The Reflex to Flee Donald Trump's America Might be "no drill"!

ElectionOracle / US Presidential Election 2016 Mar 06, 2016 - 03:06 PM GMT

If you are concerned about a Donald Trump presidency and have been suddenly struck with an impulse to leave America, you are not alone.

A website titled "Cape Breton if Donald Trump Wins" launched Feb. 16. Its front page splash read: "Hi Americans! Donald Trump may become the President of your country! If that happens, and you decide to get the hell out of there, might I suggest moving to Cape Breton Island!"

CEO of Destination Cape Breton Mary Tulle told CNNMoney that 50,000 Americans expressed interest in visiting or moving within three days of the website going live. Within ten days USA Today reported the site generated 650,000 unique visitors seeking more information on relocating to the Nova Scotia island.

"Those requests were mostly about immigration, employment and housing, suggesting people are serious about relocating and not just asking about Cape Breton out of idle curiosity," Tulle said.

"This is not a joke!" the Cape Breton site emphasized. "See for yourself, you belong here with us on Cape Breton Island, where health care is free, you know your neighbors and they look out for you, and nobody has a hand gun!"

The web site was created by Rob Calabrese, a native Cape Bretoner and radio show host who said "the island's Gaelic, French and Native Canadian influences, its folk music traditions and peacefulness make it an appealing destination to Trump haters."

What do Cape Bretoners think of Trump? "[T]he things that he says on the campaign trail, that way of thinking is pretty much the opposite of here,” Calabrese confided.

The site changed text within days and extended welcome to "no matter who you support, be it Democrat, Republican or Donald Trump." The island's population is shrinking from a slow economy in combination with out-migration. "The truth is we welcome all, no matter the ideology."

Trump headline themes at the NY Daily News proclaimed "Make America Migrate", "Sign of the Apocalypse", "Code Orange". The daily's March 2 edition offered, "The complete guide to fleeing President Donald Trump's America."

Internet searches for “How to move to Canada” jumped more than 1000% in the U.S. after Donald Trump swept Super Tuesday. "Searches spiked each time a state was called for the mogul-slash-reality TV personality whose buffoonish bigotry has inspired and terrified US voters," claimed Quartz.

Google search trends suggest that many Americans are considering relocating to Canada following the results of Super Tuesday, wrote UPI. The searches spiked hours after Donald Trump dominated Super Tuesday, winning seven states.

So how exactly do you move to Canada? CNN Money offers a complete guide for fleeing a Trump presidency. The guide offers links to Canadian citizen and immigration websites and a short survey that determines your eligibility for various immigration programs. "[D]issatisfied voters might already be throwing in the towel and plotting their escape from the country," CNN reports.

If Canada isn't a fit destination, Many Many Adventures ranks the top 7 countries to move to if Donald Trump becomes president: Switzerland, Singapore, Luxembourg, Germany, New Zealand, Bahrain and Ecuador.

Scienceburger.com describes others in "Your Easy Guide to Expatriation if Trump Becomes President", an "ultimate cheat sheet certain to have you cozying up in a new home before First Lady Melania can put on her designer wear for the inaugural ball."

The most popular option for expats is Singapore. The website explains "[t]he Asian country has earned itself a warm reputation for its high paying jobs, friendly locals, spectacular health care facilities and inclusive public transit system."

The cheapest option for expats is Ecuador. Ranked number 1 for cost of living, “expats living in Ecuador find it the easiest out of all 64 destinations worldwide to settle down in this country,” according to an InterNations survey.

The safest country for expats is Austria, ranked number 1 in health, safety and wellbeing. "Expats say childcare availability is both affordable and top notch along with the quality of education."

The most American country outside of the U.S. is Mexico where 849,000 Americans live happily. Added Bonus: "Fleeing to Mexico will surely enrage proposed President Trump."

WikiHow.com offers steps on "How to Become an Expat".

Expatyourself.com teaches you "How to Become an Expat Yourself". "For everyone who moved to a different country, there are just four ways how they got there: as a student, from their government, as a private employee or they just pack their bags and left."

If you want to flee Donald Trump and also are a millionaire (an oxymoron) CNBC's Inside Wealth columnist Robert Frank will tell you "Where millionaires are moving—and fleeing—around the world" and provide links to destinations, what $1 million can buy around the world, and why a record number of Americans give up citizenship (answer: millionaires leave to avoid taxes and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act).

I asked Portland, Maine couple Jaye and Bryon van Dussen who spent time in England and the Netherlands how they felt living in those countries. England was a "do it yourself" move and Netherlands was using an "expat package".

