3 ms·

"Where to next"? I'm stumped, myself. Europe doesn't look very good right now. Australia? Or just hang out someplace nice like Chile and hope things blow ov

by davidw 10y ago

"Where to next"? I'm stumped, myself. Europe doesn't look very good right now. Australia? Or just hang out someplace nice like Chile and hope things blow over?

javajosh 10y ago
The USA is a vast place, actually composed of a diverse collection of communities. Thanks to Federalism, there is still some diversity within the states, and even local communities can be quite different. Consider 4 cities: Fergeson MO, Santa Monica CA, Chicago IL, Las Vegas NV. CA is currently considering universal healthcare, like HI has. It has also stated firm resistance to Trump's policies. NV has no state income tax. Some states have no DMV registration fees. Other states give out oil money (AK). E.g. the US is probably still the best place to be, just in a different part of it.
- davidw 10y ago
  We're actually in Bend, Oregon right now and pretty happy. I'm ... pretty nervous about how things might go, though.
  - javajosh 10y ago
    Consider that Trump actually can't do much. The Executive branch has the most visible power is at border crossings, particularly at airports. It's the fundamental power of group leadership (ownership?): "Who's in, and who's out." Trump is intoxicated on the prospect of wielding that power. "How things might go". Hmm. There are three ways things could go rotten. Some all or none could happen: a) Muslim registration, internment, expulsion, b) "Trump resistance" is redefined as "treason" and the NSA and FBI given full reign to detect, disrupt, and prosecute individuals based on digital evidence (or no evidence), c) new war, or multiple wars, started purely because it's one of Trump's biggest powers as Commander-in-Chief (although it shouldn't be, since Congress is supposed to be the only part of government that can declare war). What disgusts (and frankly, surprises) me is the number of Americans who would shrug (or cheer) at all of these outcomes. Sorry, I was going to argue that you're better off staying, and fighting, but anyone of good conscience has got to start thinking of themselves as Jews in Germany in 1936. Your conscience won't let you shut up, and your talk will get you in trouble. New Zealand is nice.
    - davidw 10y ago
      I don't think it's that bad yet, and it may well not end up that way. I think David Frum's article was pretty good in terms of how things might go badly: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-... My wife has a green card though, so who knows. They've already shown they have no regard for things like that.
      - TorKlingberg 10y ago
        That was a really good read, thank you.
komali2 10y ago
Taiwan has a low cost of living, highly educated population, fantastic universities, is deeply ingrained in hardware tech, has a relatively high immigrant population for students, and is very friendly to immigration. Japan has phenomenal universities and many foreign-study programs. New Zealand is pushing for international hires for tech and has several visa options available. It is has a very youth (20-30) oriented culture, is full of active people, and its natural resources are drop-dead gorgeous.

by davidw 10y ago

"Where to next"? I'm stumped, myself. Europe doesn't look very good right now. Australia? Or just hang out someplace nice like Chile and hope things blow over?

javajosh 10y ago

The USA is a vast place, actually composed of a diverse collection of communities. Thanks to Federalism, there is still some diversity within the states, and even local communities can be quite different. Consider 4 cities: Fergeson MO, Santa Monica CA, Chicago IL, Las Vegas NV. CA is currently considering universal healthcare, like HI has. It has also stated firm resistance to Trump's policies. NV has no state income tax. Some states have no DMV registration fees. Other states give out oil money (AK). E.g. the US is probably still the best place to be, just in a different part of it.

davidw 10y ago
We're actually in Bend, Oregon right now and pretty happy. I'm ... pretty nervous about how things might go, though.
- javajosh 10y ago
  Consider that Trump actually can't do much. The Executive branch has the most visible power is at border crossings, particularly at airports. It's the fundamental power of group leadership (ownership?): "Who's in, and who's out." Trump is intoxicated on the prospect of wielding that power. "How things might go". Hmm. There are three ways things could go rotten. Some all or none could happen: a) Muslim registration, internment, expulsion, b) "Trump resistance" is redefined as "treason" and the NSA and FBI given full reign to detect, disrupt, and prosecute individuals based on digital evidence (or no evidence), c) new war, or multiple wars, started purely because it's one of Trump's biggest powers as Commander-in-Chief (although it shouldn't be, since Congress is supposed to be the only part of government that can declare war). What disgusts (and frankly, surprises) me is the number of Americans who would shrug (or cheer) at all of these outcomes. Sorry, I was going to argue that you're better off staying, and fighting, but anyone of good conscience has got to start thinking of themselves as Jews in Germany in 1936. Your conscience won't let you shut up, and your talk will get you in trouble. New Zealand is nice.
  - davidw 10y ago
    I don't think it's that bad yet, and it may well not end up that way. I think David Frum's article was pretty good in terms of how things might go badly: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-... My wife has a green card though, so who knows. They've already shown they have no regard for things like that.
    - TorKlingberg 10y ago
      That was a really good read, thank you.

komali2 10y ago

Taiwan has a low cost of living, highly educated population, fantastic universities, is deeply ingrained in hardware tech, has a relatively high immigrant population for students, and is very friendly to immigration. Japan has phenomenal universities and many foreign-study programs. New Zealand is pushing for international hires for tech and has several visa options available. It is has a very youth (20-30) oriented culture, is full of active people, and its natural resources are drop-dead gorgeous.