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Would you leave The States if Obama loses?
Election day is next Tuesday and Americans are poised to make one of the most critical decisions in US history. With Obama leading in many polls, Democrats have allowed themselves to be cautiously optimistic. As such, you probably haven't heard as much of the "If the Dems lose I'm moving to Canada" chatter that emanated from the blue states in 2000 and 2004. In a recent review of Phil Zuckerman's "Society without God: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us About Contentment," Salon columnist Louis Bayard discussed why potential expatriates might shift their glances towards Scandinavia if McCain wins.
Zuckerman's book, as well as Bayard's column, focus less on Scandinavians' high life expectancy, healthcare, economies and social mores and instead channel their energies on religion and faith. Scandinavians live in predominantly secular cultures. Bayard notes that,
As few as 24 percent of Danes and as few as 16 percent of Swedes believe in a personal deity. (In America, that figure is close to 90 percent.) In Scandinavia, belief in life after death hovers in the low 30 percent range, as opposed to 81 percent in America. Some 82 percent of Danes and Swedes believe in evolution, while roughly 10 percent believe in hell. Their rate of weekly church attendance is among the lowest on Earth.
Ideally, people who are disenchanted with the outcome of the election will remain in The States and help fight for their causes. If I was inclined to leave my homeland, however, I don't think I'd head to Scandinavia. I loved my visits to Iceland and Sweden but I'm not so sure that a long, dark Nordic winter would soothe my soul should the American electorate let me down. And Scandinavia's suicide rate is twice that of the United States'. I wonder if that has anything to do with their high rate of alcoholism.
No, I think I'll stay here and be part of the solution if things don't go my way. Or head south. I'm a warm weather guy. Hmm, maybe I should check out the tax laws in Chile.
Would you leave the States based on the outcome of the election? Where would you go? Drop us a line in the comments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
james Oct 27th 2008 3:10PM
I wouldn't leave the country based on anything, but I sure wouldn't mind a mass exodus of the right wing religious fascists nut cases.
b Oct 27th 2008 3:28PM
yup - vancouver
Gary Barnes Oct 27th 2008 3:45PM
Leaving the country has been a goal of mine for some time now, and I've actually looked into Scandinavian countries as an option. Right now, though, I'm stuck in the States getting an education. And on top of that, I'd ideally secure a job abroad before actually moving to a different country. It nevertheless remains a dream of mine.
jonathanwthomas Oct 27th 2008 3:54PM
Maybe.
My wife and I have been planning on doing a stint abroad for quite some time. If Obama loses, we would speed up our plans. If he wins (which he most likely will), we will wait and see what he does before speeding any plans up.
We have the hope. Things could get better. And it's not really THAT bad here, especially of all of Washington is turned blue.
Artem Oct 27th 2008 4:29PM
"And Scandinavia's suicide rate is twice that of the United States'. I wonder if that has anything to do with their high rate of alcoholism."
This has nothing to do with their high rate of alcoholism, and has everything to do with the destruction of the ideas of family, duty and commitment. Thinking that they are "advanced" and "liberated" from dogmas and expectations, people in Scandinavia are actually miserable in the face of completed absence of any guides in life. The countries are awash in divorce and single motherhood. The word "marriage" no longer means anything, and sexual partners are selected overnight, not as a result of two compatible people gravitating towards each other.
Scandinavia is a wonderful place to visit, but living there is the last thing I'd ever do. One time was enough.
Boot Oct 27th 2008 4:36PM
Very good comment, thanks. Is that the country where the pedophiles want their own political party? Sweden?
Anyway, thanks again.
Anders Oct 27th 2008 6:20PM
That's ridiculous. According to several sources I found with a quick search (for example this one: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_div_rat-people-divorce-rate) USA has the highest divorce rate in the world, almost twice that of the Scandinavian country with the highest rate (Denmark). Monogamous marriages are still the norm here, even though a lot of young people have casual sex, as they do in USA to.
