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Why Haven't I Moved?
We have considered it. To a third world country.
My husband is a commercial pilot and flies for a major carrier. His skills are highly sought after in a number of areas; however, one area is mission work.
The issue is that his degree is in agricultural business and then he got all of his flight ratings at a flight school. To be a pilot missionary, he would have to go back to school to get a new degree in missions/Biblical studies and then also pay to get a mechanics' license/rating. It is very cost prohibative for us and also we have two children. Flight school and mechanic's licenses are not cheap. We're talking $10-20k or more.
We wouldn't mind taking our kids elsewhere; however, we would have to move to whereever he went to school for this second degree and then also figure out a place to get this other rating.
I am a SAHM and we have no intention of me going back to work so he needs to support us. He works a full-time job flying and with his erratic schedule there is no way another degree and a license would work. Also we are older (mid-30's), so the time it would take is an issue too.
This may sound like a cop-out to some, but if you are familar with me and other posts I have written than you know that we are currently donating over 10% of his before tax income to people we don't even know. This isn't something we want to cease to get another degree and a new license.
That's why we haven't moved. Bet ya didn't expect that answer! 
Re: Why Haven't I Moved?
Thanks.
Your answer is basically that moving to another country simply isn't that easy, which we've already been over in the other thread. I'm not sure what's unexpected about that.
Because semantics are absolutely what this is about.
No problemo.
It's not just a move - it's the cost of a 2nd degree, plus the cost of a mechanics' license for aircraft. As a missionary pilot you have to be responsible for your own repairs. And, the thousands we could use to do this are already given to people who are counting on us for our support.
Also, we have some ties here to the States, like a Little Brother with the Big Brother Big Sister Program so leaving is kinda tough.
My platform is about personal responsibility - my DH and I are living it by way of our financial giving, getting into our community, being advocates for our causes, being informed voters/citizens, and also by doing things like disater prepping (food, water, fuel, etc.) to ensure our family is self-reliant in case of a national or regional emergency.
The poster in another thread asked me twice why I am living in the U.S., while I'm asking people why they don't want to move to a more liberal place like Sweden, for example, this is my answer...I'd go to a developing nation to serve, but right now, it isn't feasible.
And, I never said I was broke in response to your "#dontunderstandbrokeconservatives" remark. Just that I don't have an extra $50-$100k laying around to pay for another degree and a mechanics' license.
And, also your "dontunderstandbrokeconservatives" line is fraught with logical incongruities. Are you asserting that to be conservative, you must be rich?
Why is being a union member and being Republican (we aren't registered Republican BTW) hypocritical?
DH cares about his job benefits and pay, but he likes the idea of a small federal government and he also promotes life.
The two aren't mutually exclusive (being union member and Rep).
If you haven't moved to another country because of the expense and the difficulties uprooting your life here, why is it hard for you to understand why other people haven't moved to Sweden?
Well then what is so funny about most pilots being Republican?
There is a distinction.
I like the U.S. as a capitalistic nation with the idea of a free market system, and small government that promotes and supports states' rights. If I moved, I'd be moving to a developing nation, with the intent of mission work, not to seek a more liberal, progressive nation. If I left it would not be to "go to a better model." In my mind, the U.S. is a really, really good model. So, I don't fancy leaving it for political motives.
The posters who would move to more liberal nations, would do so to "escape" what they think is an inferior governing model (attention: not accusing you/posters of thinking the U.S. is an inferior country, just stating that your preferences lie in an entirely different form of government). You and them would be leaving to seek a new way of life politically.
This is a big difference in the two reasons for moving.
That said, yes, for anyone, moving is a large expense and requires a lot of mental and emotional upheavel.
But logistically, it doesn't really matter what your philosophical reasons are for moving. Immigrating to another country is very expensive, and it's not even possible legally for many people. And uprooting your life is very difficult. You know this already, as you wrote an entire post about it. So if you know why moving to another country has major barriers, why would you find it difficult to understand why some people who may want to move haven't done so?
Butting in, but it's funny to the extent that most "pro-business" Republicans are anti-union. Unions cost money by raising salaries and benefits (and to some extent fixing prices through collective bargaining.) Management loses control of being able to hire and fire at will. It's, dare I say, socialist! Do you really not see how the two ARE mutually exclusive and why historically the Dems have been the "pro-union" party?
