Cross posted from RenounceUScitizenship
Hot off the press from Phil Hodgen!! – Is this what one would expect from a narcissist?
The Internal Revenue Code uses the word “expatriate” to specifically refer to someone who goes through a process of terminating U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status. This is what you will find in Sections 877 and 877A of the Internal Revenue Code. Yes, it is a lazy and ego-centric way for the U.S. government to approach the world: “A word means only what we say it means.”
The most reasonable, vocal, articulate,justified andmarketable – “Anti-Americanism” comes from U.S. citizens abroad isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/06/16/u-s…
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 16, 2012
In an early post: Nationalistic Narcissism and U.S. citizenship – Being a U.S. citizen is like having a narcissist for a parent – I suggested that the United States is a narcissist. On the most minimal level, narcissism includes the belief that everything and everybody should revolve around the narcissist. Anybody who has ever known a narcissist knows that narcissists do not recognize personal boundaries. To put it another way, a narcissist sees everybody as an extension of the narcissist – i.e cannot accept that other people are autonomous individuals. Although I am not suggesting that Wikipedia is extremely authoritative, I note the following comment:
According to Hotchkiss,[8]narcissists do not recognize that they have boundaries and that others are separate and are not extensions of themselves. Others either exist to meet their needs or may as well not exist at all. Those who provide narcissistic supply to the narcissist will be treated as if they are part of the narcissist and be expected to live up to those expectations. In the mind of a narcissist there is no boundary between self and other.
As one ex put it, “If you had firm boundaries in the face of a narcissist, the relationship wouldn’t last”.[9]
Narcissistic people cannot see others as autonomous individuals. Narcissistic countries cannot see other countries as autonomous, sovereign countries. As a narcissistic country, the United States does not and cannot treat other countries as sovereign countries. There are many examples which include:
1. Sending drones into the airspace of other sovereign nations and killing people within those borders – Welcome to the world of the “Obama Kill List”
2. Citizenship-based taxation which “loots the treasuries” of other sovereign nations – for an example of “looting”, see how a PFIC works. Citizenship-based taxation may be a violation of international law.
3. The requirements of Mr. FBAR which require the disclosure of private information of both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens to the U.S.
4. FATCA which is designed to force foreign banks to comply with IRS requirements and comply with those requirements at the expense of the local bank.
5. The extraterritorial application of U.S. law to other sovereign nations – which the U.S. allows to the extent that it is authorized by Congress
A few nights I watched Piers Morgan interview former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. He made the point that under no circumstances would the U.S. allow other countries enter its airspace with drones designed to kill people within the borders of the U.S.
The conduct of the Unites States of America is premised on one simple principle:
Do what I say and NOT what I do! – AKA Hypocrisy Inc.
Amazingly – and just on cue – while I was writing this post – the following tweet appeared:
China insinuates US hypocrisy Facts agree – The United States government has continuously and unapologetically given… ow.ly/1kAV1g
— Simon Black (@thesovereignman) June 16, 2012
Sovereign Man identifies one example. There are so many examples of U.S. hypocrisy that it is impossible to list them.
How else can one explain that the U.S. imposes the tyranny of citizenship-based taxation on its own citizens, but the U.S. supports a UN resolution to sanction Eritrea for the same thing?
How else can one explain that the U.S. attempts to impose the Jackson-Vanek Act on other nations, but does not comply with it itself? (The Jackson-Vanek Act disallows normal trade relations with non-market economy countries which “impose more than a nominal tax on emigration or … on any citizen as a consequence of the desire of such citizen to emigrate”.) The U.S. imposts a massive exit tax on its citizens.
Living with the Narcissist
As many Marines would day:
“The difficult we do today, the impossible takes a little longer!”
Kris Kristofferson once said that the United States is the biggest problem in the world. A narcissist does not see others as independent autonomous beings. Since true friendship presumes respect for the dignity of the other, it is difficult for a narcissist to have friends. In the same way that it is difficult for a narcissistic person to have friends, it is difficult for a narcissistic country to have friends. There is no doubt that the U.S. is a narcissist. Although it is possible for a narcissist to be liked, it is unlikely. A narcissist would have to work extra hard to be liked.
