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This is exactly what we mean by a “Boring Dystopia” – watching citizenship become a luxury product with a $5M price tag while millions face deportation. No dramatic collapse, just the quiet normalization of a system where rights depend on wealth. The American Dream now comes with a very specific minimum investment requirement, and apparently “very nice” oligarchs are welcome.
Meanwhile, people who’ve worked here for decades, paid taxes, and built communities are being removed. The contrast couldn’t be clearer – the system wasn’t designed for most of us. This is why finding alternative paths to freedom matters more than ever.
In a textbook example of our boring dystopia in action, the US government has announced a new visa program dubbed the “Trump Gold Card” that will allow wealthy foreigners to essentially purchase American citizenship for approximately $5 million.
What’s Happening
President Trump announced the program from the Oval Office, stating it would begin in about two weeks and provide a “route to citizenship” for “wealthy people” who will be “spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes.”
When asked if Russian oligarchs would be eligible, Trump responded, “Yeah, possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people.”
The Commerce Secretary added that all applicants would be “thoroughly vetted” to ensure they were “wonderful, world-class global citizens.”
Why This Is Dystopian
This development perfectly encapsulates the Boring Dystopia we live in for several reasons:
- Two-Tiered Immigration System: While the administration aggressively deports millions of undocumented immigrants (many of whom have lived and worked in the US for decades), it simultaneously creates a golden ticket for the ultra-wealthy. The message is clear: your worth as a potential American is directly tied to your bank account.
- Commodification of Citizenship: The program transforms citizenship from a right or privilege into a luxury product available for purchase. What was once a reflection of shared values and community belonging is now explicitly for sale.
- Corruption Potential: The vague vetting process and open invitation to “oligarchs” raises serious questions about money laundering and the potential influx of questionable wealth into the US political system.
- Rewriting American Values: As political comic Jason Selvig pointed out, this effectively rewrites the famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty from “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” to “Give me your tired, your rich, your huddled masses of oligarchs.”
- Normalization of Plutocracy: This policy doesn’t even attempt to hide its preferential treatment of the wealthy – it celebrates it openly, treating as normal what would have seemed shockingly plutocratic just a few years ago.
The Boring Part
What makes this truly part of our “boring” dystopia is how matter-of-factly it’s being presented. There’s no dramatic dystopian soundtrack playing in the background – just a press conference, some policy papers, and another step toward a system where money determines all rights and privileges. The erosion of equality happens not with a revolution, but with bureaucratic announcements from government offices.
This is precisely why finding your own path outside the conventional system matters more than ever. When citizenship itself becomes a premium product with a luxury price tag, it’s clear the game is rigged in favor of those who already have wealth and power.
Source: Recent news reports, February 2025
