To help lift the cloud over these dark times, I’m going to tell you a story about my cousin, Shay Banks Young.  I didn’t know she was my cousin until 1998 when my sister Mary and I appeared with Shay and her son Douglas on the Oprah Winfrey show shortly after DNA evidence had proven that the descendants of Sally Hemings were also descendants of Thomas Jefferson because he and Sally had had children together.  Shay was the fifth great granddaughter of Madison Hemings, who was the son of Sally and Thomas Jefferson, born at Monticello in 1805.  My sister Mary and I are sixth great grandchildren of Jefferson and his wife, Martha.

I spent the next five years after meeting Shay taking her and dozens of my other Hemings cousins to the annual family reunion of the Monticello Association, the group of white descendants who own the graveyard at Monticello.  We were trying to convince the Monticello Association to accept our Hemings cousins into the group as descendants of Thomas Jefferson.  We ultimately failed.  The Monticello Association took a vote in 2002 and rejected the descendants of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson as members.  The vote was 95 to 6, with only one other white Monticello Association member voting along with my brother and three sisters and me to admit the Hemings as members.

The meeting which preceded that vote was contentious.  The Monticello Association members voted to expel our Hemings cousins from the meeting before the vote, something they had not done when the Hemings had been my guests at previous meetings in 1999, 2000, and 2001.  After the meeting, Shay and I were interviewed multiple times by American and international media who were covering the controversy.  Later that night, our Hemings cousins and my family gathered at a Charlottesville restaurant for dinner.  Shay took me aside and told me not to lose heart.  She had been through worse, she said.  Then she told me the story of her first day of school in the seventh grade in Columbus, Ohio in 1957. 

The grade school Shay had attended had been segregated, but she was to attend a junior high school that had just been integrated.  As she walked down the sidewalk into the school that morning, a white girl stepped in front of her and called her the n-word and told her she was not welcome in the school.  Shay ignored her and as she tried to walk around the girl, she pushed Shay to the ground.  Shay stood up, bushed herself off, and hit the girl in the face with her fist, drawing blood.  She walked into the school unmolested further. 

There were complications involving the school principal and her parents and a brief suspension, but Shay graduated from her junior high school and then from Columbus Central High School and went on to become the president of the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers at a nearby Westinghouse plant.  

There are thousands of stories like Shay’s.  The Supreme Court’s desegregation decision in Brown v. Education in 1954 did not result in the desegregation of schools.  The civil rights movement and the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1965 did not even accomplish school desegregation in the South.  Passing the Voting Rights Act did not result immediately in the right to vote for Black people in the South.  Blood had to be shed for schools to be desegregated and for Blacks to attain the right to vote.

There are thousands of stories like Shay’s about what women went through before Roe v. Wade.  Now we are reading stories about what women are going through after Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health.  There are thousands of stories about what gay people endured in their lives before the Stonewall rebellion, about the discrimination and bad discharges gay soldiers suffered before the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  There are thousands of stories of the individual wars women fought in the workplace for equal pay, for the right not to be fired because they got pregnant and had a child.  Unions are still struggling from the aftereffects of Ronald Reagan firing the air traffic controllers in 1981.

After the election of Donald Trump on November 5, we know that we will be fighting these same battles for at least another four years while he is in the White House.  With the Supreme Court majority he helped to appoint, we know that these battles will endure past his time in office.  Trump and the Republican House and Senate will attempt to pass laws that will do further damage to the environment, to the climate, to unions, to the rights of minorities and women and LGBTQ people and others who don’t even know their rights and their lives are endangered.  Trump and Republicans will seek to force religion, their fundamentalist Christian religion, into our public schools and government.  They will attempt to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, some with children who are citizens of this country. They will threaten foreign alliances.  They will support foreign autocrats and do damage to foreign democracies.  They will do a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million things that will cost the lives of Americans and innocent people abroad.

I am here to say that we have gone through this before, and we have prevailed.  Shay Banks Young attended integrated schools and so have hundreds of millions of others.  That Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson had children together is accepted by historians and taught as a fact at Jefferson’s Monticello.  So-called conservatives will try to erase history, but history lives among us in the people who have claimed it from the lies and crimes of the past.  Ideas cannot be destroyed, nor can the ideals we have fought to preserve, protect, and extend so that they can outlive us in our children and our children’s children.

