# If X wins the election, I'm leaving the country! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 20, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113 "2015-04-20T14:14:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/21 "2015-04-21T10:00:01Z")
If UKIP ever got in as a majority party id be inclined to try my luck elsewhere myself! Unfortunately my celebrity status is still pending (_cough_ non existent _cough_). Must get round to doing something about that ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/22 "2015-04-21T20:20:51Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > The thing to remember about such threats is that they’re basically impossible to fulfill. Seriously, unless an American is phenomenally wealthy or a Ph.D in a STEM field, he or she can’t just up & move to Canada (or wherever else, really) if the sociopolitical winds start to blow the wrong way. . I have dual citizenship. But few GOP candidates are that bad- well of those that might win, anyway. Not that I am cheering on a Rubio or Bush III ( Electric Boogaloo) but there’s worse. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/23 "2015-04-21T20:48:30Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > The thing to remember about such threats is that they’re basically impossible to fulfill. Seriously, unless an American is phenomenally wealthy or a Ph.D in a STEM field, he or she can’t just up & move to Canada (or wherever else, really) if the sociopolitical winds start to blow the wrong way. Countries in the developed world have extremely restrictive immigration policies that basically make it impossible to move here or there unless you somehow already have an “in” (read: close family member) with your country of choice. You can become an Irish citizen if have 1 grandparent who is Irish by birth. My gf, for instance, would qualify. I have Irish ancestry, but many more generations back, so I wouldn’t qualify. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/24 "2015-04-21T20:57:13Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think I’m going to beat the rush and get out of here next week! Besides, France is like, dull, in mid November. If you decide to do this, bring boat loads of money as housing prices are unreal there (I base this on some house hunting show my wife watches which seems to have a lot of Americans looking to move to France and being astounded that half a million US buys them either a shack in the country side or a pretty small apartment :p). Personally, I think that regardless of who wins when I turn 65 I’m moving the Canada! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/25 "2015-04-23T04:00:40Z")
I encounter quite a few doofuses who say they’ve moved here to Thailand to “escape Obama’s America.” More likely is they’re just misfits in general who found a convenient excuse for moving over here and would have done so regardless of who was president. But who knows, maybe that was exactly the impetus they needed. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/26 "2015-04-27T17:06:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Sadly, Rush Limbaugh has not gone to Costa Rica despite pledging to do so if a [rather specific set of circumstances](http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2010/03/09/no_i_m_not_moving_to_costa_rica) came to pass. Turns out the place is full of minorities. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/27 "2015-04-27T17:39:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > For example, can you actually cite where Whoopi Goldberg said this? I find lots of right wing sites that claim she said it - but none of them offer a cite. A quick Google search turned up [this.](http://www.today.com/id/5451453/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/whoopi-pays-price-anti-bush-remarks/) Apparently, she said it at a political rally circa July, 2004. It cost her an endorsement deal from Slim-Fast, too. Whoopi should have checked with a few sports stars. Endorsement deals _always_ contain a clause letting them toss your ass into the nearest dumpster if you say or do something stupid. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/28 "2015-04-27T17:56:22Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > (except for that Salinger guy, I guess) Who was also as responsible as anyone for spreading the story that TWA Flight 800 was shot down by a US Navy missile. He was pretty sane back when he was JFK’s press secretary, but something apparently happened to him later. Limbaugh is only one example of RW blusterers claiming they’d leave the country if Obamacare passed - not mentioning that \*all \*their options are places with even more socialized health care systems than the US ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/29 "2015-04-27T18:08:26Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > A quick Google search turned up [this.](http://www.today.com/id/5451453/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/whoopi-pays-price-anti-bush-remarks/) Apparently, she said it at a political rally circa July, 2004. It cost her an endorsement deal from Slim-Fast, too. Maybe I’m missing it but where in that article does it say Goldberg said she’d leave the country? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/30 "2015-04-27T18:40:33Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > she made a joke about “I’d move to the moon if Palin and McCain were elected.” I think such a ploy would have won McCain votes, just for sheer curiosity. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/31 "2015-04-27T19:31:34Z")
