The Texpatriates Thread

[Biggus Duckus 90]

I will be moving to Germany in September.  Some days I regret leaving behind my family or the beauty that the PNW offers, but today is not one of those days.  More often than not, I just check the national news and my decision feels justified.

[BrickHorn 18,298]

20 minutes ago, Biggus Duckus said:

I will be moving to Germany in September.  Some days I regret leaving behind my family or the beauty that the PNW offers, but today is not one of those days.  More often than not, I just check the national news and my decision feels justified.

2022: Americans are fleeing to Germany to escape fascism. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by BrickHorn

[GenXer 3,054]

I’ve lived in Dallas nearly 30 years. My wife is a Dallas native. We’ve traveled the world pretty extensively, and we’re ready to leave Texas due to:

1. Politics. It’s always been hypocritical; Wright amendment was always a talking point. Now it’s full blown toxic. I’m just pissed off when I’m around other people and I don’t want to be like that.

2. Heat. It was 108 in my backyard yesterday. In June. It’s becoming uninhabitable. Global warming will continue. Outlook is bleak.

3. Cost of living isn’t low anymore. Yeah, there’s no state income tax but my real estate tax is north of 10k per year. Trump tax laws eliminated any protections of at least being able to write off the total real estate, sales tax. House has doubled in value since our purchase 14 yrs ago so real estate tax is substantial.

4. No outdoor things to do. No mountains. Ugly man made lakes.

We’re leaning to moving to Maine. We both work remote so job restrictions are not a factor.

Pros - Nice summers, mountains, coastline, we love seafood, world class oysters, fall foliage, snowy christmas, ski resorts (expectations are tempered), acadia national park and other wilderness areas, 

Cons-

real estate in Maine is surprisingly high. We’d like a bit of land. Redfin searches concern me.

No texas bbq

I will miss the bands that come to Dallas. I will have to make trips to Boston and that’s not as convenient.

Grocery stores - within 3 miles, I have arguably the best grocery options of anywhere in the world. HEB is building one as well. It’ll add to the mix. When it’s open.

Action plan - we’re gonna get an airbnb in Maine for Aug. we want to find the area we like. My understanding is the culture (politics) on the coast is very different than inland Maine. 

[TwiceHorn 31,645]

On 6/22/2022 at 3:45 PM, BrickHorn said:

I’m a cheap bastard who has worked big law gigs for a long time and fended off every attempt by the wife to buy a bigger house, lease a fancy car, install a pool, etc. along the way.

With each passing day, it gets more and more tempting to call it quits, sell our house, move out of the US, and ride our savings down while figuring out some way to make a bit of money doing something else for a living. I mean, fuck it: I’ll wash dishes or dig ditches. I don’t give a shit. Just so long as I’m not living in an emerging fascist hellscape.

Of course, I also think “If we can just hang on X more years, we can stash another $Y away…” 

Anyway, my wife and I were just talking about this today and how we need to come up with a real bug out plan. It feels inevitable that we will exit the state at some point, and very likely that we’ll completely bail on the US.

Prosecuting patents is a "do it anywhere" job.  Sure, it's boring, but I suspect with your credentials, you could  find a very nice remote gig, or make one yourself, and still pull a couple hundred k and have heretofore unimaginable free time.

[GenXer 3,054]

21 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

2022: Americans are fleeing to Germany to escape fascism. 

In Aug 2016, we were in Berlin and Germany on vacation. Taxi driver in Berlin asked me about Trump. At the time, republicans (cruz, graham) were outspoken about what a shitbag Trump is. I confidently told the driver that even if Trump is elected, the republicans in congress won’t support him. 
 

I’ve never been more wrong. One of my more humiliating moments. And, in front of my family as well. I want to go back and apologize to the driver for being such a dumbass.

[next2naus 439]

I have lived in NY since '99 and will never move back to Texas. My wife's family is all here and everyone always toyed with the idea about Austin (since I came from there) but Texas is run like ass these days, too many Right Wing Christian Conservatives. Shitty infrastructure. I'd consider Colorado but otherwise I'm staying here. 

[GenXer 3,054]

I failed to mention a couple other considerations in my longcat Maine post.

Cons - Maine winters are a concern. 

I’m a type 1 diabetic and insulin costs are untenable without the discount club card that we call health insurance. Canada is reasonably close. Might investigate the feasibility of procuring several months worth of contraband (insulin) at a reasonable price a few times a year.

[Goredho 17,451]

1 minute ago, GenXer said:

I failed to mention a couple other considerations in my longcat Maine post.

Cons - Maine winters are a concern. 

