Rats running from a sinking ship or smart ones leaving while they can? Guess it depends on if you think we can reverse the mess we’re in down here. Or more accurately, what the electorate has allowed our ‘leaders’ to get us into by voting in people like Bush. What makes this ironic and telling and why, ultimately, we’re headed downhill is that different groups would define the ‘mess’ in opposite ways. Can’t fix something if you can’t agree on what to fix.
It was a popular vow of apprehensive Democrats in 2004, a pledge made in the heat of battle to move to Canada if George W. Bush was re-elected.
Turns out, some of them did.
An analysis of immigration statistics done by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies showed the number of Americans who moved to Canada in 2006 hit a 30-year high, almost double the number who moved north in 2000 when Bush was elected for a first term as U.S. president.
The analysis also showed the southward brain drain is being narrowed somewhat, and most of the American migrants are highly educated people who may be moving to Canada for quality of life and social reasons.
But the increase is symbolic, said Jack Jedwab, the executive director of the association that analyzed the statistics. “Given that most of these immigrants are university-educated or better, you can assume they can find work in the U.S., so the move must be based on other reasons,” Jedwab said.
Let’s all move to Canada and screw them up, too.
As a american living down under you have no idea how bad America looks from the other side of the fence. Everyone knows Bu$h is an idiot. Everything he’s ever touched he’s run into the ground. Sometimes I feel really bad about being american when I look at the stupidity of the gov’t from the other side of the fence. It is shocking to see the direction the country is going. I for one pray for the next election and better results next time. Of course cleaning up the mess left by the Bu$h regime will probably take years if it can be cleaned up at all. I love America but I don’t want to come back there anytime soon, Sadly!
I’m Canadian, and most of the people I know who have moved to the States do so only for a few years to earn some money, then come back. Some of them found that after paying through the nose for health insurance and any medical procedures, they ended up making almost the same amount of money they would have back home anyway.
As for those who claim the US is the best place in the world to live, you can’t say that until you’ve lived in a bunch of countries. I’ve lived in Canada all my life, but I would never say it’s the best place in the world to live. All I can say is that I’m glad I don’t live in the US, and most Canadians would agree with me.
The US looks a lot different when you have been living outside the country as I have been for almost 25 years.
I grew up in New York where from the age of four we started the day by saluting the American flag with our hands over our hearts. Like most Americans, I was required to sing three or four patriotic songs every school day. I was constantly barraged with slogans and stories that led me to fervently believe that “America” was the greatest country in the world and that its righteous mission was to carry the torch of freedom to everyone else in the entire galaxy. We learned, that as a nation, we had to be strong and eternally vigilant because just about everybody else in the world wanted what we had, and the evil-doers (at the time it was “the Communists”) were trying to take it all away from us.
Back then, at least there was some political diversity in the newspapers — in New York City, anyway — and TV news wasn’t the circus that it is now. These days, American kids are stuffed with the same nonsense that I was but when they get home, their parents, who themselves went to the same schools, are also passing along America’s messianic message. And let’s not forget that most American families look to Fox TV, or whatever else passes for “news” down there, for information about what their government is doing in their name. No wonder American young people are unable to locate Canada on a map, much less have even a glimmer of understanding of the people living in Iraq or Iran.
Americans are now the most feared and disliked people on earth. They are also the most brainwashed. Sadly, to this day, most of them actually believe the hyper-nationalist patriotic drivel that they are fed in school and on television.
If you need proof, all you need to do is check out a few Internet forums and read some of the unbelievably dumb things that Americans say.
That’s why the best and brightest are leaving. Duh!
#36 – What other countries have you lived in besides the U.S. and Mexico?
#37…Dominic…Pedro is from the lovely Republic of Hugo Chavezland.
#34…skippy….and most Americans agree with you as well.
This terrible nation that we inhabit is soooooooo damn bad that people all over the world STILL want, or are trying to get here to live. And the arguement that they only come here for the earning potential is empty. Of course they do, but once they find out that it just wasn’t money they lacked at home, they are in no hurry to return.
Are we drifting in the wrobg direction….I think so, but thats relevent to what you believe the *right* direction is. Can we improve things here, we sure can, once we dump ALL of the politicians in Washington D.C. and start over with people who only want to be in goverment to help others and not themselves. Sorry, but a broad brush is needed here because the ones there now that want to help others also don’t have the courage to stand up to those that only want to help themselves in goverment.