This is not optimism.  It is determination.  Our Constitution gives us only one power by which to protect ourselves and our democratic form of government:  the vote.  To quote a tired and overused but true cliché, you win some and you lose some.

It's going to be bad and then it's going to get worse, but I've been around long enough to have seen it really, really bad.  That's why I'm not surprised by either Trump or the people who support him or the things he and they want to do. 

This is my purpose:  I'm not going to take it lying down.  I'm in it for the long haul.  I love this country and our democracy, and I know in my bones we can prevail.   I'll be sitting here at my desk writing columns on the very last day I draw a breath.  When they put me in a box, and bury it in the ground, my soul will be screaming and banging on the sides of my grave for equality and justice and for our democracy. 

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Tax Favors and Gifts of Tax Dollars Make For Supersize Fortunes

There is a Big Lie pushed by centrists types that is almost as pernicious as the Big Lie that Donald Trump won the 2020 election. It is that inequality was driven by technology, an autonomous force in the world, not policy choices made by politicians.

This lie permeates political discussions in major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and just about every other elite media outlet.

The issue is not just whether or not to have patents and copyrights, but how long and strong they should be, what items should be protected, and who benefits from government supported work.

It matters because this Big Lie means that we shouldn’t point fingers at the people in power who made policy decisions in the last four decades. The Big Lie assumes that the rise in inequality was due to forces of nature, like floods and hurricanes.

The latest rendition of the Big Lie comes in a big think news analysis about the 2024 election from longtime NYT foreign correspondent Roger Cohen. His piece asserts that the anger motivating Trump voters, as well as supporters of right-wing populists in other countries, as stemming in part from  “when hope collapsed in the communities technology left behind.”

This sort of line is absolutely accepted wisdom in elite policy debates. It is also absurd on its face.

Governments set the rules that determine who wins and who gets “left behind.” Technology does not do this by itself.

To take the most obvious example, our government gives out patent and copyright monopolies. These policies are intended to promote innovation and creative work. They arguably are good policies, but technology does not give us these monopolies; governments do.

Do they matter? Ask yourself how rich Bill Gates would be if anyone could use any Microsoft software anywhere they wanted without paying Mr. Gates a penny. He might still have done fine in that situation, but he would not be one of the richest people in the world.

[Editors’ Note: Gates recently said tax rates for billionaires are far too low and that with what he considers a properly designed tax system, his $163 billion fortune would shrink to about $60 billion. Gates said that the superrich should pay a marginal tax rate of two-thirds or about 67% of their income. If applied to all superrich people, this would generate revenue for investments in the American people.]

These government-granted monopolies likely transfer over $1 trillion ($7k per family) a year from the rest of us to those in a position to benefit from them. In the case of prescription drugs alone, it likely comes to more than $500 billion a year. In addition to transferring money from the rest of us to those at the top, these monopolies also make it difficult for millions to pay for the drugs, which would be cheap in a free market, that they need for their health and their lives.

This massive transfer of income is entirely the result of policy choices put in place by elected officials.

The issue is not just whether or not to have patents and copyrights but also how long and strong they should be, what items should be protected, and who benefits from government-supported work. The last point is especially important in the case of prescription drugs, where the government spends more than $50 billion a year on biomedical research. This research is mostly turned over to the pharmaceutical industry, which can then get patent monopolies on the fruits of government research and make large profits.

It is a neat trick to say that the income distribution that results from these government policies is just the work of technology that only ignorant people would be angry over, but it is a complete lie, and people have every right in the world to be angry.

To be clear, I am sure that almost no one among the MAGA hordes has given serious thought to patent and copyright monopolies. This is the sort of nerdy stuff that they don’t have time for and is concealed from them anyhow.

But they do see the results: People and communities are left behind, not by technology but by deliberate policy choices, and they are very angry about it.

Donald Trump doesn’t have the answers for this. Pretending to be a tough guy, as he lines his own and his friends’ pockets, will not help the people who lost good-paying union jobs in manufacturing and other sectors. But he has a winning message in telling people they actually do have something to be angry over. It would be good if The New York Times and other leading news outlets could at least acknowledge this fact instead of continuing to spread their Big Lie.

