

While the current INS bureaucracy may be incompetent, that should not be an indictment against the US as a whole.

I can definitely relate to the frustration about lay-offs. I have been laid-off in the past, and I just survived a lay-off in the company I am working for now. The IT industry is extremely vulnerable to market down-turns. Many of the companies are small and do not have much in cash reserves. At the same time, research and development costs are high and take time before they start returning on the investment. When sales slow down the companies have two choices, let people go, or get to the point that they can't pay the people they have.

None of that is particularly consoling when you have lost your job. The only positive I can relate is that 3 of the 5 programmers we lost are working elsewhere after a few weeks. I have not had contact with the other 2, so I do not know how they are doing. Depending on where you are, and what your skills are, there is work to be had, but it can be tricky to find.

CaptSpoogy · #2 July 22nd, 2001, 01:05 AM

The INS (as I mentioned before: The worst bureaucracy in the western world) is designed to keep people out of the US...

I spent nearly a year of time just trying to get the proper documents to work legally while I was staying with my fiance in the US...it never happened. I went through so much crap and every INS officer seemed to give me a different answer to my questions. One day I traveled to the INS office in Seattle and was suprised to find it heavily guarded (don't bother bringing your nail file or any other shrap object) as if it was a military base. They offer no help and treat you like trash. It was a horrible experience.

Fortunately, my wife and I decided to move to my home in Toronto and within two months of submitting her papers - boom - she had a job and free health care.

I enjoyed living in the US (especially the Northwest) - but I really hated the way the government was set up. They never get anything done, ever. And, it's too easy for special interest Groups to influence the government (NRA, Christian Right etc)...

Phoenix-D · #3 July 22nd, 2001, 01:19 AM

"And, it's too easy for special interest Groups to influence the government (NRA, Christian Right etc)..."

I would have to wonder how you propose to fix that.

The obvious answer to that sort of thing, really, is more influence.. in the other direction.

Phoenix-D

Noble713 · #4 July 22nd, 2001, 02:09 AM

This might be slightly off-topic. But:

If I was considering emigrating to another country, where Online would a look for things like:

-government system (like does the Congress have 2 Houses or one)
-basic laws and freedoms, such as firearms ownership
-things that the government provides for you (health care, education)
-statistics (average income, culture/language breakdown, etc.)

Is there any one (or few) sites that have all of the above for the world's major nations?

Phoenix-D · #5 July 22nd, 2001, 02:16 AM

Hah! Off-topic squared!

Phoenix-D

CaptSpoogy · #6 July 22nd, 2001, 02:41 AM

quote:
I would have to wonder how you propose to fix that.

The obvious answer to that sort of thing, really, is more influence.. in the other direction.

Phoenix-D

One way you could eliminate it is to change the way politicians are funded. So that special interest Groups (like Oil, Big Tobacco, NRA, etc) could buy off support...

Phoenix-D · #7 July 22nd, 2001, 02:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by capt_spoogy:
One way you could eliminate it is to change the way politicians are funded. So that special interest Groups (like Oil, Big Tobacco, NRA, etc) could buy off support...

Every single attempt to do that so far has had the result of creating masses of rules (so you need a laywer and MORE money), limiting free expresion, and gennerally making the "interest Groups" with money more powerful.

Phoenix-D