I filled out a web form a few days ago about emigration to New Zealand
https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/choose-new-zealand/compare-new-zealand/usaWould I ever actually make such a big move? I'm not sure. I know plenty of people talk big about such things when they're upset, and nothing ever comes of it.
And, of course, I can't be sure New Zealand would take me even if I wanted to move there permanently. I'm getting close to retirement age, so only have a few years of adding to their economy to offer, but I would be bringing solid retirement savings and equity from a fully paid-off home, so maybe that's enough to buy my way in.
I am increasingly despondent about the course this country is on, and if we can ever pull out of this mess.
Are we going to throw away the respite from Trump that we got when Biden won, or, through ignorance, stupidity, and a failure of so many people to realize the gravity of the situation we're in, fall deeper into an ugly, authoritarian trap?
The fight over BBB gives me no hope, even if it still manages to squeak by after Manchin's extra fuckery today.
The lack of accountability for Trump and his minions for 1/6 so far doesn't help.
That bullshit about "election integrity" and CRT is enough to making the governor's race in Virginia a tight race (even if McAuliffe squeaks out a win) disgusts me.
Any vaguely sane and barely sensible electorate should be recoiling in horror at the GOP. If Biden doesn't get shit done except for simply NOT BEING TRUMP people should be grateful for Democratic leadership over the alternative.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It is a very diverse society, and if some parts of it really bother you, you have to learn to ignore them, or isolate yourself from them. I know this is easier said than done, but over the years I have completely cut out cable news, facebook, and other kinds of divisive media (DU is my guilty pleasure 
)
I am working my way to nirvana
We kept quiet, but if he'd gone we'd have considered moving too. Gorgeous and wonderful climate, and as a fanatic home gardener I hyperventilated a bit at finding a new home to go crazy over there.
What did give me pause, aside from being on the other side of the planet from our daughter (!), was looking at a globe. And since then, the planet has only grown less stable and more troubled, and China aggressively hegemonic in ambitions. I'm talking about the reality that NZ, and Australia, are former European colonies in the extended neighborhood of by far the planet's most populous nations, giant China, India, Indonesia, looming over them to the north.
I'm not saying I wouldn't go, but we don't have a lot of years left to worry about. I wouldn't be confident that our grandson wouldn't see very bad trouble long before he and his someday kids were our age.
But I just think that way. Same for when our DIL wanted to move back to Puerto Rico. I liked much about it (even if road trips would mean driving in circles instead of heading for the far horizons) and would move if our family were there -- BUT, 1000 miles east of Miami on an island that's never been adequately self sustaining? What would happen if the lifeline to the mainland were cut and stayed cut?
I really wanted to. But it should be with eyes open. I'd definitely want to be in the U.S. in the event of, say, a third world war with China and the U.S. on opposite sides.
There's no reason to just assume collapse of the U.S. at this point. The big reason to move to New Zealand should be that you love the idea of living there. That'd protect you from any regret when we stabilized and moved past this danger to the usual peace and prosperity that draws people here from around the planet.
Btw, that does raise the question: As an older, soon to be retired person, just what would you be running from? Even after a RW takeover? I assume you have no one to take care of here, but that also means there's no one you'd have to worry about, who could get in trouble with the government who you'd have to try to protect and/or could embroil you in trouble. And retirees can, and usually do, live on less; and of course most don't have to have a job and would find it even easier than most to keep their heads down. In those societies, almost no one causes trouble, you know. They go about their lives, adjusting to lower incomes as necessary like everyone else they know, enjoying a lot of their old pleasures (sub music or dog training forum for political ). 
ashamed of ourselves. It occurs to me to wonder why other countries would want us and what we're supposed to have to offer? Workers with in-demand skills they can't get elsewhere, sure, but my husband and I'd no longer qualify that way. Maybe our kids might and bring us along.
But having seen what's happened in the world's leading democracy, and so fast, has been a huge lesson in national fallibility. What's happening here, using humanity's weaknesses and flaws to corrupt whole populations and bring whole nations down, is happening to various degrees in many places, some worse than us, and that's another thing I'd want to consider. Is there any reason why New Zealand wouldn't be targeted by the kind of enemies, both its own domestic as well as the foreign that have become expert in destroying democracies?
Certainly, New Zealand is currently more stable, more liberal and decent, than most. No destructive populist movements have attracted large numbers by stirring up resentments and putting discontents on steroids. (God, that sounds nice!) But could it simply happen a bit later there, engineered by, say, a local alliance of white populists, far-right billionaires and RW religious extremists or perhaps by Russia or/and China in some global battle for power?
If I moved I'd have to do it knowing there would be no guarantees. The same toxic phenomena we're seeing here, every single fault, authoritarianism, racism, factionalism, reactionary fears, Q-type craziness -- above all democracy's great weakness, its people's weaknesses, are already there. Just to the much smaller, safer degree they seemed here not so long ago. I'd like my chances, but eyes open nevertheless.
Oh, well. Just musing. I got a little bug when our son wanted to move there and I'd do it, or move lots of places, just for the pleasure of experiencing them. Chile's on my "list." If nothing was holding me down here...
my daughter and G-daughter more than once a year. 