It follows as both a matter of logic and fact that, there are many people and countries who do not like the U.S. To be fair, every country is disliked by somebody. But, for many people and countries, it it is NOT sufficient to simply “not like” the U.S. There are many who actively hate the U.S. Now to be clear, to “not like” somebody is a thought. To “hate” somebody or something is an emotion. In the final analysis, “hatred” is a very damaging emotion and particularly damaging to the person who is the hater. It is an emotion that must be overcome. To use the language of Coretta Scott King:
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.”
Since 2011 the United States has been preoccupied with people who “hate” America. The U.S. is willing to spend lots of energy and money defending itself from people who (according to the U.S.) hate it. The U.S. seems to have no interest in understanding – as was analyzed by Sardar and Davies in their excellent book – Why People Hate America. Yet, the U.S.has spent untold amounts of money in wars and homeland security (whatever that is). Wars and security cost lots and lots of money. The best financial investment in the future of America would to become more liked in the world. To be “better liked” necessitates recognizing the sovereignty of other nations. The U.S. seems (like most narcissists) to believe that they are liked. Not so!!
U.S. behavior and foreign policy seems to recognize only two kinds of countries:
1. Those countries where it feels that it is to its advantage to do things to; and
2. Those countries where it feels that it is to its advantage to do things for.
The world is “black and white” and from a U.S. perspective, “You’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists (whoever these terrorists may be). (These two extremes are also characteristic of people suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder.)
Sooner or later the rest of the world will say “enough is enough”. FATCA is a huge problem for the rest of the world. The rest of the world should simply swallow the “short term pain” of not complying with FATCA in exchange for the “long term gain” of being free of the world’s biggest narcissist! Sooner or later the link to the narcissist must be broken.
Why not start now?
This is the first of a series of posts where I will suggest how the world in general and Canada in particular should “deal with the narcissist”.
This week, for the first time I heard two representatives of the Canadian Banking system, Terry Campbell-President of the CBA and Shaun Rickerby of TD Waterhouse, calling for Canadians and banking institutions to stand up against FATCA. I believe (hope) that this marks a tipping point in Canada.
@bubblebustin
For reasons that I am going to explain in my next post I believe that Canada is “Ground Zero” for resistance to FATCA. If Canada does not publicly oppose FATCA (world perception is that Canada and the U.S. are joined at the hip), I believe that the other countries will realize that resistance is not futile.
Frankly, the implications of FATCA are so severe, that the rest of the world must decide:
1. Do we want one world government – the U.S.
2. Do we want sovereign nations to continue to exist.
*I concur with the subject in the article. It is not something new, I have felt it for a long time. Being that it has been my own country, there are some emotional reactions: -that it is things that are happening to someone else, and that I always need to verbally defend my country.
FATCA is a new step into a new territory. Whereas previous administrations had done as you mentioned to other people, the current administration has upped it another level—it is doing it upon its own citizens (me).
Throughout history, the worst perpetrators have been the wanna-be’s. Billary and Barry have wanted to rise to the level of Patriots and show that their party can one-up the previous and protect the homeland and fight the terrorists and tax evaders better than the previous. And now they have.
The current administration and its party have succeeded to define citizens outside of its borders as scum. This is me. For this, I now have stopped defending the actions mentioned and have become a true Vietnam dissenter and FATCA exposer.
@renounceuscitizenship;
re: “Frankly, the implications of FATCA are so severe, that the rest of the world must decide:
1. Do we want one world government – the U.S.
2. Do we want sovereign nations to continue to exist.”
Thank you for setting that forth. I think you’re on to something – i.e. that FATCA, a US creation, subject to US domestic whims in the future, and US enforcement, in the economic realm is a form of world domination. And Canada must resist, (in that realm, and in the ‘cross-border’ ‘security’ realm) because I believe Canada will be swallowed up otherwise. This is not coming from my current personal relationship to the issue. I have always tried to say to single-citizenship Canadians that Canada gives away it’s assets to the US with regularity, and cedes sovereignty in many ways – far too often and too easily. When ‘free’ trade was being discussed, it was apparent to me that Canada would never be able to get the upper, or even a fair hand in the deal.
If Canada’s banking/asset and border security sovereignty, are subject to laws imposed from without, designed and controlled by those with no vested interest in Canada’s wellbeing, and with no real Canadian power to intervene in the process (and any future developments), then Canada has been made into an annexed colony of the US.
