Former Pennsylvania police officer officer, Larry Hohol, has produced a video which exposes corruption in State of Pennsylvania regarding the case of New Yorker Robert Leone.
My plea with those who are planning to visit the United State that you realize that there are far greater risks with that country than just simply your fear of the IRS. The corruption is becoming systemic. At the end of the video, Mr. Hohol compares Pennsylvania to a Third World country. I laughed with bitter chagrin when he said that. Does anyone here believe that the United States isn’t already a police state?
[As a concession to Just Me’s being startled by the graphic photo of Robert Leone, I’ve moved the embed of the youtube video to after the “read more” click; Warning the video is somewhat graphic and violent, and the material may shock your pro-American sensibilities]
@ Sally–If you are still reading, may I recommend the Expat Forum? They actually cover some of the same topics as the Isaac Brock Society. There you will find a nice sanitized discussion that never strays from the topic. To this effect, they have strict rules at their tax forum (emphasis theirs): “Please limit your discussions to practical issues involving the tax laws that actually affect expats. We reserve the right to remove posts advocating extreme measures to avoid or evade taxation (such as renunciation), any illegal advice or suggestions and any political discussions of specific tax laws or procedures.” I think you would probably like the conversation there much better. They also have a full page of rules so that the discussion never bothers anyone’s sensibilities.
If the Expat Forum is not to your liking, I hope that you can find somewhere where you can discuss these issues where you will be happy.
I’m sorry that we didn’t make clear what the rules were here, so that it seemed like we gave you false impressions about what we do here. If you want, I can make to you a full refund.
We took our name from Isaac Brock, because he prepared Canada for war with the United States. This may have seemed like paranoia to some of the people that weren’t paying attention in his day, but when the armies came across the river, Isaac Brock became a hero. Our role is to make people aware of what is going on. Perhaps we can spare people a horrific experience just because they have decided to avoid the US or at very least the State of Pennsylvania. Cheers.
You know Sally, that’s a bit high and mighty of you to breeze out of here on a sour note like that. You didn’t have to read this thread if it disturbed your sensitivities that much and yet I have to think that because 99.9% of us who find our way to IBS get helpful information and valuable insight here, that you probably did too. (The .1% are the know-it-alls and I don’t think you are in that class.) You have every right to be defensive about America in the guise of deeming subjects such as the American Police State as being off track, but I hope you are at least somewhat grateful for whatever help or comfort you may have received from all the dedicated contributors and also the commenters at this site. (I often find just what I’m looking for in the comment section.)
I didn’t and probably won’t comment on the particular subject raised in this thread because as a Canadian I feel it would be a bit of pot-kettle-black and yet I have no qualms about pointing out the injustice, the idiocy and the inconsistency of America’s treatment of its outlanders and immigrants regarding taxation and the draconian penalties which come along with it. I might even take a jab at other aspects of the “American Way” which seems to be to smash as many countries as possible, in the least amount of time, for the poorest of excuses (there see, did just that).
Personally I want all the contributors free to post whatever they want because I trust their judgment and if something doesn’t sit quite right with me I will simply move on knowing the next topic will add to my understanding of and probably more to my outrage at this mess created by the US Congress and implemented the IRS.
On the 4th of July, as US citizens or descendants, it seems topical and relevant to consider the actions of the US, and weigh them against its purported and celebrated ideals. We have the right, and the obligation to be informed, critical and vigilant – that is the price of democracy. Other countries exhibit the same tendencies and actions, but the singular power of the US to do great harm, should come with the matching obligation for critical self-examination and restraint.
The further apart the behaviour and the stated sacred intent (as per the Constitution) the more egregious is the sin. It may very well be that the use of force, and misuse of power in general – ‘might is right’ perpetrated by the US, and turned inward on its own citizens , whether through unjust, punitive and discriminatory tax laws that bankrupt families, or through physical force, and abuse of police powers, this is a sign that it is getting out of control. I see a correlation between using drones to attack and obliterate ‘enemy’ targets – and the US acceptance of civilian deaths as ‘acceptable’ collateral damage, and the misuse and misapplication of laws like the Bank Secrecy Act, and other laws that wipe out ordinary citizens and families along with the intended criminal targets. Both are justified by saying that the end justifies the means. Power corrupts.
If a country mistreats its own citizens, then how much more likely it is that it will mistreat non-citizens? If the US abuses us with the misapplication of the power of the Congress and the IRS and Treasury, how much more will it be likely to misuse its power and extend it to the global financial structures?
The US is not exhibiting wisdom or restraint in pursuit of its goals – whether that be financial, or political, domestically or globally. It wields whatever power it has to rejig things to suit whatever group is at the helm.
If expats must suffer not being able to have bank accounts where they live, or are unable to use the same simple saving equivalents that US residents use, and duals are at risk of being obliterated by inadvertant errors on increasingly complex and punitive tax and ‘foreign’ asset reporting, we have seen that the US does not care. The GAO reported that the FATCA forms were confusing, and that it was expected that those reporting this year would make inadvertant errors – subject to the usual confiscatory and draconian fines. But the US went ahead anyway. They did not suspend the penalty structure in recognition of their own analysis. They spoke of their own cost and benefit for any adjustments – and in the language was explicit acceptance of whatever collateral damage might result for those individuals trying to comply with this first use of the FATCA form – regardless of the cost to those filers. If that is what they deem acceptable damage to filers who are trying to comply with the law, then what could anyone expect them to exhibit for those deemed ‘non-compliant’?
I think that there is a clear connection. Abuse of power happens everywhere, that is true, but that does not excuse the US. It must live up to what it espouses for others in the world. Otherwise, it should just drop the pretense to democracy.
The United Kingdom Is Doomed by a Perniciously Wimpy Form of Political Correctness
@JustMe: Add to the absurdities the Florida Lifeguard Fired For Helping Save a Drowning Man.
The good news is that after a public uproar, The Lifeguard Was Offered His Job Back. He’s not taking it.
*The US may not be police state like North Korea, but has increasing strayed from its founding principles.
Many recent laws have built-in presumption-of-guilt clauses, NDAA for example, and “rebutable presumption“ in the amendments to the tax codes
Application of draconian and extra-judicial punishment by appointed official, FBAR and FATCA fines, targeted killings in NDAA. Logically it is not a great from presumed guilt to on-the-spot punishment by police officers.
The increased use of adminstrative detention. Broadly defined administrative detention is incareration without charges and with the intent to deny access to the judicial system. This is authorized in NDAA, also used by DHS and border services. Even proof of US citizenship has not stopped border services for holding individuals for “determination of admissability“. Entering the US by bus can be scary. Typically three border patrol agents come on board, two with dogs, the other is stationed by the drivers seat with his gun drawn. We are allowed to take only a small purse or equivalent and our documentation off the bus, everything else remains on board to be examined by US officials, the process takes at least an hour and can be much longer.
Can anybody explaing how forcing US citizenship and taxation on accidental Americans differs from the impressment of American sailors by the British during the War of 1812?
@Rivka, this is why I say that this extraterritorial tax jihad is a casus belli (a provocation of war). But apparently my views are pretty unpopular these days.
@Rivka, Guns drawn and dogs! Holy Crow! I haven’t crossed on a bus in years. I remember when they seemed almost like Chamber of Commerce people, welcoming you to “have a good trip!” Sure, they’d inspect luggage; and you knew they had a lot of power/authority, but they didn’t flaunt it, so the border stop felt neutral to downright friendly. The whole process was just a routine thing. It is so weird how these countries were once so close and now this. Boy, do I miss the 20th century!
Speaking of thuggish customs personal…
http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/border-controls-are-back-in-europe/