March 17, 2025

Trump-O-Phobia Drives Some Americans to Questionable Greener Pastures Overseas

By Brian C. Joondeph

Trump-o-phobia is prompting some Americans to scream in horror, similar to Regan, the young girl possessed by Satan in The Exorcist, when splashed with holy water.

Many suffering from terminal stages of Trump Derangement Syndrome are howling in protest on social media, lamenting about the evil Orange Man, as if all their friends and contacts share their loathing of President Donald Trump.

Image from Grok AI

Others are putting their money and feet where their mouth is, making a concerted effort to leave the greatest country in the world because Trump will be in charge for the next four years.

My local newspaper, the Denver Post, consistent with its business model of acting as a mouthpiece for Democrat policies, took yet another swipe at Trump. They recently published an article titled, “Seeking a ‘Plan B’ under President Trump, some Coloradans make plans to move to other countries.”

This is a tired threat that follows the election of any Republican president, from Reagan to the Bushes to Trump. There may be promises, but unfortunately, few deliver.

Newsweek published a long list.

Donald Trump's presidential election win over Kamala Harris has sparked ire among a host of celebrities, with some going as far as to declare they will leave the U.S. rather than live under his rule for the next four years.

As usual, talk and virtue signaling are inexpensive, and few have followed through on their promises.

But some did. Ellen DeGeneres, Sophie Turner, Minnie Driver, America Ferrera, and Lena Dunham are among the celebs who turned their backs on the country they previously called home because of its fractured political landscape.

Of course, these virtue signalers are the one percenters, those with the means to leave America and who are wealthy enough to establish themselves virtually anywhere in the world.

What they may not realize is that some countries do not uphold freedom of speech as the United States does. Here, one can insult politicians by calling Donald Trump Hitler, a Nazi, a fascist, a racist, or any other epithet, as corporate media does daily.

Not so in Germany, where “Germans are being arrested for insulting politicians.” How ironic that in America, a German can call a politician 'Hitler,' however, in Germany, where Hitler once ruled, doing so can result in jail time.

In the U.K., even unacceptable thoughts are deemed unacceptable.

Since last fall, “Praying silently in front of an abortion facility can now put you at legal risks in the United Kingdom — and even stricter rules are on the way.”

America's fleeing celebrities should take note. During Trump’s first term, comedienne Kathy Griffin posed with a phony decapitated Trump head, dripping with blood.

She faced public backlash and lost her New Year’s Eve hosting gig at CNN, but that was the extent of her problems. If she had even considered doing that in the U.K., she would have ended up in jail.

So go ahead and leave America for supposedly greener pastures where the rules of George Orwell prevail. Say or think the wrong thing, and Big Brother will severely punish you.

Back to the People’s Republic of Colorado and the unfortunate soul fleeing the United States under Trump.

According to the Denver Post:

Molly Burke has spent her entire life in the United States. But no longer — after receiving her working holiday visa to New Zealand last month, she says she plans to move by September at the latest.

One reason she cites is that:

... the political changes happening under President Donald Trump since he took office on Jan. 20 have also pushed her to leave and prompted worries about public access to Medicaid, abortion, and gender-affirming care.

Medicaid is primarily intended for the poor, yet one-quarter of Coloradans depend on it. Why do so many people live in poverty in Colorado? That could be a good question for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

Half of Medicaid is funded by the federal government, and following Elon Musk’s DOGE revelation about $2.7 trillion in improper Medicare and Medicaid payments, fiscal accountability, including cuts, is justified and essential.

Individual states regulate abortion care in the wake of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade during the Biden administration. Blaming Trump for this is disingenuous.

Moreover, abortion is much more accessible than in many other countries. The Lozier Institute noted that as of 2024:

Of 193 U.N. countries, the United States is one of eight countries that allows, at the federal level, abortion on demand without any gestational limits.

The United States is one of only 15 countries in the United Nations that permit abortion on demand past 15 weeks of gestation, meaning its abortion law is far more permissive than the vast majority of the world.

Fleeing America for “reproductive rights” may not be beneficial for those suffering from Trump derangement syndrome.

The Denver Post cited another reason for Ms. Burke’s desire to “slip out the back, Jack, and make a new plan, Stan” -- the economy.

This is the main reason Denver residents are leaving:

Burke, who has lived in Denver for the last 10 years, said she made the decision in part because her job as a preschool teacher doesn’t pay enough to live comfortably in the city.

Absolutely. The median sale price of a home in Denver is $560,000. With a 10 percent downpayment, USBank estimates the monthly costs for a mortgage, taxes, and insurance at $ 4,300, which amounts to an annual cost of $52,000.

The average salary for preschool teachers in Denver is $21.12 per hour, amounting to approximately $42,000 annually. Other expenses include food, transportation, recreation, and entertainment. Denver, like many large, progressive cities, has become unaffordable for those who do not belong to the laptop or Lexus class.

It’s not Trump; rather, it’s four years of Biden inflation and a surge of illegal immigrants in Denver, which cost $356 million annually -- 8% of Denver’s budget.

Denver increased its current state, county, and city tax rate by 0.34%, bringing it to 9.15%. This recent adjustment is intended to cover uncompensated care for illegal aliens at Denver Health, the city’s public hospital system.

Denver’s Mayor, Mike Johnston, also proposed a 20% surcharge on restaurant bills to address the city’s minimum wage and promote “pay equity.”

It’s indeed unaffordable.

Other major U.S. cities are similar. It's no surprise that residents are leaving, but is the grass truly greener overseas?

Ms. Burke plans to move to New Zealand. Can anyone do that? She must have a job offer from a New Zealand employer. In other words, a person’s occupation must be in demand, and New Zealand citizens cannot fill that role. Government services, including free medical care, are unavailable without a work visa.

New Zealand is also costly. A single person, such as Ms. Burke, can expect monthly living expenses of NZ$5,340 in Auckland, which is pricier than 82% of cities worldwide.

This costs NZ$64,000 annually. The average salary for an Auckland preschool teacher is NZ$70,000 to NZ$$80,000. Ms. Burke might be a little better off than Denver, but not by much.

Unlike migrating to America, New Zealand requires migrants to verify their identity and demonstrate good character. This includes obtaining a police certificate similar to an FBI background check. Depending on the length of stay, a medical certificate, which may require a chest x-ray, might also be necessary.

While it may be financially feasible for multimillionaire virtue-signaling celebrities to flee America, for most Americans, the grass may not be greener overseas.

Rather than complaining about Trump, disgruntled Americans could advocate for the principles of a constitutionally limited republic by insisting that their elected officials refrain from spending money they do not have, thereby avoiding printing money, driving inflation, and increasing the national debt.

Perhaps they should support DOGE, which could help eliminate trillions in fraudulent and wasteful spending of American taxpayers’ hard-earned wages.

Disregard Trump’s name-calling and bravado. He has not been president for two months, and inflation is easing. Egg prices are lower than when Trump took office, as are gas prices.

A society and government addicted to binge spending needs to sober up.

Likewise, alcohol withdrawal is difficult and can be life-threatening, but the alternative is even worse. Avoiding responsibility won’t make America great again, but holding our elected officials accountable might.

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. Follow me on Twitter @retinaldoctor, Substack Dr. Brian’s Substack, Truth Social @BrianJoondeph, LinkedIn @Brian Joondeph, and Email brianjoondeph@gmail.com

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