Americans who moved to Europe after Trump win now say they regret leaving
By
asserted
they → move → win
Liberal Americans who fled to Europe after President Trump’s re-election shared how the grass is not always greener on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Wired Magazine released an article Thursday headlined “They Fled Trump’s America.
asserted
They → flee → America
Now They Regret It,” speaking directly to those who sought “political refuge in the wake of Trump’s second term,” but have since voiced frustration with Europe’s lower quality of life, the rise of right-wing politics in those countries, and a newfound appreciation for the cultural norms and niceties of American life.
asserted
who → regret → life
One account, from a woman nicknamed “Annie,” said she was sold the idea of an idyllic UK life on social media, “But the reality of life in the UK was dramatically different to what she’d imagined.”
asserted
she → nickname → what
the quality of life is significantly lower than in the US,” she told the magazine, citing challenges ranging from their healthcare system to a significantly lower disposable income.
asserted
she → tell → income
“Things in the UK that are considered luxury items are very common” in America, like a dishwasher and dryer, she told Wired.
asserted
she → consider → Wired
Annie told the outlet that despite believing she’d have free healthcare under the NHS, she now pays “huge amounts of taxes and an immigration surcharge” to access the national healthcare services.
asserted
she → tell → services
“So no, the health care is not free here,” she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
Annie was also surprised by the amount of anti-American hostility she experienced and cultural differences in the workplace.
asserted
she → surprise → workplace
“I found it particularly surprising how people feel so comfortable mocking my accent and culture, even in a workplace environment,” she said.
asserted
she → find → environment
“The UK is very much a place of ‘it is what it is,’ but as Americans we are taught to always improve and strive for better things.”
asserted
we → teach → things
“I thought that ‘British politeness’ existed as it does in movies,” Annie added, “but unfortunately, the reality is that present-day British culture is very individualistic, as well as without the sense of charity and helpfulness that many parts of American culture value.”
asserted
parts → think → culture
“Something I had taken for granted is the American outgoingness and default to action, where the question is ‘how can we collaborate?’” she said.
asserted
she → take → action
“Generally speaking, I also found that the American work style, for better or for worse, moves much faster and can get to a yes or no in less time.”
asserted
style → speak → time
“Finding work was so hard, and the endless bureaucracy had grown worse since I’d left,” Josh, who moved to Germany, told Wired.
asserted
who → find → Wired
“I missed the friendlier people, freedom of speech, and ease of daily life” in the United States, he said.
asserted
he → miss → States
He added of German daily life, “If you aren’t born and raised there, and don’t look German, you’ll never be fully accepted.”
asserted
you → add → life
Josh told the magazine he moved back to the US recently and is much happier.
asserted
he → tell → US
He admitted he may have “overreacted” by fleeing to Europe.
uncertain
he → admit → Europe
Many Americans who shared their regrets on social media were berated by fellow liberals for wanting to move back to “evil” America, the article also said.
asserted
article → share → America
“These posts are usually met with a huge amount of backlash.
asserted
posts → meet → backlash
Commenters are quick to imply that the poster must be right-wing and privileged, in for a nasty shock if they did return home,” Wired Magazine summarized.
asserted
Magazine → imply → shock
“Ironically, many times, they parrot the right-wing notion that they probably aren’t trying hard enough to assimilate into their new country.
asserted
they → parrot → country
When one person recently said they badly missed their community of friends in a ‘blue city in a blue state’ and were considering moving back, the majority of top comments agreed the user was ‘insane.'”
asserted
user → say → comments
Daniel Di Martino, a Manhattan Institute fellow and economist who was born in Venezuela, spoke to Fox News Digital about how some misguided Americans tend to have unrealistic notions about European life.
“Things aren’t always great in Europe, but Europe is not one thing.
asserted
Europe → bear → Europe
Living in Greece, making the average salary of a Greek person, would be considered near poverty level in America.
asserted
Living → live → America
Living in Denmark, like an average Dane, is definitely fine, but they still earn much less than the average American,” he said.
asserted
he → live → American
But on the basic reality of how much someone earns, Americans would be worse off moving to Europe.”
asserted
Americans → earn → Europe
He concluded, “The reason for this is simple: It is very hard to fire workers, so getting a job in the first place is difficult.
asserted
getting → conclude → place
And in most European countries other than Switzerland and the Baltics, taxes are very high for low and middle-income workers to pay for so-called universal healthcare and pensions for a larger elderly population.”
asserted
workers → pay → population
Theo Wold, a former White House deputy assistant for domestic policy in Trump’s first term, also spoke about how American liberals fail to understand that the very European socialism they romanticize would undo the qualities that make America great.
asserted
America → speak → qualities
“American liberals want to import European socialist ideas and wave after wave of third world immigrants into the US, but it turns out that in real life, socialism and mass immigration produce countries that are poorer, less productive, and less enjoyable to call home,” he said.
asserted
he → want → countries
“American liberals who moved to Europe are experiencing that firsthand.
asserted
who → move → that
Every American voter who thinks they want single-payer healthcare should have to spend a few months on an NHS waitlist or look for housing in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin: the European malaise is a real wake-up call.”
asserted
malaise → think → Berlin
The Aporia
