I'm not sure why you got downvoted, but I have to agree.

At least a couple of employers I had in smaller towns in the midwest would treat employees like property, and would assume you would never (or be able to) leave. "You should be grateful to even have a job" was common.

As someone else who works in the Midwest U.S. you are absolutely correct on this. There are always opportunities to fill the void short-term if you decide to "pull the trigger" so to speak.

What Midwest are you talking about? It's the opposite - there are tons of jobs and not enough talented people to fill them.