> [@XT](#): > > If you decide to do this, bring boat loads of money as housing prices are unreal there (I base this on some house hunting show my wife watches which seems to have a lot of Americans looking to move to France and being astounded that half a million US buys them either a shack in the country side or a pretty small apartment :p). > > Personally, I think that regardless of who wins when I turn 65 I’m moving the Canada! French housing prices are generally cheaper than those in Britain ( more free space ) although they may not be as cheap as the US outside the main cities ( much more free space ), and they’ve halved in price since 2007. Anyway there are a lot of cheapish properties. Many nice and old. **[RIGHTMOVE Properties in France for sale](http://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property/in-France.html)** At present there’s a 2 Bedroom **[Stone House](http://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property/property-47098798.html/svr/2122;jsessionid=7EC3ABFEB39548AE2F1787E4D06F2762)** in the sidebar in the Limousin, at Haute-Vienne, Masléon for 29,700 euros. OK that’s tiny, 65 square metres, and it no doubt needs doing up; but that’s nowhere _near_ $500,000. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/32 "2015-04-27T19:48:34Z")
It’s not _that_ small. Many Londoners would kill for 750 square feet. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/33 "2015-04-27T21:56:56Z")
My mum recently sold her house in the Dordogne for around 160k Euros. Three bedrooms, kind of dark and small, but oozing with old French charm. Big barn and yard. The area is lousy with ex-pats, mostly Brits. Great place to live if you don’t care about being near Paris or The Riviera. But when you want those places, the high speed trains are fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/34 "2015-04-27T22:07:39Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > A quick Google search turned up [this.](http://www.today.com/id/5451453/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/whoopi-pays-price-anti-bush-remarks/) Apparently, she said it at a political rally circa July, 2004. It cost her an endorsement deal from Slim-Fast, too. The article says she made a (crude) joke about Bush’ name being Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/35 "2015-04-27T23:02:19Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s not _that_ small. Many Londoners would kill for 750 square feet. **As would I** , but British average living space is appallingly some of the smallest in the developed world; I assume the cousins generally, and rightly, demand much bigger properties ( except in NY ). On the other hand if I had a spare £30,000 ( approx the same price ) I would buy a redundant Welsh stone church. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/36 "2015-04-27T23:49:22Z")
**Diceman** : thirding the request for where does that article cite Whoppi as having used the “leave the country” gag. Maybe you copied the wrong link? Just because a Google search put “Whoopi”, “Bush” and “country” in the same paragraph is not enough. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I encounter quite a few doofuses who say they’ve moved here to Thailand to “escape Obama’s America.” Well, Obama’s America does seem to have a policy against zoning for ladyboy cabarets and BJ bars in the downtown district, so who knows… …but having someone “escaping Obama” by moving to a place where saying anything in any way seemingly derogatory, or in many cases even irreverential, about the Head of State is a serious crime, would be quite ironic. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/37 "2015-04-28T14:11:21Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Sadly, Rush Limbaugh has not gone to Costa Rica despite pledging to do so if a [rather specific set of circumstances](http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2010/03/09/no_i_m_not_moving_to_costa_rica) came to pass. I find if hard to be sad about this. I LIKE Costa Rica. I do find it rather ironic that Rush doesn’t seem to realize that Costa Rica provides universal health care to its citizens and permanent residents. > **[Healthcare in Costa Rica](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Costa_Rica)** > > Costa Rica provides universal health care to its citizens and permanent residents. Both the private and public health care systems in Costa Rica are continually being upgraded. Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) frequently place Costa Rica in the top country rankings in the world for long life expectancy. WHO's 2000 survey ranked Costa Rica as having the 36th best health care system, placing it one spot above the United States at the time. In addition, the UN (United Nation The... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/38 "2015-04-29T18:46:04Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I find if hard to be sad about this. I LIKE Costa Rica. > > I do find it rather ironic that Rush doesn’t seem to realize that Costa Rica provides universal health care to its citizens and permanent residents. > > [Healthcare in Costa Rica - Wikipedia](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Costa_Rica) Yeah, he did know that but then found out that they didnt hand out free Oxycontin, so he changed his mind. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113/39 "2015-05-01T00:37:49Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I encounter quite a few doofuses who say they’ve moved here to Thailand to “escape Obama’s America.” More likely is they’re just misfits in general who found a convenient excuse for moving over here and would have done so regardless of who was president. But who knows, maybe that was exactly the impetus they needed. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Well, Obama’s America does seem to have a policy against zoning for ladyboy cabarets and BJ bars in the downtown district, so who knows… > > …but having someone “escaping Obama” by moving to a place where saying anything in any way seemingly derogatory, or in many cases even irreverential, about the Head of State is a serious crime, would be quite ironic. Believe me, irony is lost on those guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-x-wins-the-election-im-leaving-the-country/718113.md?page=1)