Ask HN: Europeans living in the US, where do you draw the line?
24 comments
·March 4, 2025ssgodderidge
> “Which point you can’t in good conscience stay”
I’m curious about this sentiment. Why would living in a place be condoning the international political actions of said place? If I move to Spain, I don’t automatically condone the government there. There are many reasons to live in a place, and politics is only one (hopefully less important than doing what’s right for family, job opportunities, etc).
Perhaps OP is suggesting the current events are bad enough to warrant leaving? Genuinely curious.
1over137
>Why would living in a place be condoning the international political actions of said place?
If you're a foreigner living and working in the USA you're funding their government via taxes, helping their economy with your labour, etc. Basically, you are aiding the enemy.
addandsubtract
Technically, taxes aren't going to the government anymore, so you're not helping their economy. You're funding the oligarchy.
PJones2000
Would any of these be problematic for you? The US withdrawing from NATO, behaving in an adversarial way to your home country/Europe? Allying with Russia over Europe?
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redeux
Surely domestic policy would be a larger motivator than international when deciding whether to stay or leave.
andix
Try to leave before the US turns into full blown authoritarian country. It's quite common during authoritarian regime change to close the borders at some point and don't let qualified workers leave any more.
From a moral perspective I don't see any new big issues staying in the US.
(I'm European, not living in the US)
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bavell
Why is this on HN?
ssgodderidge
And why is it on the main page?
andix
Bc it was upvoted.
harolddd
[flagged]
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mandmandam
Idk man. If the last 17 months (or the last 20+ years) wasn't gonna do it, what use is drawing a line at all?
America is deep into a terminal decline. Every system which could help it pull up is rotten. Its last slim chance at redemption was a few years ago; now the window is closed.
People can still make a living there, but not without feeding a beast which is looking to eat the world.
Juliate
I have several European friends East and West coast, mostly in tech.
They all started working towards packing/selling their house, going to Canada or back to Europe as soon as past November. Their (shared) hesitation first was not whether to move or not, but finding which country would be the easiest to accommodate to.
flashgordon
This. What is that country. I don't say it because I think us is the greatest but almost feels like every other countries is trying to emulate or become US wrt to crony capitalism. What is really left out there that will survive this all?
bergie
I used to spend quite a bit of time in the US. Left the day after Trump was elected the first time. No plans to go there again until sanity returns.
juanani
[dead]
thiago_fm
I'm a foreigner in Europe and my assumption is that people don't live in a country based on what the President or Federal government decides...
But what kind of life they have there.
If it gets much worse and start to affect them personally or the people they know (like a new Nazi regime), it's obvious that they will go back to where they live.
But if its stays the same way for themselves, they will continue living in America.
Life happens in the local level, not in the federal level.
Juliate
> people don't live in a country based on what the President or Federal government decides...
Depends A LOT on what they decide.
sylware
Huh? It seems for the next 4 years at least, 'staying' won't be their choice...
PJones2000
That wouldn't be ideal for FAANGs, but good for Europe.
raverbashing
Oh no can someone think of the FAANGs?
mschoch
[dead]
With recent political events, is there a red line at which point you can't in good conscience stay living in the US? Or are you happy to stay no matter what?