November 07, 2004
DEMS ON THE RUN
Angry Democrats are fleeing -- or are planning to flee -- the US:
The embassies of Australia, New Zealand and Canada are reporting a surge in inquiries from Americans looking to move to their respective countries.
The Australian Consulate says, "Americans are funny. They don't get their own way, so they want to move."
And a New Zealand official, quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle, wants Americans to know his country is picky — primarily welcoming only younger, educated applicants with specific skills.
And Canadian officials say that while they've heard from Americans who are "distraught with the election results," it's too early to tell if that means there will be a subsequent surge in actual applications.
Arm those borders, Canadians! Via Jeff S. Meanwhile, reader Sonetka wonders: "Why on earth would they want to go to Australia? You'd think such politically astute observers would realize ... oh, wait."
Posted by Tim Blair at November 7, 2004 02:07 AMSo long, goodbye, don't let the door hit you in the ass.
Posted by: Rebecca at November 7, 2004 at 02:51 AMWhat would happen if all America's Hollywood stars relocated to France?
It would raise the average IQ of both countries.
Canada? Australia? New Zealand? Why not France? These expat Dems could help Chirac update the English version of The Global Test. Just in case a Democrat wins in 08.
Posted by: Daniel at November 7, 2004 at 03:02 AMwhat are they gonna do if hillary gets elected in 08? move back?
Posted by: Oktober at November 7, 2004 at 03:04 AMIf paranoid leftists are fleeing the US for other countries, does this now mean that I should feel obligated to set up some website with pictures of people holding signs apologizing to the world?
Posted by: Emily at November 7, 2004 at 03:05 AMI'm glad they weren't manning the landing craft on D-Day. Needless to say they would have followed the Monty Python strategy of "Run away! Run away!" Instead of licking French boots they would now be licking German ones.
Posted by: kcom at November 7, 2004 at 03:07 AMHeh. Scott Forbes is "pre-moved" to Oz. I guess he's all set.
Posted by: Todd at November 7, 2004 at 03:10 AMCool!
With prime real estate in California coming on the market at bargain basement prices maybe I'll move to the US.
Posted by: Observer at November 7, 2004 at 03:13 AMYou DO notice, it's the ENGLISH speaking countries they want to go to? If they go to Canada, the can even have the French influence without the trouble of crossing the water- a double advantage to move.
Posted by: Roo at November 7, 2004 at 03:21 AMIsn't the outback pretty big? Couldn't you put a bunch of stark-raving American moonbats there and just kinda forget about them? You wouldn't even know that they're there. As long as you prevent them from infiltrating Perth, Sydney, etc it shouldn't be much of a problem.
If you guys could help us out with that that would really be great. Thanks a lot. We really appreciate it. You're the best.
Posted by: another Daniel at November 7, 2004 at 03:22 AMFollowing the murder of Theo van Gogh (2/11) in Amsterdam 3 out of 10 Dutch people said they were keen to emigrate. Maybe the fleeing Democats would care to swap with them directly? I know which direction I'd rather go in.
Posted by: Bill Tweed at November 7, 2004 at 03:48 AMThey're not welcome in my version of Canada. We've got enough wing nut lefties here already. Of course, ours at least WIN elections ...
Posted by: Axeman at November 7, 2004 at 04:36 AMEver notice that Republicans never threaten to flee the country if an election doesn't go their way? Of course there aren't many conservative havens out there either unlike the plethora of nanny states available to distraught libs.
Posted by: Randal Robinson at November 7, 2004 at 04:47 AMWhen the going gets tough, Democrats cut and run! Thank God Kerry didn't win.
Posted by: Richard at November 7, 2004 at 04:48 AMLet me see here.
Democrats fleeing the country = Fewer Democrats = Easier for Republicans to win future elections.
Okay. And the downside is what? (And by downside, I mean in the USA. It's petty obvious what the downside would be for the countries they end up in.)
Posted by: David Crawford at November 7, 2004 at 04:49 AMThe Great Democrat Diaspora will never happen. Leftists love hating their country too much to leave it.
Posted by: A at November 7, 2004 at 05:49 AMThe Great Democrat Diaspora will never happen. Leftists love hating their country too much to leave it.
Posted by: A at November 7, 2004 at 05:54 AMThose cry-babies who are thinking of fleeing to Australia are a bit out of touch aren't they? They ain't going to find much joy here - not for the next eight years or so.