Yeah….I know thats a dream.
#35…Howard…..got news for ya……it’s not much better in other places. I spend a great deal of time in the UK and I used to think I wanted to live fulltime there or in another part of Europe….but now, when I go I realize they are becoming worse than we are in many ways(ie: security, intrusiveness into lives, nanny stateism, censorship,closed markets, protected groups, protected businesses, etc., etc) and I’m actually glad to get back.
#1 “0.003% of our population moved there last year.” Cause the other 99.997% are too stupid – what?
#35 Howard “The US looks a lot different when you have been living outside the country as I have been for almost 25 years.”
Gee did I write that? I left in 1983 and the America I grew up in that you summarized is RIP.
I agree 100% there is a different perspective being away for so long and upon returning its like WTF? When did this happen – the dumbing down of America!
Many times like you I feel so embarrassed by all the really DUMB and stupid things that go on in the States which I get tagged with.
For example: I was in working in Jakarta, Indonesia when they were preparing for their first POST Suharto free election and what happens in America?
Bush and the Florida re-count fiasco road show! Democracy BETA in action!
Once again America who wastes no time telling everyone how wrong they are, and how they should have free elections can’t even get it right.
To the Indonesians that was the funniest thing ever, as to them American elections are just like the Suharto ‘Free’ elections only now there are two Suhartos! I was asked so many times if Americans are really that stupid – what could I say but “yes, apparently so”.
There is no democracy in America – its a illusion.
America It is a two party Totalitarian Regime – no doubt about it.
OMG!! When did this happen? When everyone in America was too busy with bullshit and not at all interested to be involved in the running of their own country.
Thomas Jefferson remarked “People get the government they deserve” OMG TJ was correct!
A true democracy would mean the people are involved and engaged with the running the government though their local representatives – Yeah RIGHT I can just picture Americans doing that! What Americans are good at is bitching about everything!
Q/ How do you know when an American Airlines jet lands at the airport?
A/ A hour after the engines are off you can still hear whining.
How many Americans don’t even know who their local representatives are? No one really cares because America is the greatest – and damn you if you don’t (blindly) think that way.
‘One is not great only by past deeds’ – its a continuing process.
#39 “This terrible nation that we inhabit is soooooooo damn bad that people all over the world STILL want, or are trying to get here to live.”
“Of course they do, but once they find out that it just wasn’t money they lacked at home, they are in no hurry to return.”
Who is “they” and from what country? I know many Chinese want to get their education in the States and improve their English then promptly return to China where all the money is to be made.
#40 Joshua – The UK! LOL! that’s a ‘good’ example there mate! Yes I completely (totally – USA) agree with you there!! LOL!
Yes, jobs are hard to find in Europe just like everywhere BUT it is not as expensive as one would think and the lifestyle is good! Germany IMHO is great, ahhh Nürnberg, beer, food…!
How about Shanghai China? Great lifestyle, and its got a pulse – alive, dynamic. Interesting that many Chinese still think America is like it was many years ago – the 50’s maybe? So many that visited are so surprised its not at all what they expected – they think Americans are so poor – no money. LOL! That’s funny, but swear to God its true!
#36 pedro I can completely understand your sentiments! Truly I do! I have rants like this because I do love the America I grew up with and I feel such sorrow and frustration in what has happened!
I used to tell people all the time in all the countries I lived in how great America was up to the point I left in 1983. I returned in 2005 for 11 months and was completely stunned on how America has just faded away in mediocrity – just like the Chicken.
I wanted to scream at everyone to snap out of it! To me America has lost its direction – its focus is what? All you hear is how great America WAS well dammit what about NOW?
America used to stand for something. What is it now America can blow up other countries? Don’t be fooled – when the USSR imploded and the cold war was over America needed a new enemy – thank you Bin Laden who was trained AND backed by the CIA in Afghanistan… OMG! By they way? What do these terrorists want really? If someone is holding a gun at your head they want something – your money? What do they want America to do?
People are happy to turn over the running of the government to people who have the best marketing campaign as anything else it too much work. Hel creation is now being taught in public schools, the Grand Canyon signs no longer say how old it is (Millions of years) because of the creationists!
What is happening? Its a all FAST FOOD everything even government.
Cheers
Well that was my rant for the day! 😀
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hi I am 19 and I would like to save up some money and move to Canada would your coach still have room for me?!?! it is 2013 so didn’t know if things changed