"...Americans are planning to flee in droves, and then will realise they don't have a passport, don't know any foreign languages, and don't know how to get around without a car and will ultimately just stay put."
An example of latent american exceptionalism is that Americans (and articles like this written by them) seem to insinuate that Americans have leave to just enter and live in any country they wish, at any time, and live there for nothing more than booking a flight; that the receiving country will roll out the red carpet upon arrival and wipe their ass with silk, simply because they're American.
Immigrating to a desirable country is usually a tedious and long process. Their acceptance of you for a long term visa will depend on many aspects of yourself and what you have to offer, not simply because there is a big splayed eagle on the cover of your passport.