# Trump wins the election. Where ya gonna live?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 30, 2016, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276 "2016-09-30T10:25:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/41 "2016-10-02T18:36:01Z")

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More than likely, right here.

While in theory I could emigrate to Ireland (I have citizenship derived from my grandfather), in practice there’s a problem: Medicare doesn’t apply outside the US, so I’d have to either pay my own way — a stretch, though my health so far is pretty good — or rely on a health system I haven’t paid into. And at least for now Trump isn’t enough to justify leaping that ethical breach.

In addition to the above, said citizenship doesn’t include my offspring. And while one works for a Canadian company and could possibly get a sponsorship, the other doesn’t have that option. And she has past medical issues which could very well make her vulnerable in a Trump presidency, so I’d feel semi-obligated to stay put and support her.

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**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/42 "2016-10-02T18:53:00Z")

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> [@jz78817](#):
>
> Uh, here? Moving to another country is a lot more complicated than just buying a plane ticket, you know.

That’s not true in every case, and may not be in many cases. I lived in Germany for a few years. Near the end of my lease on my studio apartment, I purchased a plane ticket and flew over with everything I owned at the time, which wasn’t much. Of course that was about 30 years ago when I had no one else to be responsible for.

To respond to the OP, my wife and I have been considering South Korea for the last few years. We’ve known for the past 10 years we will not retire in the US as, beyond our work, there is really nothing for us here. A Trump win may prompt us to discuss the topic somewhat more earnestly, but I have no plans to flee because of him.

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**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/43 "2016-10-02T18:59:05Z")

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> [@Johnny\_Ace](#):
>
> Bora Bora, baby.

Do eeeeet! 🙂

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**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/44 "2016-10-02T19:05:40Z")

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I’m already in Canada, which as far as I can tell is being led by the Anti-Trump; I won’t be moving for a while. However, if things got really weird and an Anschluss of Canada into a Trumpified USA was imminent, I’d be heading for Hong Kong or New Zealand or Scotland or somewhere.

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**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/45 "2016-10-02T19:56:08Z")

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> [@Sunspace](#):
>
> I’m already in Canada, which as far as I can tell is being led by the Anti-Trump; I won’t be moving for a while. However, if things got really weird and an Anschluss of Canada into a Trumpified USA was imminent, I’d be heading for Hong Kong or New Zealand or Scotland or somewhere.

As has been said before, you can’t just “head to New Zealand or somewhere”. As with most countries, we have pretty defined immigration and residence criteria, which mean that you’ll either have to have a lot of money, specialised employment skills, or both.

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**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/46 "2016-10-02T20:04:23Z")

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I’d be delighted to move to:

1. Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union
2. Canada
3. Australia, New Zealand, or Western Europe
4. Latin America,

probably in that order. Quite irrespective of who wins the election though: the reasons I dislike America go deeper than either major political party.

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/47 "2016-10-02T20:46:43Z")

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I’m staying. But I hope a lot of my neighbors get disgusted and head for Canada - maybe the housing market in town would finally pick up then.

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**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/48 "2016-10-02T21:01:14Z")

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4 months ago my wife and I were looking for work and talking about moving to Chile if Trump became president but since we’d have to pay back a signing bonus and moving expenses at this point we’ll just hunker down. We are thinking about moving to Chile for retirement though.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/49 "2016-10-02T21:02:34Z")

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Ummm… in a country that is Great again?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/50 "2016-10-02T21:09:19Z")

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I’ll hunker down. Maybe convert my 401k to cash for the duration of the market crash.

Of course, the Canadian border is less than a six-mile walk from my house. 😉

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**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/51 "2016-10-03T00:13:25Z")

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I’ll stay here in Oregon with my family. I hope to someday live part of the year here and the rest in Lima. That won’t be until we retire.

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**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/52 "2016-10-03T01:52:40Z")

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Really, we will be here hiding under a table.  
If I could, I would plan a 4 year vacation to somewhere warm, like Mexico, where I’d develop enough muscle to allow climbing back over the New Great Wall when we get a new leader and I want to go home. Sorry Canada, I don’t need more snow and cold.

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**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:** [October 3, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/53 "2016-10-03T01:56:33Z")

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As it is, I’ve been advised there’s a 50/50 or so chance of winding up myself spending time working Inside the Beltway in the next term regardless of POTUS election. Would make it convenient for joining in assorted marches, occupations and sit-ins, or tagging structures with unkind comments about Trump’s manhood, on my free time.

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**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/54 "2016-10-03T02:26:53Z")

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Stay put. Same as I did with Nixon, Nixon again, Reagan, Reagan again, Bush II, and Bush II again. (Bush the First never alarmed me the way the others did.)

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**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/55 "2016-10-03T03:44:02Z")

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I will remain in Idaho. The Republicans that govern this state have not quite wrecked it yet. Mr. Trump will not be capable of ruining the country as badly as his fellow GOPers have done to Idaho.

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/56 "2016-10-03T16:12:17Z")

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My wife is Canadian, so we _could_ move there. But I’m pretty sure we would stay here and save up our "I told you so"s.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/57 "2016-10-03T16:39:57Z")

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I will stay here because I can’t go anywhere else. Many Americans have this peculiar idea that they can just move anywhere they want at any time. That is completely false. Canada has very strict immigration requirements and Mexico doesn’t have open borders either. You can’t go to Europe and tell them you aren’t leaving unless you have citizenship in an EU country. Australia and Japan are really strict on immigration. If you want to see what it feels like to be an illegal immigrant, shack up there for a without the proper authorization.

You might be able to find some shithole of a country that will let you stay especially if you bride local officials but you don’t have the freedom to move wherever you want just because you are American.

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**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/58 "2016-10-03T16:48:24Z")

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Actually, IMO absolutely nothing would get done because no laws would get passed. Trump has alienated half the Republicans in Congress, and no Democrat is going to go along with his wishes, so it’s going to be 4 years of stalls, vetoes, and other types of “extended” legislation. This isn’t Celebrity Apprentice.

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**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/59 "2016-10-03T17:35:12Z")

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I reckon it won’t be much of a change here in Tennessee.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wins-the-election-where-ya-gonna-live/767276/60 "2016-10-03T17:57:42Z")

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Panama, where I’ve been for the past 24 years. Not much will change, except that we’ll probably get a surge in US retirees coming here, to go along with all the refuges from other failing states like Venezuela and Cuba. 😃

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