(no subject)
According to an article in the New York Times, Venezuelans are starting to gush into South Florida, much like Cubans did as Castro started clinching every last asset away from the country. Who's coming over? Just like Cubans, the rich ones.
Okay, now for my editorial comment.
Grrrrreat. As if the rich Vs. poor problem wasn't bad enough in South Florida. It's about to get worse. Expect more violence in South Florida. Expect more middle-class flight. Expect the rich to continue to buy gobs of land, forcing many of those in poverty to stay in poverty as the rich artificially inflate the cost of property. I predict that when the recession hits and property values sink, you'll see a lot of home purchasing from the rich Latin Americans, further adding to their coffers and further sinking the impoverished.
My advice to the poor of South Florida (aside from marrying one of the trust fund babies) is to leave with the middle-class. Sure, it's not easy to move when you're poor. Sure, if you don't really know English, it's going to be harder. (Note: Mexicans do it all of the time and they risk deportation) But you'll ultimately have a better chance of getting out of poverty elsewhere. Leave. Let the rich (I'm including multi-national corporate greed whores in this) choose between having no low-income service help or increasing wages such that low-income becomes middle-class income. Leaving is your only trump card when you're poor. You all have to do it. It has to be a unified effort. Don't shoot the man in the Bentley. That doesn't serve any greater purpose. Get out!
Fine. I admit it. I'm a class warrior. But not really. I just hate when the playing field is so uneven and for no real reason other than international defection. I don't blame the Cubans or Venezuelans for wanting to make a new life for themselves in this amazing country either. All of this is just capitalism at play and no one's to blame. But change needs to come and I certainly don't expect the wealthy people to say, "hey, let's leave this super cush tropical paradise for Michigan!"
P.S. I know poor people in South Florida don't read my sort-of-hidden LJ.
P.P.S. Socialism kind of turns me on. I just wish it really worked in practice for more than a year. And on a national scale.
P.P.P.S. I know that by saying Socialism turns me on, and with the Bush Administration still in power, that my LJ post has been deemed a "credible threat" to national security.
P.P.P.P.S. FBI raid! Knocking down door! Taking computer away! Being drugged! Tell the world my story!