Chuck Bolotin writes in The Street about where you can go and Panama in number one!!
Every election cycle, we hear about U.S. citizens who say that they will leave the country if a particular candidate becomes president. Their reasons and status may vary widely from election to election.
“In 2004 people moved to Boquete (Panama) because they disliked George Bush and had money, while in 2008 people moved to Boquete because they disliked Barack Obama and had no money,” said Phil McGuigan, who moved from the U.S. to Boquete, a popular expat community, albeit for non-political reasons.
It’s difficult to know which candidate would cause the largest overseas migration, although we can get some idea via a Google search of “Move abroad if [fill in the blank] is elected.” Here are the hits Google generated for each candidate:
- Donald Trump: 316,000
- Hilary Clinton: 292,000
- Bernie Sanders: 241,000
- Ted Cruz: 233,000
While the volatile Trump and controversial Clinton stir the strongest response, Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz are not that far behind.
While there is no credible data on how many Americans move overseas primarily for political reasons, the evidence suggests that an increasing number are moving abroad. Their motives probably differ.
According to the United Nations Secretariat, as of 1999, about 4.3 million U.S. citizens lived outside the U.S., while according to a more recent brochure published by the U.S. State Department, in May 2015, that number was 8.7 million.
Which location would be best for you if you didn’t like an electoral outcome? Here’s are five countries that offer a great quality of life at reasonable prices.
Panama
Must Read: 4 Advantages for Americans Living Abroad
Panama has several established, large expat communities, such as Boquete, with its famous spring-like temperatures year-round, and beach town Coronado, which is about 90 minutes from Panama City.
Panama has experienced solid economic growth for more than a decade, and in many areas is not a third world country. It has a stable democracy, it’s easy to start a business in Panama, the U.S. dollar is the legal currency, and Panama City has emerged as a sophisticated, international trading hub that many compare to Miami. It also has world-class health care at generally less than half the cost of the US.
Panama has an attractive visa and discount program for retirees, for which it is easy to qualify. The country is welcoming.
Although Spanish is the official language of Panama, if you don’t speak Spanish, you can get by with English in daily life in many of the better-known areas. Also, Panama is close to the U.S., just 2 ½ hours from Miami and five hours from New York by plane. So if you want to visit friends and relatives, you can get to the U.S. quickly.