Perhaps the Australian Consulates should show prospective applicants copies of newspaper reports of expats fleeing Australia after Howard's triumph.
Boss Hog — Hand them a Margo column. If they can make sense of it, don't let them in. If they try to explain it to you, shoot their plane down as they try to leave...
Posted by: richard mcenroe at November 7, 2004 at 06:39 AMIt's been awhile since I brought this up, but I think the time is right to talk about swaping western Canada for northeastern US. I think it's a win-win situation for all concerned. Obviously the folks in the northeast feel more comfortable with a Canadian style government, and I think the western part of Canada is more in tune with the western US.
Posted by: Polly at November 7, 2004 at 06:39 AMCanada has been hit by terrorists before, not just threatened. It happened back in 1970. I posted a quick overview here.
Bottom line: Civil liberties were suspended, far beyond anything that's happened in the States, and over an attack w-a-y smaller than 9-11. If the Dems are heading up here (I'm from Canada) looking for ACLU-level attitudes, ain't gonna happen. Didn't happen last time, either.
It's been awhile since I brought this up, but I think the time is right to talk about swaping western Canada for northeastern US. I think it's a win-win situation for all concerned. Obviously the folks in the northeast feel more comfortable with a Canadian style government, and I think the western part of Canada is more in tune with the western US.
Posted by: Polly at November 7, 2004 at 06:40 AMSorry about the double post. My computer said the first submission failed. Oh well. It's such a good idea it needs to be said twice.
Posted by: Polly at November 7, 2004 at 06:42 AMThe Simpson Desert sounds like a good place for wouldbe American emigrants to Australia.
Fresh air, plenty of space, no pesky Rightwing Death Beasts, lots of native flora and fauna ; the friendly local aboriginals could ensure that nobody got lost or died of starvation.
Perfect.
Seriously, please stay home, we dont want you. Go to Canada instead - and any intending immigrants may want to note that Australians just elected a PM who is a strong supporter of Bush.
Posted by: dee at November 7, 2004 at 07:17 AMDee,
Stop chasing them up here! I'm almost out of DEET.
Polly: Hey! Leave Boston out of it. Some of us actually live there. I don't want to be Canadian. For New England I'd prefer some kind of tough-love sort of... uh... nation-building or something, with a focused program of de-moonbatification. I'm sure we'd be able to govern ourselves within a generation, given proper support. Constructive involvement, at the very least, would be appreciated.
On the other hand, David Foster Wallace proposed converting Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont into a vast toxic-waste dump and then ceding that to Canada. Cede 'em the Red Sox, too. I'm sick to death of that crap (say, are the Sox mentioned even once in Infinite Jest? I'm not sure they are -- but then Borges says the Qu'ran doesn't mention camels, so there you go).
dee, isn't John Howard a gun-control enthusiast?
De-moonbatification of Boston?
How likely is that?
The Australian Consulate says, "Americans are funny. They don't get their own way, so they want to move."
And lefties complain that Bush is unilateral and arrogant.
Posted by: Andjam at November 7, 2004 at 08:40 AMThat consulate got it half right. Some people want to move and the other half want them to move. Question: which half does he want?
Posted by: Gary at November 7, 2004 at 08:56 AMHBB, John Howard is in favour of gun control.
Unfortunately, we had a moonbat some years ago who "wanted to go and kill me some WASPs" in Bob Brown's home state of Tasmania. 35 or 36 killed, and I think this moonbat still holds the world record for a shooting spree.
Sadly, John Winston Howard was forced to disarm the moonbats.
Posted by: Kaboom at November 7, 2004 at 09:10 AMOh! How I wish all those who say they're leaving actually would.
Unfortunately, it's just their way of getting street cred: "I'm so liberal, SO RADICAL, I actually went to Canada's website today...I hate America more than you do, nyah nyah!"
I actually know someone who says they're moving to France. Yeah, whatev.
Posted by: lexine at November 7, 2004 at 09:27 AMI'd better post this quickly...before they buy their tickets to Oz:
Australia has a CONSERVATIVE Government, which has been in power since 1996 and has just been re-elected for a fourth term!
John Howard (our Liberal Party Prime Minister) is a very good friend of GWB. Probably second only to Tony Blair.
Our "Liberal" Party is liberal in name only. In actual fact they're roughly the equivalent of the US Republicans.
So, come here if you want...but I really think you'd be happier in a place like Canada or New Zealand.