And we don't need several hundred year old books to guide us, we use common sense and ethics. I treat others as I would like to be treated not because a fictional person in a book sectioned by the most corrupt organization in the world says I should, but because it just makes sense.
http://hypnosis.home.netcom.com/iq_vs_religiosity.htm
Anders Oct 28th 2008 6:44AM
"Boot said...
Very good comment, thanks. Is that the country where the pedophiles want their own political party? Sweden?
Anyway, thanks again."
Again, very strange and uninformed comment. I live in Sweden and have never heard of a pedophile party. I do know that NAMBLA is an American organization, but that's not the first thin on my mind when I think of USA.
Thanks to people like Boot and Artem, USA is regarded as a very uninformed and frankly quite stupid country. You got some of the worlds best research and companies, but your average residents doesn't have a good reputation in the rest of the world. Pick up an Atlas and a science book once in a while.
ProPalin Oct 27th 2008 4:30PM
If Obama wins, you can kiss your 401K and savings goodbye. This will be combined into one big nice pot to be distributed to the less fortunate. I've known there would be no Soc Sec when I retire (I am 50) but this is yet another "surprise" we are all in for.
james Oct 27th 2008 7:07PM
ProPalin speaks for the Grand Fascist Party, the GFP, formerly known as the Grand Old Party, the GOP.
Let me be the first to inform this ignorant fool that the GFP has already destroyed the 401k accounts. Count your money before Obama takes office. It can do no worse under President Obama than it already has under the Fureur Herr Reverand Bush.
iomatic Oct 27th 2008 9:17PM
I love all these pronouncements how Obama will wipe out our 401(k); well, I'd like to point you to the Republican-led Presidencies and a direct correlation to national debt. And yes, Reagan had a Republican majority in the house for the first two years, so pointing fingers at the Dems. is an empty argument. You tools will filter out any information of relevance; so be it ostriches.
As said above, we welcome a mass exodus of Right-wing nutbags. Goodbye.
*Well, played, james.
...
Boot Oct 27th 2008 4:34PM
Very good comment...thanks.
It's very sad, that country and others like it are in bad shape. Is it the one where the pedophiles want to form their own political party? Sweden? Anyway, thanks again for your post.
Anders Oct 27th 2008 6:05PM
According to WHO (http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suiciderates/en/) USA has a suicide rate of 17,6/4.1 (males/females) and Sweden a rate of 19,7/8,0, Denmark 20.9/8.1 and Norway 19.5/6.8. Sure, the scandinavian countries rates are a bit higher, the female rates are about double that of the US, but the combined rate are hardlythat much higher then USA's.
james Oct 27th 2008 7:10PM
Anders has the numbers, thanks. All you Republican fascists go shoot yourself.
John Oct 27th 2008 9:29PM
As a college Student and a Republican, if Obama wins I am flirting with the idea of leaving for a while once I am done with school. Now if I find a GF plans could change.
Vanita Oct 27th 2008 9:58PM
This is not based on the Election, but I would not mind going to Hawaii to live for about three-five years. This would be an great experience for my 15 year-old son and myself. I always desired to go someplace new like France. It would be wonderful, If not I may go back to Texas.
james Oct 27th 2008 10:21PM
Vanita, we are talking about leaving the country here. Hawaii and Texas do not qualify in this discussion. France does however. Might I add that Hawaii is the birthplace of our next President?
Boot Oct 28th 2008 3:32PM
James, no one knows where the man was born because he won't submit a birth certificate. Most of his family is from Kenya. Some believe he is from somewhere in Africa. I don't know and neither do you. You also do not know who our next president will be, Mr. Insufferably Smarmy I Fart Higher Than My Butt.
Vanita Oct 29th 2008 8:53PM
Whatever!!!
Thank you Boot for your comment
Ya Oct 27th 2008 9:35PM
I would think that Obama will have us in a race with Russia to see who could bring back communism the quickest. Hurry up Barry, Vlad has a head start.
The US is the greatest nation in the world. So great that it can only be destroyed by it own citizens.