I’m a type 1 diabetic and insulin costs are untenable without the discount club card that we call health insurance. Canada is reasonably close. Might investigate the feasibility of procuring several months worth of contraband (insulin) at a reasonable price a few times a year.

https://www.cpr.org/2021/07/07/colorado-insulin-prices-capped/#:~:text=House Bill 21-1307 creates,insulin under a 2019 law.

 

Colorado has become the second state in the country to clamp down on the skyrocketing cost of insulin, a necessary hormone that diabetics take daily to help regulate their blood sugar levels.

Around 300,000 Coloradans diagnosed with diabetes will soon gain access to cheaper insulin under a new law Governor Jared Polis signed Tuesday. 

House Bill 21-1307 creates an insulin affordability program, which goes into effect in 2022. People with an insulin prescription will have prices capped at $100 for an entire month’s supply, regardless of the amount of insulin each individual needs. The state already caps copayments on insulin under a 2019 law. 

 

[GenXer 3,054]

6 minutes ago, Goredho said:

https://www.cpr.org/2021/07/07/colorado-insulin-prices-capped/#:~:text=House Bill 21-1307 creates,insulin under a 2019 law.

 

Colorado has become the second state in the country to clamp down on the skyrocketing cost of insulin, a necessary hormone that diabetics take daily to help regulate their blood sugar levels.

Around 300,000 Coloradans diagnosed with diabetes will soon gain access to cheaper insulin under a new law Governor Jared Polis signed Tuesday. 

House Bill 21-1307 creates an insulin affordability program, which goes into effect in 2022. People with an insulin prescription will have prices capped at $100 for an entire month’s supply, regardless of the amount of insulin each individual needs. The state already caps copayments on insulin under a 2019 law. 

 

I was told the free market is best

thanks for the info. Hopefully, the other dirty communist liberal states follow suit.

[Valmy77 13,303]

What? No! Don't leave us now! We are so close to turning this thing around!

Damnit. 

[gmr548 16,617]

At this point the DNC should just be collecting funds to bankroll relocation of young, mobile Democrats in big urban areas that like the outdoors to Wyoming and Montana. You get 250k to take you up on that offer and that’s four Senate seats.

Just take them over like a much faster version of transplants flipping Nevada and Colorado. And as a bonus it would nearly surround white nationalist Mecca, aka Idaho.

[Walser 1,110]

Maine, Wyoming and Montana have moved higher up my option list this week. I don't mind the cold, and they're just going to get warmer.

[GenXer 3,054]

24 minutes ago, Walser said:

Maine, Wyoming and Montana have moved higher up my option list this week. I don't mind the cold, and they're just going to get warmer.

Admittedly, I know very little about WY or MT political demographics but my extensive one minute internet based research shows it’s 2 to 1 gop to dem representation. If you’re moving due to politics, why would MT or WY be better than TX?

[Hawndoh 2,389]

3 minutes ago, GenXer said:

Admittedly, I know very little about WY or MT political demographics but my extensive one minute internet based research shows it’s 2 to 1 gop to dem representation. If you’re moving due to politics, why would MT or WY be better than TX?

Their only advantage is less people to interact with and cooler summers.

[Walser 1,110]

2 minutes ago, Hawndoh said:

Their only advantage is less people to interact with and cooler summers.

Cynically, this is pretty much spot on. But I'm wide open to options and I like hearing what those local to those options opine.

 

[TexPx 2,326]

I failed to mention a couple other considerations in my longcat Maine post.
Cons - Maine winters are a concern. 
I’m a type 1 diabetic and insulin costs are untenable without the discount club card that we call health insurance. Canada is reasonably close. Might investigate the feasibility of procuring several months worth of contraband (insulin) at a reasonable price a few times a year.

https://costplusdrugs.com/

[GenXer 3,054]

27 minutes ago, TexPx said:

https://costplusdrugs.com/

Yeah. I’m familiar with Cuban’s cost plus online pharmacy. Insulin isn’t on it yet. Insulin has the complexity that it must be refrigerated. There’s lots of food products that require refrigeration to ship. I don’t expect it to be an un-solvable problem but it’s not solved yet. 
 

I’ve made suggestions to the R and D state candidates running in my district to allow for people to order from FDA approved international online providers. I’ve gotten positive feedback for the idea. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up in their platforms.

[South Austin 52,659]

Is it possible that with Uvalde and now Dobbs there might be a push to get some of these fuckers out so staying in Texas might be more bearable?

 

 

 

Never mind. Pass the bourbon.