Posted by: Richard at November 7, 2004 at 10:03 AM"Angry Democrats are fleeing -- or are planning to flee -- the US"
Man, the good news just keeps on coming!
Posted by: Bruce Rheinstein at November 7, 2004 at 10:13 AMI was watching a nature story on Cable about the outback and there does seem to be alot of nice spots where a Jim Jones style compound could be set up. Maybe they can help maintain that fence or something.
I'd be fine if our moonbats would just move to Berkley or NYC or maybe a state like New Hampshire with only a few electoral votes. For that matter they can all move to Massoftwoshits where they would get most of what they were fighting for....Kerry and fellow moonbats.
Posted by: tej at November 7, 2004 at 10:14 AMNAH WE DON'T WANT THEM HERE-
Advise them to go to Helen Clarkes NEW ZEALAND- Cher was looking for land pre election and so many Kiwis here now, the place must be half empty.
If they persist tell them our Bull ants. funnel webs, red back spiders and snakes are every where and deadly to Dems
C'mon you Graudian, BBC, and other international media supporters of John Kerry for President.
I am now starting Adopt-A-Democrat (tm). For only US$30/month I will supply you a pen pal that you can consol and comfort. How could you resist these little waifs? Don't delay. Hurry and sign up before the gulags and completed and the new censorship laws are secretly passed. The knock on their door is not their neighbor.
Given that the (conservative) NZ Nationals have a real chance of winning the next election and replacing Helen Clark, I think it would be unwise to encourage American lefties to settle there so they could vote.
Posted by: Alex at November 7, 2004 at 11:15 AM"...gulags and completed..." should read "...are completed". Sorry.
Posted by: bc at November 7, 2004 at 11:17 AMI'm a New Zealander and would be quite happy to give a home to as many traumatised Democrats as you can find.
I predict a gang of whinging lefty Yanks telling Kiwis not to vote for the evil Tories should deliver a National-led Government faster than you can say "Clark County."
Posted by: Craig Ranapia at November 7, 2004 at 11:38 AMFollowing the murder of Theo van Gogh (2/11) in Amsterdam 3 out of 10 Dutch people said they were keen to emigrate. Maybe the fleeing Democats would care to swap with them directly? I know which direction I'd rather go in.
Yes, those Dems should be loving the Netherlands. From Mark Steyn's column in the Telegraph tomorrow:
As Americans were voting on marriage and marijuana and other matters, the Rotterdam police were destroying a mural by Chris Ripke that he'd created to express his disgust at the murder of Theo van Gogh by Islamist crazies. Ripke's painting showed an angel and the words "Thou Shalt Not Kill". Unfortunately, his workshop is next to a mosque, and the imam complained that the mural was "racist", so the cops arrived, destroyed it, arrested the television journalists filming it and wiped their tape.
Lovely country, isn't it. The Muslim-induced anti-Christian bigotry should be right up the alley for those Kerry voters who are now threatening to leave the US. Women better make sure they don't forget to pack a burqa, though.
Posted by: PW at November 7, 2004 at 11:52 AMYeah, Craig, but there are two problems with your plan:
(a) What will you do with those whining dems after the election?
(b) Do you have room for the construction of more Starbucks between now and the election?
Think carefully -- the fate of your nation hangs in the balance!
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 7, 2004 at 11:54 AMSteyn on the peace mural via PW: so the cops arrived, destroyed it, arrested the television journalists filming it and wiped their tape
On the heels of a brutal terrorist murder of a leading Dutch filmmaker who spoke out against the abuses of Islam, Dutch authorities destroy another's Dutchman's artistic free expression, censor the news, AND arrest journos for trying to report the news.
And the Euros and US Democrats fantasize endlessly that Bush's America is fascist. Wow. Just wow. Couldn't get more Orwellian than this.
Posted by: A at November 7, 2004 at 12:10 PMAmen. PW, that is very dark indeed. Fascism is on the march in Europe.....again.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 7, 2004 at 12:37 PMAs a welcoming present to all them Democrats we'll send them up to the Great Barrier Reef. We've got a dive guide up there who's kinda experienced with handling cranky Merrikuns.
Posted by: slatts at November 7, 2004 at 12:50 PMYes Slatts, lets send them to Queensland, Australia's answer to the wild west. I do like the idea of sending them to the bottom of the ocean. Better yet send them to Townsville. I'd love nothing more than to see some eyebrow-pierced, bling bling (is that one word or two?) wearing Dem sitting in a pub telling the locals their too white, not culturally diverse enough and should be ashamed of themselves for stealing the land off the abodiginals... Many a hole would soon be dug in the deserts of the far north.
