I can retire with dignity—in Ecuador—not the US

I was watching the news the other night and noticed they said the new retiree destination for US and Canadian citizens is in Quito Ecuador. Besides the climate, beautiful scenery and a developed retirement community there, it is also cheaper.

The last reason really caught my eye. It is cheaper. For years people in the US were rewarded for a life time of working, contributing to the economy, paying taxes and paying into Social Security. For years, elected officials treated Social Security and Medicare as sacred cows.

But times are changing. Our new elected officials feel no real need to care for anyone who isn’t a millionaire. It is social Darwinism and if you’re not rich—well—fuck you, according to our new government.

Commercials are telling us we are all going to live longer and we need to save and invest more for those “golden years.” What they don’t say is that lots of these older people have chronic health problems and need constant care. Also, in my late 50s it is a little too late to save any more money for retirement.

And elected government officials plan to reduce retirement benefits almost every year for the foreseeable future. Despite all the contributions to society made by the majority of baby boomers, our society and government as a whole just don’t give a shit about us.

So moving to another country where we will get treated better just makes sense

According to MSN News; “A large part of Ecuador's appeal is how inexpensive it is for retirees. A beer costs just 85 cents. A doctor's visit is $25, roughly the same price as a one-hour massage.”

"Seniors resident in Ecuador qualify for half-price entertainment and local transport, discounted airfares and refunds of sales tax," said Dan Prescher, the special projects editor for the website InternationalLiving.com.

The web site listed other countries that retirees move to including Panama, Malaysia, Mexico and Costa Rica.  

If our elected leaders had any sense they’d realize that people leave this country in their old age because this country failed them. These people are not spending their government pensions in the US where they would contribute to the economy and taxes here. Instead that money goes elsewhere. And for the retirees this means the difference between living on a pittance and being able to live comfortably.

I for one will keep this place in mind when I finally retire. But for me there is one more benefit to living in Ecuador. The politics there are interesting. Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa is part of the Latin American “Bolivarian Revolution,” which means more concern for the country’s own poor and their own national development, free of interference from the US. Even better, there is a Maoist party called Communist Party of Ecuador-Red Sun. I don’t know how hard it is to meet these activists, but if or when I do it will be great to interact with some well organized Maoists.

Unlike others in this retirement community, I will go out and meet local people, especially political activists, rather than just cutting myself off from the outside world, as many other Americans will do.  

And for all those ass hole—social Darwinist—politicos in the US—fuck you!!

-សតិវ អតុ

AWL Images. Best place to retire: San Francisco Square is seen in the Old City of Quito.