It's like my DH always says, people hate "liberal" policies and big government unless it has to do with themselves. Then they "earned" it. Everyone else is just looking for a handout.
Actually, I never anywhere said that I didn't understand peoples' reasons for staying put in the U.S. (monetary, legal, emotional, etc.) I just simply asked "why are you here? Or, "Why don't you move there?" to several posters on another thread who have idealized the model of government of places like Sweden, etc. and who think they are better countries in many ways.
The reason I wrote this thread - my OP - is due to a twice asked question (from another thread) directed at me posing the same question to my situation but asking me why I wouldn't move to a more conservative nation?
My response (OP here) is that if I moved it wouldn't be to a wealthier place or even a more conservative place, necessarily, just a place to serve.
The questions can still be posed either direction. Another poster claimed that it is "lazy" to throw down the "Why don't you move there question," but, I disagree and think it is a fair question. Asking, "Why?" isn't lazy, it promotes thought and discussion (regardless of the topic)...as you have displayed here in your questions to me.
I guess I feel like your "why don't you move?" question was intended to be a gotcha, like people are supposed to suddenly realize that actually America is the best and they'd never want to live anywhere else and that's really why they haven't moved. That may have been unfair on my part, but I've often seen it posed for that very reason.
It fails, though, because usually the reason that people haven't moved to countries they feel are better or more desirable is because they can't - legally, financially, logistically.
I would move, personally, if I could, because I really do feel that certain other countries, on balance, have higher standards of living than the US. They're not perfect, and they have their own serious problems, but overall, I think life is better and healthier there. I just can't afford to do it, and I can't do it legally because I don't have any basis for becoming a citizen or getting permanent residency. And based on the other thread, I'm not alone in this.
This. I apologize, ML, if you were asking this question because you genuinely wanted to know the answer- I have never before heard anyone ask it in good faith.
With that out of the way, I will give you a genuine answer to your question: my criticisms of the U.S. do not mean that I do not love this country or that I think it's a horrible place to live or that I want to live somewhere else. Although I have lived in other countries- England and Spain- and I have traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In my travels, I have learned that the U.S. does many things very well and can serve as a model to the rest of the world. I've also learned that there are things that the U.S. could do better. So instead of leaving in disgust, I try to take an active role in changing things in the community, state, and country that I love.
So you are telling me you can't move because you are apart of the Big Sister program? You either have the money as apart of your personal responsibility or you don't. $20,000 is not a lot of money for school. Have your DH go to school and use $100,000 to move. If you are for taking personal responsibity for yourself and are in your 30s, you should have that money no problem. You can be a Big Sister in your new country.
Taking personal responsibility does not mean have some can goods and water. That is called going grocery shopping. Taking personal responsibility means having a few million dollars saved so when you hit your lifetime cap for insurance coverage, you can pay out of pocket for the life saving surgery you need. It means your DH negotiating his on benefits and not relaying on the union. It means when your house burns down in a fire and it cost $600,000 to rebuild but insurance only gives you $200,000, you don't need FEMA but you will right a check and rebuild on your own. You are grocery shopping not taking personal responsibility.
You don't have to be rich to be conservative but I certainly don't understand the rationale for yelling about taking responsibility for yourself and being so broke you can't move when it is less than $200,000 to do so. When something helps you, it's fine and needed. When something helps others, they are not taking personal responsibility. You are one disaster away from needing help yourself.
I have a brother who is a Republican and a union member.
You must live in a hole. Our "little brother" is a human being with whom we have developed a relationship - a friendship. He counts on us to be there for him for support and advice as well as personal face time several times per month. His mother is a drug addict prostitute with no parenting skills whatsoever, he and his older brother are trying to make the best of a really crappy situation in their lives. And, yes he needs me to cry over him and with him when he discovers his mother in a drug induced coma. So, in my mind that's a pretty friggin' decent reason to stay here and do my part.
I am not sure what planet you live on - but I don't have $200k just laying around liquid to up and pay some moving expenses and school. That does not mean I am broke though. And I'm not a financial idiot - I'd never pay a homeowner's insurance company for monthly premiums if they didn't insure the WHOLE rebuilding and restocking value of my home (if it burned down).
And having a store of food and water as well as medical supplies and fuel IS about taking responsibility for my family. When disaster strikes I won't be a burden on an already burdened state or federal relief/aid system. And, I can help my neighors too.