Posted by: robw25 at November 7, 2004 at 02:58 PMbling bling is two words. God knows why. But that's the way it's spelled.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 7, 2004 at 03:17 PMSuggested Australian destinations for disgruntled US Democrats voters:-
Tennant Creek
Coober Pedy
Kintore
Port Keats
Yuendumu
Cobar
Bourke
Wilcania
Marla Bore...my personal favourite.
Likely Australian destinations for disgruntled US Democrats voters:-
Paddington
Randwick
Potts Point
Bondi
Coogee
Slurry Hills
Toorak
St Kilda
Let them go to Canada! I just want them to sign a document promising they won't come here when they need hospitalization. They are always telling us how superior Canada's system is. If you want to see a great film illustrating that, rent Barbarian Invasions an French Canadian film about a lefty proffessor who gets cancer....
Posted by: Ann at November 8, 2004 at 12:43 AMHow about we start a new country for the Disgruntled Left? I mean, the entire continent of Antarctica is open. Let's colonize it! Their economy could be based on eco-tours, and the (new) natives could live by humble means, in a back-to-the-nature sort of way, not unlike the Innuits.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 8, 2004 at 12:49 AMJeff: Not a bad idea, but won't the sub-freezing temperatures and difficult terrain make it impossible for all the disgruntled leftists to drive their SUVs?
Posted by: Sean P at November 8, 2004 at 03:05 AMThe good thing is, anywhere an American goes they are assumed to be a republican. So all these tools will go to other countries and find themselves treated as republicans.
Posted by: Ken at November 8, 2004 at 05:54 AMWhy is it always Democrats who say each and every election that if their guy doesn't win, they'll go live in another country? How many pundits and celebrities vow to leave every four years if a Republican is elected (and why don't they?) Do these brilliant partisans think "democratic elections" mean that only Democrats get voted in?
Guess it's not surprising that the party of Blame America First is inclined to bail on their country if they don't get their way. Puerile and disloyal to the core. Good luck, New Zealand, finding the best and brightest among this lot.
All of the immigrant rejects should permanently charter an oceanliner and live in international waters as Citizens of Gaia. Or is this being done, already?
Posted by: A at November 8, 2004 at 06:26 AMTell you what, Tim: we'll ship our loser Democrat whingers off to Oz, in a one-for-one exchange with gun-owning, conservative Aussies who are sick and tired of liberal crap like unions, political correctness and welfare.
No university professors need apply.
Posted by: Kim du Toit at November 8, 2004 at 06:35 AMThat's the beauty of the plan, Sean! They can't use SUVs down there; it'll have to be sleds and such. And since dog sleds are considered to be cruel to animals, they'll have to use humans.
So imagine.....Michael Moore at the front of the line, hauling the day's catch of fish and seals back to the village. Although the "neo-natives" might mistake him for a beached whale.
A, if people want to be Citizens of Gaia by traveling the oceans, they can start by taking a long walk off a short pier.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 8, 2004 at 07:49 AMNot sure I'd want them caught up in the tuna nets, Real JeffS. I eat that stuff.
Posted by: A at November 8, 2004 at 09:06 AMWell, A, I like tuna as well. But I was thinking more along the lines of having them enter the food chain 3 or 4 levels below the commercially harvested species. I don't think anyone would recognize the taste by the time you or I fixed a sandwhich.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 8, 2004 at 12:01 PMNo welfare or unions? You sure are low creatures?
Your propensity to think the left are rich and privledged is a myth that only works on weak minds.
Darren, are you the submissive member of an S&M duo somewhere? God knows you set yourself up for a lot of abuse by saying such stupid things.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 8, 2004 at 01:29 PMNo welfare or unions? You sure are low creatures?
Your propensity to think the left are rich and privledged is a myth that only works on weak minds.
"Weak minds"
From a Latrobe student?
Irony!
Posted by: Quentin George at November 8, 2004 at 03:32 PMDear Jeffs -
Once the traumatised Dems have delivered New Zealand into the hands of evil Tory dominion, I plan to point at them and laugh. They should be used to it by now... Or I can start an outreach to wean them off that vile Starbucks muck and develop a taste fior decent coffee - which might stimulate the formation of viable brain cells.
See, I do care...
Posted by: Craig Ranapia at November 9, 2004 at 08:16 AM