FATCA isn’t something that the world got together and agreed would be a good idea. It has no ‘democratic’ mechanism whereby the countries affected decide together on how it will proceed. No non-US means of appeal or redress. The country – by – country approach of the current US tax treaties – and their serious flaws and drawbacks – like the ‘savings’ clause, or the other conflicts with local laws or local systems of taxation, already shows that on the far larger scale of FATCA, we can expect only vastly more of the same severe problems for those subjected to US narcissism and selfishness.
We already have an example of what the US does on its own when it shuns the UN, or disregards it, or refuses to pay its UN dues. The US will act unilaterally whenever it decides to, with little or no checks and balances. Can the world banking system afford to let it do this unopposed via FATCA in the financial sector?
You are right. This is the beginning of the one world = US government. And it’s not getting much press. Everyday, I check, and nary a mention of FATCA in 2 of the largest national media outlets here. There is something really wrong.
@Mark Twain
Great comment. “Anti-Americanism” has (at least in my lifetime) been a given. Although it has been found among citizens everywhere, it has been pretty much restricted to non-U.S. citizens.
Now, for the first time, the Obama government has created conditions where the most reasonable, most vocal, most articulate, most justified and at the end of the day – most marketable – “Anti-Americanism” comes from U.S. citizens abroad. Some of it is dislike but I sense that a lot of it is hate.
This is not good for the United States. But, I don’t think the U.S. can be turned around. It can’t learn and can’t listen. It is a prisoner to its own narcissism which makes it impossible to conceive of a world that is at variance with its own.
I could imagine a situation as follows – day 50 years down the road:
A United States of America that is just like the North Korea of today. All it will have is its weapons of mass destruction. Like the North Korea of today it will still believe it is the biggest, the baddest the best.
That’s when happens when have no friends and the only real question is of your non-friends: what is the ratio of those who don’t like you to those why actually hate you.
@mark twain “Now, for the first time, the Obama government has created conditions where the most reasonable, most vocal, most articulate, most justified and at the end of the day – most marketable – “Anti-Americanism” comes from U.S. citizens abroad.”
That’s a keeper, VERY eloquently put!
*@Badger
Well as you might expect I agree and feel VERY STRONGLY about this. It’s as though we are at, what Malcom Gladwell would define, as a “Tipping Point”.
When it comes to Canadian Politics I have always been on the “right” (no pun intended) of the political spectrum. But at this moment I actually would trust the NDP more on the issue of Canada’s sovereignty. This is no joke! It is unbelievable to me that people don’t see the horror story that is about to unfold.
When the history of this is written – I am convinced that Canada will be seen to have played THE leading role in opposing FATCA one way or the other.
As I say, if Canada says NO to FATCA, there WILL be other countries that follow – this is a guarantee. If Canada acquiesces in this, it is more likely that other countries will as well. It is to bad that none of the political parties are making this an issue.
This is Canada’s moment to direct the future of the world. If I were you I would Thomas Mulcair on the phone!
I would add that the banks need to understand that if they co-operate with this, it will be very costly. It would be good for Canadians to come together to actually create a “FATCA Free Credit Union”.
For far to long the US have seen themselves as a special nation. Canadians have fallen into the same trap by always comparing themselves to the United States for to long. But I think times are changing, Americans are starting to wake up to the fact that they are one nation among many, the debt limit debate helps some realize that not only are there other nations in the world, but America cannot even pay it’s own bills and has been borrowing money form others nations to survive. Canadians, Americans and the rest of the world will soon see that the US is just another nation and will demand it plays by the same rules.
@mark twain and @bubblebustin. Love that quote too. And I’d add that as we discuss this threat (FATCA, extra-territorial taxation, American exceptionalism/imperialism) with our children, our non-US family, and our US families, we are using a person to person technique that influences others to cement the same position.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_of_mouth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word-of-mouth_marketing
*What are the conditions for getting citizenship in Canada?
*Well, to balance out the discussion a bit more, I can relate an eye opening story from my personal experience..