When they moved to England "we felt as though we belonged more there. And we wanted to fit in. At first it was extremely lonely and overwhelming, but the longer you stay and the more you pay attention to local traditions the easier it becomes. By the end of our three years in England, I didn't wear my "being an American" like a new coat - it was, and always will be a part of me, but it wasn't the main attraction!"

The couple sent their child to an English school and Jaye gave birth to a baby there.

"Of course, we were very obviously Americans the minute we opened our mouths and spoke. Some people were curious about us, some indifferent and some steered clear and even expressed disdain for us," she admits.

"In the Netherlands, we lived as expats," explains Jaye. "Expat relocation package, expat neighborhood, kids went to a private American school, etc. We didn't like this very much [expat package], although it was very comfortable financially. Not sharing the same language as the Dutch was a very large obstacle - but not in the way you might think. We tried to learn Dutch, took lessons, etc., but the Dutch would just switch to English when they heard our accents."

They lived in Holland when 9/11 occurred. "Our Dutch neighbors poured out of their homes and came to our house to express their sympathies. We felt cared for. The American embassy in the Hague was a place where many of us gathered, unsure of what to do. Our Dutch neighbors were right there with us."

The large expat community where they lived in Holland largely kept to itself and its traditions. "I didn't have any Dutch friends. In Holland, I felt very American."

As evidenced by Internet activity and personal contacts, the topic "Should I move out of America?" has arisen in tandem with the assent of Donald Trump now leading the GOP into terrain once considered unimaginable for America. A spontaneous reflex to "flee" has surfaced as it did in previous years, particularly in the Vietnam era and during the presidency of George W. Bush.

The reflex to flee a Donald Trump presidency might be a temporary impulse.

But this time it might be "no drill".

SOURCES:

"If Trump wins, this Canadian island welcomes you". Aaron Smith. CNN Money. Feb. 19, 2016.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/18/news/donald-trump-canada-cape-breton/

"Nova Scotia isle lures those vowing to move to Canada if Trump elected". Adam Kovac. USA Today. Feb. 26, 2016.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/02/27/nova-scotia-isle-lures-americans-who-vow-move-canada-if-trump-elected/80978268/
----
"CAPE BRETON IF DONALD TRUMP WINS". Rob Calabrese.
http://cbiftrumpwins.com/#intro

February 18, 2016 original "CAPE BRETON IF DONALD TRUMP WINS" page from WayBack machine
http://web.archive.org/web/20160218112258/http://cbiftrumpwins.com/#intro

WayBack Machine
http://archive.org/web

"The complete guide to fleeing President Donald Trump's America". NY Daily News. March 2, 2016.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/complete-guide-fleeing-president-donald-trump-america-article-1.2549397

"Searches for 'How to move to Canada' jumped more than 1000% in the US after Donald Trump swept Super Tuesday". Corinne Purtill. Quartz. March 2, 2016.
http://qz.com/629793/searches-for-how-to-move-to-canada-jumped-more-than-1000-in-the-us-after-donald-trump-swept-super-tuesday/

"Searches for 'How to move to Canada' increase after Super Tuesday". Daniel Uria. UPI. March 2, 2016
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2016/03/02/Searches-for-How-to-move-to-Canada-increase-after-Super-Tuesday/7871456943086/

"So How Exactly Do You Move to Canada?" Kerry Close. CNNMoney. March 2, 2106
http://time.com/money/4244472/move-to-canada-trump-presidency/

"The top 7 countries to move to if Donald Trump becomes president". Ronnie Charrier & Phoebe Blyth. Many Many Adventures. Dec. 19, 2015.
http://manymanyadventures.com/articles/2015/12/19/top-7-countries-to-move-to-if-donald-trump-becomes-president

"Your Easy Guide to Expatriation if Trump Becomes President". Posted By Patti Mayonnaise. Science Burger. March 3, 2016.
http://scienceburger.com/your-guide-to-fleeing-the-united-states-in-a-donald-trump-presidency

"The Best & Worst Places for Expats in 2015". Expat Eyes.
https://www.internations.org/expat-insider/2015/the-best-and-worst-places-for-expats

"How to Become an Expat". A five part step-by-step guide. wikiHow.
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Expat

"Learn How to Become an Expat Yourself".
http://www.expatyourself.com/how-to-become-an-expat/

"Where millionaires are moving—and fleeing—around the world". Robert Frank. CNBC. March 5, 2015.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/05/where-millionaires-are-moving-and-fleeing-around-the-world.html

(Michael T. Bucci is a retired public relations executive now living in New England. He has authored nine books on practical spirituality collectively titled The Cerithous Material.)

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