[Fledermaus]

Costa Rica or Panama.

They openly embrace Americans coming to live and work and will grant practically immediate visas.

[SAJ]

BTW, guy, as of 16 May 2012 (!), Panama has a NEW permanent visa/residence programme. You'll love this: you need 1) $5000 or more in a Panamanian bank, 2) a job (UNspecified as to condition!) with any Panamanian company, 3) a personal reference from a Panameno, 4) a clean police record.

That's IT! In short, any decent American/Canadian will qualify. Couple of hundred in attorney's fees, I've no doubt.

And, unlike the famed Panamanian pensionado programme, with this visa, one is still on the citizenship track. Have to speak Spanish well and know Panamanian history. Not onerous at all...well, except that SAJ is a poor linguist, but I'm working on it, working on it.