[GenXer 3,054]

19 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Is it possible that with Uvalde and now Dobbs there might be a push to get some of these fuckers out so staying in Texas might be more bearable?

Tune into FoxNews to find out!

[Zepol87 9,198]

10 hours ago, DaysOff said:

Springs is the college station of Colorado with nice views.

It is pretty damn close but with the family discount I think I will be alright and it is right outside Garden of the Gods. I can deal with that

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,530]

For me, I wouldn't move just because I don't like the politics of my current state. I don't identify my own beliefs with whatever the Texas majority says.   

I understand wanting to move if you feel unaccepted or have hostile attitudes around you but I'm fairly certain that you can find any community you want in Texas.

I'm thinking of partly moving on from Texas just because I want a change of pace. Less heat. Maybe mountains. But I doubt I would ever completely move away from Houston.

[Brisketexan 105,478]

44 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Is it possible that with Uvalde and now Dobbs there might be a push to get some of these fuckers out so staying in Texas might be more bearable?

 

 

 

Never mind. Pass the bourbon.

Sometimes you're so cute I jes wanna pat your head.

But then you figured shit out and got to the bourbon, so we're all good.

[Neonmoon 38,130]

11 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I understand wanting to move if you feel unaccepted or have hostile attitudes around you but I'm fairly certain that you can find any community you want in Texas

I don’t think anyone moving because of politics has trouble finding similar groups of people, it’s the whole having equal rights part 

[GenXer 3,054]

10 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I understand wanting to move if you feel unaccepted or have hostile attitudes around you but I'm fairly certain that you can find any community you want in Texas.

I live in a diverse neighborhood. In fact, it was listed in the top ten neighborhoods in TX. Diversity was one of the criteria used in the ranking.
When I walk my dog, magas prominently displayed their maga flags in their yards and flags hanging from their house. One maga displayed his trump flag until spring 2021. He replaced it with a black flag to show he was radicalized and ready for violence. The flag is now down likely because he doesn’t want to be identified if something bad goes down.

[Patricio Swayze 17,058]

Where do you recommend in Spain and what kind of housing can you get for the minimum 500,000 Euro investment?

San Sebastián.

[Biff Tannen 45,751]

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

But I doubt I would ever completely move away from Houston.

[Beau Vine 54,487]

5 hours ago, South Austin said:

Is it possible that with Uvalde and now Dobbs there might be a push to get some of these fuckers out so staying in Texas might be more bearable?

 

NO.

[Beau Vine 54,487]

15 hours ago, DaysOff said:

Springs is the college station of Colorado with nice views.

Earlier in the year when my daughter was looking for jobs, I suggested one in Colorado Springs.  She just violently reacted, saying it was the absolute worst place in Colorado and that she'd rather come back to Texas than live in Springs.  I was kind of stunned.  

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,568]

Not sure I want to leave Dallas full time even though I hate the politics here but all evening I have been checking out Seattle for a summer home.  I figure I can go the townhome condo route and get a small 2 maybe 3 bedroom place for the wife and I and the kid when he comes home from college whenever that may end up being.  Only qualification is I travel for work so need to be near a big airport. Any of you know areas of Seattle that make sense?  I’m not a downtown city guy but more of a suburb guy.   

Edited June 25, 2022 by Beantown Express 2.0

[justhookit 4,191]

6 hours ago, South Austin said:

Is it possible that with Uvalde and now Dobbs there might be a push to get some of these fuckers out so staying in Texas might be more bearable?

 

 

 

Never mind. Pass the bourbon.

No. It’s insane.

Dude a few days ago was walking around with his assault rifle, got stopped. It was all good until they found brass knuckles on him so he got arrested. Might be a Facebook story but this is the world we are living in.

 

 

 

 

[Hefeweizen 5,347]

23 hours ago, Smax said:

I moved to California in 2019 and have not regretted the decision. My quality of life is so much better now
The only downside is missing tex-mex..

I am so glad my wife can make good Tex mex!  I can cook French, Italian, and meat but I cannot make good chili or salsa!

The photo below is the thing I like the best right now, though!

[gmr548 16,617]

Not sure I want to leave Dallas full time even though I hate the politics here but all evening I have been checking out Seattle for a summer home.  I figure I can go the townhome condo route and get a small 2 maybe 3 bedroom place for the wife and I and the kid when he comes home from college whenever that may end up being.  Only qualification is I travel for work so need to be near a big airport. Any of you know areas of Seattle that make sense?  I’m not a downtown city guy but more of a suburb guy.   

