One of the major decisions I have to make this year, and if its going to be a yes, I need to start on so far is the question of my Citzenship. Despite the fact that I lived in the States for nearly 9 years I have not really considered to this question. There have been times it has crossed my mind, but, never really seriously.

The reason I am thinking about this year is for one reason only. That is the right to vote. Essentially as a "permanent resident" I have do not have many disadvantages compared to the Citizen. and of course, I still have to pay a ridiculously high rate of tax as a Citizen. I have always had as active interest in Politics from joining the Liberal party when I was a teenager back in Harltepool to being a member of the Liberal Society at University before quitting with the merger of the party with the Social Democrats and campaigning for Labour when living in London etc... The last two General elections over here I have followed assiduasly with a growing frustration with my lack of a franchise. Next year is the next General election, which at the moment looks as though it could be a very interesting event. I would like to be able to vote in it, so, now is the time to get moving.

There is one negative to the whole thing, which, to be perfectly honest, is more stubborness on my part than anything else. It is my total irratation and anger of the amnesty that illegel immigrants get. They get to break the law and avoid all the financial costs, and emotional stresses that is involved in doing it correctly. Even though, I was married to an American it was a long, stressful and occaisonally intimadating process, so why should those who do not do it corrrectly get to avoid these costs? The act of becoming a Citizen also involves more cost, hence, my so far not doing it, not, for the financial side of it, but, for the reasons I have stated above.

Does this mean that I will be giving up my Citizenship of the United Kingdom? Absolutely not. I would retain it as dual Citizen which is theoretically allowed. To not be a British Citizen I would need to formally renounce it at the British Embassy in Washington. I also do not want to cut off the opportunity to move back home. It is something that Jenn and I are open to if the opportunity comes, therefore, it would actually make sense to get US Citizenship before that point. Also, at the moment I would consider moving back to England at retirement. The primary reason for this would be Health Care. In the US the cost of this is ludicrously and in my opinion criminally high and out of reach of most people. In England we have the National Health System, which, although has many, many flaws, but, is still free. Who knows what the situation will be in thirty years, but, it is certainly something to think of even now.

At the moment I do not really know what I will do. At the moment I am leaning to "go for it",but, I am still not sure. I hope to have made a decision in the next month or so. I will post my decision, deliberations and the steps of the process on here as (if) I go through it.

-Richard