On Moving to Canada

During the 2016 Presidential campaign, I felt strongly that if Trump won, I would move to another country. I have heard others say this in past elections. I never have. I said it this time because I meant it: I believe this President to be mentally ill, disconnected from reality, highly charismatic and influential, and having authoritarian tendencies. I am still in the United States because my spouse was unwilling to uproot.

Am I worried?

Yes.

Do I hate being stuck in a situation that I think can go very badly?

Yes.

Am I glad that we didn’t move?

Yes.

That may not make sense at first, but as I see the massive outpourings of resistance into the streets – good-hearted people many of whom have never protested in their lives – and as I see judges and even low-level government employees defying executive orders whose constitutionality is questionable, I am encouraged that our country’s immune system may be functioning as it should.

In reality, no place in the world is safe right now. A new country may be “offered up” by Trump to Russia or China for invasion as part of his new level of “real estate” deal. Or a country may be a traditional American ally or enemy that randomly prompts a tantrum over some minor slight resulting in a military conflict. And no country is safe from the effects of American financial malfeasance, environmental degradation or, God forbid, the global drift of nuclear fallout.

So I am glad to still be in the United States because the citizens of America have one thing that no other country has: the ability to influence Congress to slow or stop the worst of Trump’s actions, and more importantly, the ability to push Congress loudly and unrelentingly to impeach when the inevitable impeachable or illegal act occurs.

The rest of the world is counting on us to make right our mistake, to protect them. When progressives and other decent-minded people flee the United States, less power is left behind to stop what is happening, which ultimately affects the entire globe.

History is full of examples of authoritarian countries where things went disastrously and violently wrong. The United States of America does not have to be one of those. We can and must use our unique power within America to ensure that history records us as preventing a disaster, rather than choosing to leave that responsibility to others.

– rob rünt