(I go into the issue of patent and copyright monopolies, as well as other ways the government has structured the market to redistribute income upward, in Rigged [it’s free.])

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The post Politicians, Not Technologies, Create Our Excessive Inequality appeared first on DCReport.org.

After months of Donald Trump’s election campaign based on repeated promises of mass roundups and deportations of immigrants, using the military, you would think we were ready to see beyond the general outlines of how it all will work.

It’s a program to shut the border doors, effectively end the asylum program, lower the number of allowable legal immigrants, and to forget about legal paths to naturalization and citizenship even after years of waiting.  The deportation program, which Trump insists will result in housing and price reductions for American voters, is an attempt to reverse arrivals into the U.S., particularly by those who come in without permission and turn themselves over to authorities for a years-long wait for adjudication on asylum claims.

Despite the repetitions linking migrants and excessive crime (not borne out by various studies), the claims of “invasion” and the apparently invented reports of eating neighbors’ pets, the constant, racially tinged disparagement of those who are “poisoning the blood of the country,” and the promises of a Day One campaign, there is no practical plan in place other than a basic law enforcement approach to add cops and walls.

To be fair, Trump still must name his White House team and to decide how much of the Heritage Foundation Project 2025 recommendations he plans to follow, On Sunday, Trump named Thomas D. Homan, a senior immigration official in his last administration, as the “border czar” in charge of the nation’s borders and its maritime and aviation security — a position that does not require Senate confirmation.

Homan’s recent interviews reflect that there is no plan yet in place to carry out Trump’s deportations but that he intends to target those with criminal records first, which is current policy. To avoid splitting families, Homan, who has spoken at white supremacist meetings, suggested deporting whole families. Then Trump named immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff, giving him an undefined, wider berth than in the previous administration, and capped it with tapping South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary. Together, it’s a statement that going after immigrants is real.

From all reports, various states, the Pentagon, immigration groups and other countries of origin are already in turmoil about what to expect, and moving to “Trump-proof” their programs, already drawing Trump’s ire.  And, naturally, migrant groups still in Mexico and other staging points and the smugglers who sell passage to the United States are reportedly working on an all-out push for a surge before Trump takes office.  Military leaders are meeting about responses to laws they fear may be unconstitutional.

The New York Times reports that lawyers for immigrant groups say they have been preparing for months for the possibility of large-scale workplace raids, roundups in immigrant enclaves, new restrictions on asylum, the expansion of detention and the termination of programs temporarily shielding some people from deportation. Some reflect on the Japanese-American experience during World War II in which 110,000 were moved to 10 large camps in the West.

Democrats and Republicans have agreed the border needs more solutions, but we have yet to hear a full debate on how making deportations of millions will provide a lasting solution.

Deportations as Solution

Just to refresh, Trump’s plan responded to record-high migration numbers during the Joe Biden years, numbers that have since reduced to below entries when Trump left office.  Indeed, the parties were ready to accept a bipartisan bill to address enforcement needs until Trump ordered Republicans to abandon the plan earlier this year.

As an odd point of reference, when he became president, Trump recast programs by Barack Obama who was focused on migrants with criminal records to anyone entering the country illegally.

The overall Trump plan is to locate and round up migrants who have committed crimes first, a group that Trump insists has run into the thousands over time. He will largely rely on local police departments, but will use the National Guard, who normally are dispatched by governors, or the U.S. military, which is barred from immigration operations, to bolster specialized border and customs officers, and he will draw from the ranks of other federal agencies to help.

Those caught will be taken to huge camps that do not yet exist and must be built to be held until they can be sorted into planeloads that will carry them back to countries of origin.  Trump assumes that these countries of origin will take them back, or he vaguely suggests that there will be U.S. pressure to do so.

An MSNBC report surveyed owners of private prisons who are maneuvering to make their institutions available as deportation sites and Bloomberg reported that stock prices for private prisons were soaring at the prospect of a financial bonanza.

If the roundups happen to catch families, the family members will be deported as well, though nothing has been written down or explained.  The numbers of people involved vary widely with each Trump utterance but start at tens of thousands and rise to 11, 15 or 20 million people.

Any questions yet about the practicalities, law, morality or humanity involved in all this?