And anyway, why are you lecturing me on my financial choices as well as my service to others? You are kinda nasty. Not snarky - nasty.
ML. try to let all of this roll off your back. One thing I have learned on this board is that most of the posters (not all) have a rigid ideology and think they are the only ones who have the correct view on every issue.
You have been a voice of reason for me and I appreciate your insight.
I just think its BS that you want to talk about personal responsibility but in your upper 30s you don't even have enough money to be personally responsible for crap. You are living off your husband's union and then yelling that people should be more responsible because you bought some can goods and a gas can.
I don't care if you think I'm nasty because I told you your personal responsibility plan is crappy. I call it like I see it. If you are broke for your age, then you are broke. As for your little brother, the best thing you can do is get children's services involved if they are not already involved. If the situation is that dire, the kid does not need a big sister they need a full time parent. But nice try...
The only reason you can't move is because you are not responsible enough to have the means to do so. But then you ask others why they won't move. Give me a break. You might think I am nasty but I think you are so simple. It's actually kind of sad that you think your can goods are going to protect you in a disaster.
I said I'm in my 30's - not upper 30's (you assumed uppers) I'm 31 for the record and just turned 31 in October.
Have you hacked into my online banking and retirement accounts? Do you know how much money I have or don't have? Um no. So don't fill this board/thread with your assumptions about a Nestie's financial life. I am not broke. I can comfortably pay my bills and do other descretionary things as well as give money to good causes and directly to people who need it. But, I don't have $200k laying around that I can just haul off with to get my DH another degree and a mechanics' license and move to another country. You don't know what I am personally responsible for. So stop making crap up.
As for MY LIttle Brother, children's services is involved. He is now with his grandmother. But, you seriously have an issue if you're pulling snark on someone's volunteering with a national, reputable organization, which helps so many people. The kid needs as many good solid people in his life as will step forward. Jeeze.
Is your calling me "simple" calling me a "simpleton?"
Thought so.
You know nothing about me, my DH or our career histories. However, I'm gathering that you are making a few ASSumptions Re: your comments about DH's union.
And, I'll shed some light on a few things.
Getting to a major airline carrier is rare and highly difficult. DH has only been there for 4 1/2 years. Pay is good now. But with three furloughs (airline speak for layoffs) at other companies and doing dinky flying jobs like flying cancelled checks in a single engine turbo prop, DH hasn't always made great pay. In fact his first jobs paid less than $50k per year (for a highly skilled job line responsible for thousands of lives in all types of weather, this is not good pay). One paid less than $20k. So, we haven't exactly been rolling in extra dough...like $200k worth.
We save and we live responsibly, well within our means. We don't borrow for cars and we pay off credit cards in full every month. We put more than the advised amount away for retirement and we have a well-stocked emergency fund.
We have way more than a few grocery trips worth of food stored and a means to store and purify water. We have medical supplies and the outdoor skill sets to "rough it" if the need arose.
I do have to give you one little kudos, however. You are correct. Our canned goods will not protect us in a natural disaster. But our ability to adapt, plan, prepare, and stay calm, will protect us. Also, the "street howitzer" (oh lol). You are dealing a lot of low blows to a person and a family who is helping out in a lot of ways and who refuses to be a burden on an already burdened government.
Simpleton. Defined as a person who is deficient in good sense, judgement; a fool. You are the one rolling round and round here and all you've got is some nasty remarks that lead to nothing. "Like a fart in the wind."
LOL @ MommyLiberty calling anyone "nasty". Remember that post, in which you engaged in the epitome of high-brow, civilized political discourse, by saying that anyone who has a different political perspective than you has a "$hit" character and has their head stuck up their a$$?
The other day you said you don't feel the Republican label really suits you. I would have to agree, since I don't know any Republicans, even the most rabid ones, who don't see a conflict between Republican principles and union membership. Might I suggest that you and catsareniice form your own political party called the Me-publican party? Your motto could be "Anything that benefits me or my family is objectively correct, and everyone else is a lazy, greedy, ignorant, immoral, evil skidmark on the underpants of society".
It's kind of surprising that in all of the efforts you've taken to educate yourself about American history and its philosophical underpinnings, you somehow missed a thorough study of the labor movement. Please, educate me more about obtaining individual independence through collective bargaining!
Just an FYI, now that I know your family's well-being depends on union membership, any future hysteria you express over Obama's alleged ties with socialism or communism will be met with gales of laughter.