Where I live, I had once broken into a sh_ttalking story about a different narcissist/nationalist nation, and I caught myself being nationalistic in my own sh_t talk. I went backwards to explain (I believe Barry once said similar), that every country believes that it is the best in its own way (I have seen this in nearly every country I have visited). This led to an argument, where my opponent’s position was that his own country was the best at believing that it wasn’t the best (hence confirming my hypothesis). He even came up with an example to support his hypothesis.
The nationalism and narcism is harmless like any bullying. When it is directed at someone else, it isn’t taken so seriously.
When you are being bullied often by the people where you live, it is very uncomfortable. When you get bullied also by your home country, it becomes intolerable.
@renounce, I can hardly wait for your next installment, esp the chapter about how Canada wins the war!
@Renounce…
Interestingly constructed blog post. Thanks for articulating it.
I do agree the emphasis on Narcissistic characterization of US behavior is certainly justified by a long history of unilateral actions without regard to other countries sovereignty or nary a thought of the unintended consequences of the actions. But unlike a childhood bully who usually responds meekly to a bloody nose, when they push too far, this one just gets more vindictive, if 9/11 is any guide. And frankly, the rest of the world just allows its behavior to continue unabated even in other non war like related activities as evidenced with the FATCA capitulation that is occurring now.
Sadly, I do feel these unilateral and hubristic actions of Congress do fuel hate, and HATE has terrible repercussions and blow back. I am sure FBAR/OVDI/FATCA initiatives (FOF) were not created with the sole purpose of alienating Americans abroad, or hammering new immigrants. It wasn’t designed to piss them off, but it is certainly has had that effect amongst those that aren’t either ignoring it, going under ground, or denying it’s existence.
Who knows what the negative multiplier effect will be of those that fight back, (probably a small minority) or what hatred it does generate amongst those are harmed either actually or in perception, and are unable to control their emotions. We don’t need more fanatic crazies out there reacting in stupid ways, but it happens when folks get pushed too far. Remember that guy that flew his plane in the the Austin IRS center.
I try to avoid those feelings as consciously as I can, even when I feel them welling up from the non rational emotional depths of outrage I feel when I see other innocents in America get hurt by other unintended consequences of misguided legislation. And there are many other examples that are not just from this FOF folly either. Look at the Dream Act end run just announced by Obama. I am sure there will be victims from this too, as well intentioned as it seems at first blush.
It is a truism that Hate hurts you more than the object of your hatred. So one always has to be mindful of that. Instead, I suppress it. I try to tone down my rants. Take deep breaths and attempt to be more measured, while continuing to channel my emotions into the “Warn” side of my CCW mantra these days. Comply, Complain and Warn. I know many others here are using the R letter (renunciation) as a replacement for comply. I get that. I respect that. Had I have lived outside the US borders longer, or had dual citizenship, I probably would be in the same mode right now. Who knows what the future holds, but I don’t totally rule out the “R” possibility either.
@Just Me,
As has been noted here repeatedly; there would be far less reason for intense opposition and fear, and far fewer using or contemplating R, if the demands and conditions had been more ‘reasonable’ in scope, and application. Lots of people complain but comply when given the ability to do so.
But compliance or ‘trial by ordeal’, forever and ever till death do us part (or not, via our estates) plus:
– zero US tax owed in most cases, (an ordeal with no rational meaning or logic or constructive result)
plus
– lifetimes or longterm living permanently outside the US, with non-US allegiances/citizenships and family
plus
– no ability to effectively save for ourselves and our families because of the punitive, costly, and discriminatory treatment of our registered savings options,
plus
– incomprehensible rules and forms, making them too onerous and too costly, and too fraught with peril for those trying to figure out and comply with all the complex, mysterious, labyrinthine requirements without inadvertent errors.
EQUALS TRIAL by ORDEAL
“Trial by ordeal is a judicial practice by which the guilt or
innocence of the accused is determined by subjecting them to an
unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In some cases, the accused are
considered innocent only if they survive the test or if their injuries
heal.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_ordeal If a US citizen abroad survives drowning when bound and thrown into the pond, then they didn’t owe any US tax or FBAR penalties – and so will be issued only a ‘letter of warning’?
Or the variant “an accused who sank was considered innocent, while floating indicated witchcraft.”
Thus, one way or the other, “floggings will continue until morale improves”.
And we will continue to try and minimize the pain and injury in whatever individual ways each one of us can/must live with. But it will leave scars, and scars are a permanent record of the source and cause of a serious injury.