The Tumult Unfolding

I used to teach English as another language to the newly arrived, with free classes at my local public library. When former President Trump threatened to round up anyone here illegally, the classes emptied out for fear of capture regardless of immigration status. Hiding is a natural resistance to fear. Where will the raids come this time? Community centers? Schools? Workplaces? Will plant owners be held responsible?

The journalistic stories are just starting. Expect lots of light to be shined on these programs, especially if the details are not spelled out in the coming weeks. Human stories will follow about the impact on individuals and families before the story line turns to the various costs and wrenching effects, intended or not, that a program of such scale.

Let’s start with scale. The entire state of Ohio has 12 million and Pennsylvania 19 million. The Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program currently protects more than 500,000 “dreamers.” The Temporary Protective Status program covers about 900,00 from 16 different countries. In the modern immigration enforcement era, the United States has never deported more than half a million immigrants per year—and many of those have been migrants apprehended trying to enter the U.S., not just those already living here.

Current deportations can take a few weeks or years. An immigration court  hears the case. If a judge rules that the deportation should proceed, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carries out a removal order in targeted ways that involve identifying, locating, surveilling and arresting the migrant. Commonly, ICE targets those who have committed a crime in the U.S. It’s all on the U.S. taxpayer tab.

Trump told NBC News that “there is no price tag” when it comes to his mass deportation plan, that his administration would have “no choice” but to carry out the plan in a mandate “to bring common sense” to the country.  Nevertheless, estimates have run in the scores of billions of dollars per year, or about a trillion dollars over ten years.

Immigration advocate groups see a different picture, naturally. An opinion piece in The Washington Post noted that as planned, the deportations would leave nearly 4½ million children in the United States partially or wholly orphaned, for example. In Florida alone, nearly 2 million U.S. citizens or non-undocumented residents live in households with at least one undocumented person. In California, it’s more than 4 million.

Conservatively, the sudden disappearance of a parent or a main provider will push an estimated 900,000 households with at least one child who is a U.S. citizen below the poverty line.

A report in Huffington Post noted that many questions remain about how Team Trump would identify immigrants, find them, detain them or find the officers to carry out the deportations. What if their countries refuse to take them back?

Since migrants are overrepresented in work forces in the agriculture and meat packing industries, we should expect that as deportations widen, there will be significant cost to those industries that will be passed along to consumers.  Mass deportation plans could reduce the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by 4.2 to 6.8 percent and reduce tax revenues for the government. In 2022 alone, undocumented immigrant households paid $46.8 billion in federal taxes and $29.3 billion in state and local taxes. Undocumented immigrants also contributed $22.6 billion to Social Security and $5.7 billion to Medicare.

Just as in Springfield, Ohio, site of the made-up pet-eating mess, mass deportation would almost certainly threaten the well-being of immigrants who are legally in the United States. And all citizens would be living with the consequences of local police turned immigration officers.

In the zeal to bring order to the border, we have a concept of a plan for mass deportations without consideration of what the human, moral, legal and financial costs will be.

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The post Examining Trump’s Deportation Plan appeared first on DCReport.org.

I don’t know what I was thinking. How can one not be able to string two sentences together after seeing the Presidementia-Elect trounce yet another over qualified presidential candidate? It is, after all, a target-rich environment.

Witness the delicious MAGA backlash at the news leaked yesterday that Captain Bonespurs has picked fellow Floridaman, Marco Rubio to be 4th in line to be president (after Ridgerunner JD, MAGA Mike (?), and whoever President Pro Tem of the Senate will be) should something awful happen to him.

Raw Story has gathered some amazingly predictable quotes from Don the Con’s bevy of butt munchers.

Laura “Looney” Loomer: “Why are people inside Mar-a-Lago leaking Trump’s possible cabinet picks to the media? Not a good sign that things are being leaked already.”

Libertarian “comedian” Dave Smith: “Might as well give Liz Cheney the State Department. Awful sign.”

Charlie Kirk: “Folks, word of wisdom. If Trump hasn’t confirmed it on Truth [Social], don’t jump to conclusions and don’t believe everything you see.”

That’s more than one word, Charlie.

Suddenly, the cockles of my heart are thawing as I observe that Von Shitzenpantz’s own MAGA elite are now doubting what they see and hear. It is literally the opposite of what we now call “sanewashing.” Nominating a person who is arguably a moderate conservative with experience in the area of foreign relations rather than another clueless candidate for the looney bin has got to stick in their craws.