You don’t want a summer home in the Seattle suburbs. Clallam/Jefferson/Kitsap (Olympic Peninsula) or Skagit/Whatcom (Mt.Vernon/Anacortes and Bellingham, north of Seattle metro) will get you more seclusion, and lower prices. You can still get to SeaTac for air travel easily enough from these places.

If you have more money than you know what to do with, the San Juan Islands.

[Beau Vine 54,487]

1 hour ago, gmr548 said:

You don’t want a summer home in the Seattle suburbs. Clallam/Jefferson/Kitsap (Olympic Peninsula) or Skagit/Whatcom (Mt.Vernon/Anacortes and Bellingham, north of Seattle metro) will get you more seclusion, and lower prices. 

Some of those places are Alabama with evergreens, though.

A couple of years ago, we were going to Victoria -- flew in to SeaTac and drove to Port Angeles for the ferry.  We were shocked at how many confederate flags we saw on that drive.  

[Longhorn_Fan68 33,901]

[HenryJames 66,228]

14 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

Earlier in the year when my daughter was looking for jobs, I suggested one in Colorado Springs.  She just violently reacted, saying it was the absolute worst place in Colorado and that she'd rather come back to Texas than live in Springs.  I was kind of stunned.  

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/30/colorado-springs-libertarian-experiment-america-215313/

[gmr548 16,617]

8 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

Some of those places are Alabama with evergreens, though.

A couple of years ago, we were going to Victoria -- flew in to SeaTac and drove to Port Angeles for the ferry.  We were shocked at how many confederate flags we saw on that drive.  

We've done the same drive and seen a little bit of that for sure. That's unfortunately going to be the case in any non-urban area in America, blue state or otherwise. State level division is reflected in laws and electoral votes, but culturally, the divide is urban vs rural. It was less present than even being in the suburbs in TX though, let alone the rural areas.

For what it's worth, all of those except Clallam County (Port Angeles) are pretty solidly Democratic counties. More Trumpy than Seattle, for sure, but still as Democratic or more than even my precinct in Houston. Clallam is a swing county. If the politics of the DFW suburbs don't make you want to pack up and leave outright, Trumpkins in any of those places aren't going to be dealbreakers.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,568]

1 hour ago, gmr548 said:

You don’t want a summer home in the Seattle suburbs. Clallam/Jefferson/Kitsap (Olympic Peninsula) or Skagit/Whatcom (Mt.Vernon/Anacortes and Bellingham, north of Seattle metro) will get you more seclusion, and lower prices. You can still get to SeaTac for air travel easily enough from these places.

If you have more money than you know what to do with, the San Juan Islands.

Thanks, I was looking at some places on Mercer Island and then south of downtown Seattle towards SeaTac airport like Alki and Hamilton Viewpoint Park.  No idea if these are safe areas or shit.  

[Goredho 17,451]

My nephew just informed my sister he’s taken a job in Seattle and moving his family there.  Politics are a root issue.  He’s 32, has his degree from UT and is a civil engineer.  He designs bridges and shit.

If we are seeing a great migration 2.0, there will be a brain drain from the red states.  I wonder what effects would be felt in Conservatopia  if a critical mass of educated professionals leave?

[Gil Bang 26,068]

10 minutes ago, Goredho said:

My nephew just informed my sister he’s taken a job in Seattle and moving his family there.  Politics are a root issue.  He’s 32, has his degree from UT and is a civil engineer.  He designs bridges and shit.

If we are seeing a great migration 2.0, there will be a brain drain from the red states.  I wonder what effects would be felt in Conservatopia  if a critical mass of educated professionals leave?

They'll be thrilled.  They love stupidity. 

[Neonmoon 38,130]

25 minutes ago, Goredho said:

My nephew just informed my sister he’s taken a job in Seattle and moving his family there.  Politics are a root issue.  He’s 32, has his degree from UT and is a civil engineer.  He designs bridges and shit.

If we are seeing a great migration 2.0, there will be a brain drain from the red states.  I wonder what effects would be felt in Conservatopia  if a critical mass of educated professionals leave?

Nothing will matter until corporations bolt. Employees refuse to work for companies in red states. Money changes things, not protests. 

[Biff Tannen 45,751]

1 hour ago, Goredho said:

My nephew just informed my sister he’s taken a job in Seattle and moving his family there.  Politics are a root issue.  He’s 32, has his degree from UT and is a civil engineer.  He designs bridges and shit.

If we are seeing a great migration 2.0, there will be a brain drain from the red states.  I wonder what effects would be felt in Conservatopia  if a critical mass of educated professionals leave?