What rational person inside the US, can expect any good result from subjecting their ‘fellow citizens’ to a big taste of taxation-by-ordeal trials designed especially for those abroad?
@badger… You are preaching the choir. 🙂 I said I get it!
But not everyone is in a position to renounce, or if they are, are actually going to do it! For those in the Comply by Complain mode, than Warnings have to be part of the strategy to prevent future entrapment of the innocent or the unwary! So, WARN I do, even when my wife tells me to shut up! LOL
*That’s what makes it so evil. Each spending bill for all the things wanted by the majority (the 98%’ers) must be funded. But they won’t pay for it and it needs to be justified. The money is taken from those farthest away who are not in the room. The rational person is a thief.
US citizenship has a defect, citizenship-based taxation, that we have a civic duty to disclose to those who may not be aware of its danger!
Just an aside here. Re Canadian OVDI submissions, my lawyer told me there’s ‘Some talk of “holding ” CDN filings until they get it together.’
Sounds like a lot of political maneuvering going on.
I know @Just Me, re:”You are preaching the choir.
I said I get it!”
It gets the better of me. Sometimes I feel like I’m suffocating, like my life doesn’t belong to me anymore, and there is no escape. I wonder why the sun is still shining, and why only I am shackled, whereas all the others around me – are not (which is good) – but it is so illogical and so random that it feels cancerous and I can’t rein it in.
@badger, persecution will make a person feel that way, and you are not alone. I feel ripped off in being a 2nd class Canadian and betrayed by a country that I once had some pride in being a citizen of. I hope that Canada is working to help all of its citizens because my anger will turn to depression if they aren’t.
badger and bubblebustin,
I understand it entirely, now the question is how do you get others that don’t care to understand. I am using the Warn mode via Twitter as my main social network outlet, (don’t do facebook) plus every news story I can find to comment online. My wife stops me when it comes to strangers on the street… LOL but when her back is turned or I am left alone… watch out
!!
*Considering that I have personally had a toxic relationship with an actual “narcissistic” parent, I have to say that this determination is not very far off at all. I have suffered financially from my own parent, as well as emotional duress. This bulls*** from the US Government is eerily similar.
@just me, I am on Facebook and go to any group that has anything to do with US immigration and post the straight goods. A couple of times I heard back from people wanting to know more. Remember, bad news travels fast. We have that to our advantage.
*It is also a sad state of affairs in the United States of America, that the only politician and political pundit that makes any sense whatsoever is an ex-wrestler, ex-US Navy UDT, that has been hit in the head so many times with steel chairs in the course of his wrestling career that he should be sitting in a rubber room drooling. Yet he makes the most sense of any politician out there. He is bringing to light the damaging ways that US foreign policy is inflicting on other parts of the world. But of course, because of his wrestling career, he will not be taken seriously, no matter how many years he served his country in the uniform of the United States Navy.
@Just Me, I far prefer your pro-active keep-them-from-the-quicksand-and-minefield warnings, which has probably saved many a wretch in panic from making a rash and ill-considered decision.
Your efforts to counter the panic, stand in contrast to the after the fact IRS ‘letter of warning’ I referred to in my previous post above, which was the after-we’ve-sucked-you-into-the-pit type noted here: http://federaltaxcrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/05/irs-warning-letters-may-be-sufficient.html “The IRS may send a warning letter in lieu of asserting penalties for
failure to file a Form TD F 90-22.1, “Report of Foreign Bank and
Financial Accounts,” if it would be sufficient to bring the individual into compliance, an IRS official said May 17.
Matthew Dalton, IRS May Issue Warning Letters on FBARs Instead of Penalties, 2012 TNT 97-3 (5/18/12).”
An effective amnesty effort on the part of the US, could include issuing warning letters rather than FBAR penalties if the IRS really wanted to bring people ‘into compliance’.
Or even more effective, build some type of proactive assistance and information campaign into their plans BEFORE the floggings.
But because of the essential narcissism, they disrespect the rights and lives of others in sovereign nations (like those born or naturalized dual, and longterm residents), and dismiss the realities of our lives – which don’t revolve around the US.
@The_Animal.
Your not talking about Jesse are you? 🙂