I wonder what you call the opposite of “sanewashing.”

I have some advice for MAGA maniacs. A maxim that has served me in the past as far as Pumpkin McPornhumper goes: Pay no attention to what he says, watch what he does.

Lately, bone broth collagen has been gaining a lot of attention, and with good reason. While we’ve heard a lot about regular collagen for skin and joints, bone broth collagen is like a secret powerhouse that does so much more for your body. Packed with nutrients and amino acids, it goes beyond what other collagen supplements can do, offering real, whole-body benefits that make a difference you can actually feel.

Let’s take a closer look at the surprising ways bone broth collagen can enhance your health and well-being, from glowing skin to a happier gut.

What Exactly is Bone Broth Collagen?

Bone broth collagen is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues for hours (sometimes even a full day!). This process extracts essential nutrients that regular collagen supplements often miss, like glycine, glucosamine, and a mix of minerals. So, while both types of collagen support skin, joints, and more, bone broth collagen comes with these added bonuses that help nourish you in ways regular collagen alone can’t.

Now, let’s dive into some of the benefits and see how adding bone broth collagen to your routine can work wonders.

1. Glowing Skin from the Inside Out

Bone broth collagen is fantastic for supporting skin health. As we get older, our natural collagen production slows down, leading to wrinkles, dry skin, and a general loss of that youthful glow. Bone broth collagen is packed with amino acids like proline and glycine, which help to restore skin elasticity and keep your skin hydrated from within.

Unlike creams that just cover the surface, bone broth collagen works on a much deeper level. It can help smooth out fine lines, keep your skin feeling firm, and give it that “lit from within” glow that many of us are after. And since it works from the inside out, the results are more sustainable and long-lasting.

2. Flexible, Comfortable Joints

If you’re someone who experiences joint stiffness or discomfort, bone broth collagen can be a game-changer. It’s rich in glucosamine and chondroitin, compounds that cushion your joints and reduce inflammation, making movements smoother and less painful. These nutrients are naturally found in cartilage, so taking bone broth collagen is almost like replenishing your body’s natural joint support system.

Many people find that after adding bone broth collagen to their diet, everyday activities like walking or even exercise feel a bit easier. It’s a natural, gentle way to keep your joints feeling young and flexible, without relying on synthetic joint supplements.

3. A Happier, Healthier Gut

One of the most unexpected perks of bone broth collagen is its impact on gut health. The gelatin found in bone broth can help strengthen your gut lining, which is essential for digestion and nutrient absorption. This is especially helpful if you experience bloating or symptoms of “leaky gut,” where the gut lining becomes too permeable, allowing unwanted particles into the bloodstream.

The amino acids in bone broth, particularly glycine and glutamine, play a huge role in keeping the gut lining strong and healthy. A strong gut barrier means fewer digestive issues and better overall wellness since a healthy gut is key to a healthy body.

4. Stronger Bones

When you think of bone health, calcium probably comes to mind. But bone broth collagen brings more to the table—it’s packed with minerals like magnesium and phosphorus, which work together with calcium to support bone density and structure. Unlike most collagen supplements, bone broth collagen delivers these minerals in a highly absorbable form.

As we age, bone density naturally decreases, putting us at risk for fractures and osteoporosis. Bone broth collagen can provide your bones with the nutrients they need to stay strong and resilient, which is especially helpful if you’re active or simply want to support your bones as you get older.

5. Muscle Recovery and Strength

Bone broth collagen is a gentle protein source that can really benefit your muscles. It contains amino acids like arginine and glutamine that help with muscle repair and recovery after workouts, making it great for athletes or anyone with an active lifestyle. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to appreciate this benefit—anyone can use bone broth collagen to help with soreness and muscle maintenance.

It’s a natural, easy-to-digest protein source that helps you bounce back from physical activity more comfortably, making it easier to stay active.

6. Better Sleep and a Calmer Mind

One of the hidden gems in bone broth collagen is glycine, an amino acid known for its calming properties. Glycine has been shown to improve sleep quality and help you feel more relaxed, making it a natural ally for anyone struggling with stress or poor sleep.