[GenXer 3,054]

2 hours ago, Goredho said:

If we are seeing a great migration 2.0, there will be a brain drain from the red states.  I wonder what effects would be felt in Conservatopia  if a critical mass of educated professionals leave?

I’m interested to know the prevailing attitude of medical professionals. I suspect there’s concern about their ability to practice without threat of violating the law inadvertently. Treating miscarriages would be a big concern. Moving to a different state and practicing there might not be an option for many. But, some may consider early retirement, and new doctors may be reluctant to start their career in red states. This might cause a significant problem 10 years or so down the road.

[Horn Dogg 3,995]

I’ve lived in a San Francisco Bay Area for several years and moved here for work.  I always thought I would eventually move back to Texas, but ever since about 2016 I’m thinking fuck that!  I’ll just stay out here for now.

[UpperWestside 6,192]

When I left Texas it was not because of what the current situation is there. It was just time to begin anew and that decision has worked out really well over the time and years that have passed. However, I will never return to live there because what I saw last summer back home was just incredibly sad. I want no part of that state outside of seeing my family occasionally.Keep fighting the good fight though to those of you who are not heading elsewhere to call home.

Edited June 26, 2022 by UpperWestside

['stache 21,895]

I attended our city's Pride festival this weekend and there wasn't a parking spot to be found in the dozens of our surface parking lots. Tons of people supporting the LGBTQ community. Things like that remind me that there are tons of like-minded people in my vicinity. If I do move, it'll be for more than just politics. And our political problems are becoming more and more problematic on a nation-wide scale, much of which can't be escaped anywhere within the US. We are all fuct.

[Vegas64 678]

On 6/25/2022 at 3:09 PM, Neonmoon said:

Nothing will matter until corporations bolt. Employees refuse to work for companies in red states. Money changes things, not protests. 

I think with the rise of distributed work and virtual work-from-home being the standard, you'll have a "have your cake and eat it too" dynamic where companies continue to migrate to Texas and Florida where it's tax friendly and back of house employees can live in Manhattan or California as they see fit for a myriad of reasons, politics being a big one.

[MC Fresh Breath 4,074]

So  I was in Texas for the first time in 2.5 years this past week.  Part of it was in Port A.  Now, I saw some Trump flags before I moved away.  But holy shit, this time they were every few feet.  At a beach where some of us are just going to try and have a good day, others just want to spew their hate.  And of course add in "Fuck Joe Biden" and the stupid "Let's Go Brandon." And the black American flags with the blue line in them. Every. Few. Feet.  The overturning of Roe V. Wade being made official while I was there was pretty much on target.   Also seems to be a competition as to how many flags one could or who has the largest.  On our last day in Port A managed to find a spot with nobody with their flags on either side of us.  But then the flagless went ahead and wore their shirts with the same messages. 

Its a goddamned cult and it has taken over.  Truly brown shirts (because those flags are indeed Nazi flags) just spouting hate and obscenities in a public space full of families.  Their whole identity tied in up in having to show you the crazy team to which they belong instead of just enjoying a day at the beach.   It was oppressive.

I grew up going to Texas beaches.  Shit was never like that. I am truly sorry for those of you left there, and grateful to be back in Oregon, away from that crap.  Again, though, given how things are going I do wonder if leaving Texas was far enough....

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by MC Fresh Breath

[Goredho 17,451]

You are being managed out.

[CooterBrown 18,038]

Just ran through the Canadian Express Entry permanent resident visa workflow for shits and giggles. With a class A career (almost any professional job), 50, with 3 family members in tow, I qualified easily. It takes 4-6 months to find out if you make the cut if anyone is interested. Only thing you seem to have to do before you apply is take an English language test even if it’s your native tongue.

[troph 24,916]

Previously was about 2-3 years from a summer place in CO MT or WY. Mountain town with good trout fishing. Wouldn’t do more then escape the July - September heat.

I still want to escape the heat but thinking now we need a blue state to protect our pending marriage and other rights. Sierras in CA including Tahoe/Truckee are currently top of my list. Truckee river is supposed to be world class fishing. Looking at Ojai and to a lesser extent Guerneville. If Tahoe/Truckee we would leave for the worst of the winter but call it home for basic rights. If it was Ojai I might never come back. Though I’d need a fishing fix and their summers top out in the low 90s so I’m sure they are hitting 100 now a days on occasion but I had no complaints when Austin was a 90s high temp climate.

Never imagined not being a Texan but the idea of weekend trips all over CA and saying fuck these Republican ass hats makes me tingle. 

I lay awake at night wondering what it’s like to live in a blue state where I can just live instead of fight.

Edited June 28, 2022 by troph