Is it Time to Leave the U.S?

The Trump Administration has many Americans considering leaving the U.S. and I am among them. Has the time come?

Since the November presidential election, I’ve contemplated leaving the U.S. to protest the Trump administration. However, there are so many reasons not to, even though relocating to another country wouldn’t be as difficult for me as for some since I was an expat for nearly 30 years when I lived in France and was President of Bonjour Paris.

However, the reality of packing my bags has caused me to revert to my washing machine syndrome. It’s when my brain crashes back and forth and there’s not enough aspirin in the world to eradicate the pain. It doesn’t make sense to bail at my age because of logistics. And because my son lives in Washington, D.C.

I hate to admit it but I haven’t wanted to get out of bed since Trump was reelected. But how dumb is that? Just when I think I’ve concluded I should stay in the U.S., I change my mind because there’s something compelling about retaining one’s sanity. Is Trump another Hitler? He may be. Lord knows he’s declared himself King and says he can do anything such as dismantling the government with impunity.

The Trump administration is causing me and so many Americans to fear that a dictator (and his fascist cronies) will upend American democracy. Musk and his team are creating carnage that will impact the U.S. for the remainder of my life and undoubtedly long after I’m dead.

Will my great grandchildren experience the same types of freedoms I’ve had? Will women have control over their bodies, whom they love and what they choose to do in life?

This administration is counter to my belief system. Although I won’t moan the eradication of the “they” pronouns, who cares? Yes, some people became too “woke” but it’s not the end of the world. It is the end of my world when people are told they must adhere to certain mandates such as marriage is only between a man and a woman.

I hate, rather am terrified, that books are being banned and removed from libraries and children are being immersed in Christian studies. I hate that freedom of the press is at risk.

I hate that the Associated Press is banned from White House press conferences for its refusal to use Gulf of America rather than Mexico. I hate that we’re ceding Ukraine to Russia. And I hate that Trump is in bed with Putin.

I hate that he (rather Musk) has executed blanket illegal firings of government employees. And the list goes on. The reality is that this administration doesn’t feel the constitution applies to it.

My hate list continues. I hate that so many programs that have been critical in helping people in other countries are being disbanded. The fact that the website for USAID isn’t operational makes me cry.

And that’s just the beginning. Trump and his posse simply don’t have the legal authority to dictate these mandates. But the Republican Congress doesn’t have the balls to stand up to him. They’ve rolled over and approved his more than dangerous political appointments.

Rather than being proud of being an American, I now apologize. Trump’s isolationist policies are immoral.

I wonder whether its goal is for women to be Stepford wives? Will procreation be based on eugenics? What about Civil Rights? I didn’t consider myself a feminist but never thought there was something I couldn’t do because I was a woman. Will future generations have the same freedom?

Politics have always been a part of my life, but haven’t shaped it. I’ve addressed envelopes, donated and raised money, worked on phone banks, written letters for Democratic candidates.

However, I used to have Republican friends with whom I could discuss issues without wanting to wage war. Now if I know someone has voted for Trump, I don’t want to know him or her because our fundamental values are radically different.

Since Trump’s reelection, life has been different. My friends have been depressed over what’s in store for their present and their futures. With Trump’s dismantling the Board of the Kennedy Center, fear, not to mention anger is rampant. How dare his administration decide to make a bi-partisan institution his own? Trump has been called many things but never cultured nor an advocate of the arts unless it’s reality TV.

My friends and I can’t stop talking about people whom we’ve known and agencies where they’ve worked being under attack. Or decimated. We worry about our safety and security because of the massive cuts. The impact of his firing top military personnel including the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What about medical research? Even if our job isn’t/wasn’t government oriented, D.C. is a government town.

My initial instinct was to return to Paris which I consider home. Should I contact my French immigration lawyer to try to reactivate my French resident status? The paperwork, not to mention time and legal fees make me stop and think and activate my headache. Obtaining papers to legally live abroad isn’t a slam dunk.

I’m fully aware that French politics are in trouble; the reality that governments are becoming increasingly Right Wing is scary. But this anti-immigration shift doesn’t directly impact me because I’m Caucasian and affluent.

Then I remember one of the reasons I decided to return to Washington was because of the challenges of being older (OK, old) and being far away from my son and his family. I felt I’d made the right decision especially when a dear friend had a series of major health crises this past summer. It’s been challenging (and expensive) for his family to travel from Florida and Texas to Aix-en-Provence, France.

Until now, Kirk and Anne made frequent trips to the US to see family. But now he’s not permitted to fly for at least 6 months and that’s a real hardship for them. The French healthcare Kirk is receiving is excellent but clearly, there are challenges negotiating complicated medical issues in a second language. Hell, I have enough trouble understanding medical English.

My mind was made up. I’d stay in Washington, D.C. where I have a lovely apartment, wonderful friends and a support structure that would be hard to beat. My doctors and dentists know me, I know where to go for what and I would simply travel. And travel a lot to escape.

The Parroquia

Case closed. OR NOT? I am currently in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, which I’ve come to for the San Miguel Writers’ Conference. SMA has an enormous number of American and Canadian expats and visitors, the majority of whom are retired. Even if one doesn’t speak Spanish, you can navigate the city and there are English-language programs and activities every day.

As with most expat communities, people are friendly and if you can maintain your balance on the incredibly treacherous hilly cobblestone streets, it’s a seductive and inviting place to be. The city has so much in its favor, great architecture, food, culture and wonderful winter weather.

My son and daughter-in-law just came to visit and could see my unhappiness over living in D.C. They have a lovely house in Canada. Thinking out loud – and yet to be discussed - perhaps I should rent a house in SMA during the cold months and migrate to Canada when it’s warm. It’s just a thought!