Incorporating bone broth collagen into your evening routine—maybe sipping on a warm cup before bed—could help you unwind and get a more restful night’s sleep. Over time, the calming effects can help reduce anxiety and contribute to a more balanced mood.

7. Immune Support from Within

Bone broth collagen offers a boost for your immune system too, thanks to its rich nutrient profile. The gelatin and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and calcium play key roles in immune health. Plus, by supporting gut health, bone broth collagen can indirectly boost immunity, as a significant part of the immune system resides in the gut.

Regularly incorporating bone broth collagen can be an easy way to give your immune system a natural lift, which is particularly beneficial during cold and flu season.

How to Add Bone Broth Collagen to Your Diet

Adding bone broth collagen to your routine is easy and versatile:

• Homemade Bone Broth: If you’re up for it, you can make bone broth at home by simmering animal bones with veggies and herbs for 12-24 hours.
• Bone Broth Powder: A convenient alternative is using a high-quality bone broth powder. Just mix it into soups, stews, or smoothies.
• Cooking Base: Use bone broth as a base for recipes like soups or sauces to pack in the nutrients without even noticing it’s there.

A Whole-Body Boost

Bone broth collagen is more than just a trend; it’s a holistic, whole-body supplement that can support various areas of health. From smoother skin and stronger joints to better sleep and a healthier gut, the benefits go beyond what you’d expect from a regular collagen supplement.

So if you’re looking for a natural way to support your overall health and well-being, consider giving bone broth collagen a try. You may just find that it’s the missing piece in your wellness routine, delivering benefits you can see and feel.

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The post The Surprising Benefits of Bone Broth Collagen appeared first on DCReport.org.

After Trump’s second election victory, lots of Americans are talking about emigrating, most commonly to Canada. This happens with every rightwing election win[1], but nothing ever comes of it. With the real prospect of indefinite Trumpist rule, the issues are more serious, but it seems unlikely that much will happen. But why not?

It’s fairly well known that Americans rarely emigrate. There are, for example, only about a million US citizens living in Canada at the moment. Conversely, there are around a million Canadians living in the US. These are surprisingly low numbers for contiguous countries with a common language (except for Quebec) and relatively straightforward[2] paths to migration.

A detailed illustration of a U.S. passport with the text ‘US Paort’ on the cover, lying on top of a Canadian flag background. The Canadian flag’s red and white colors with the maple leaf design are vibrant and easily recognizable behind the passport. The setting is simple, with the passport angled slightly to showcase the modified cover design, creating a contrast between the blue of the passport and the red and white of the flag.
As usual ChatGPT didn’t quite get the text right

More generally, it’s a common rightwing talking point that the USA is the country most commonly named as a desired place to migrate to. What’s less remarked is that Donald Trump’s expressed desire for more migrants from “places like Denmark” reflects underlying reality. Migration from other rich countries to the US is very limited. In 2022, about 300 000 people (excluding tourists) from Europe arrived in the US, and the majority of these were students, most of whom would probably return. And Europe includes a lot of poor countries.

There’s a lot more migration between other rich countries, including between other Anglospheric countries. For example, although Canada has about a 10th of the population of the US, there are about half as many Canadians in Australia (50 000) as Americans (100 000).

The conclusion I draw is that the US is very different from other, superficially similar countries, I’ve visited the US on lots of occasions and had a couple of extended stays totalling two years. But it still seems a very foreign place to me, much more so than New Zealand or the UK, where I’ve been less frequently. And I imagine the same is true, in reverse, for Americans abroad.

Looking at the recent election results, they are in part a reflection of global trends (anti-incumbent, anti-migrant etc). But the vote for Trump was substantially higher than for most of the far-right policies in other countries. I think (hope) that this reflects some specifically American factors.

The option of moving to Canada is, for most Americans, an illusion. They will have to sort out their problems at home, as best they can.

fn1. In the event of a Democratic victory, there aren’t a lot of options for rightwingers, even ignoring practical difficulties. Lots of them have nice things to say about Hungary, but I think only Rod Dreher has moved there. Same in spades for Russia.

fn2. Migration is never easy. But, excluding moves within the EU, Canada-US migration seems to be about as straightforward as anywhere. CUSMA (formerly NAFTA) makes it relatively easy to get work permits, and thereby make the contacts needed for employer sponsorship.