US Senator Bill Nelson and his Senate colleagues are back up to their old tricks of trying to get a Passport revocation rule instated for back/unpaid taxes. This time they are trying to do it through enacting an amendment to the “Veteran Jobs Corps Act of 2012” which who could be against such a piece of legislation until of course you look at fine print and notice the provisions of the act that have nothing to do with veterans or jobs. The following Senators are Senator Nelson’s partners in crime so to speak on this issue:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [CT] – 9/10/2012
Sen Franken, Al [MN] – 9/11/2012
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] – 8/2/2012
Sen Merkley, Jeff [OR] – 9/10/2012
Sen Murray, Patty [WA] – 7/30/2012
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] – 9/10/2012
Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] – 9/10/2012
Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] – 8/2/2012
Link to legislation
*I live in Florida and I can assure you that I will not vote for Bill Nelson. On the issue of absentee voting the Miami Dade Council voted to pay the postage on absentee ballots rather than reuireng that voters afffix their own postage. There is the perception that some people with limited means are not mailing in their absentee ballots because of the cost of postage and that this will result in a better percentage of absentee ballots being voted and mailed in. The news made no mention of overseas voter postage since I don’t think the postal sstem is set up to handle “postage paid by recipient” when mailed outside of the US.
There have recently been some persons indited for voter faud for “helping” persons confined to nursing homes to vote and delivering their ballots to the voting headquarters. For some thime there has been a rule inforced that the same person cannot deliver more that two ballots personally to the voting headquarters.
Absentee ballots must arrive by mail or be delivered personally to the voting headquarters. They cannot be taken or otherwise to the delivered to the voting precinct on election day, with one exception. That exception allows the absentee ballot to be delivered by not counted if the person voting personally appears and votes in person.The absentee ballot form must be delivered to be invalidated in order to vote in person. In this case the person is allowed to vote personally.
The mailing envelope containing the absentee ballot is provided with the absentee ballot and it must be signed and dated on the outside in order to be counted. Signatures are compared with the voter’s signature on record in the voting registration. If they don’t compare, then the vote is disualified from being counted. It is my understanding that this is very carefully controlled to prevent unscrupulous persons from collecting absentee ballots at for example nursing homes and doing the voiting themelves.
or fax to 352-xxx-xxxx*.
To mail your voted absentee ballot and Voter’s Certificate to the supervisor of elections:
a. Place your marked ballot in a secrecy envelope / secrecy sleeve. If the ballot was mailed to you by the supervisor of elections, use the secrecy sleeve sent to you. If your ballot was faxed to you or sent by electronic mail, place your marked ballot in an unmarked envelope and seal the envelope.
b. Insert the secrecy envelope inside a separate mailing envelope. If the ballot was mailed to you, use the mailing envelope provided and fill out the Voter’s Certificate on the back. If the ballot was faxed to you or sent by electronic mail, place the sealed secrecy envelope and the completed Voter’s Certificate in another envelope for mailing. Do not seal the Voter’s Certificate in the secrecy envelope with the ballot. Clearly mark the mailing envelope “Absentee Ballot Enclosed”. =============
It is a felony under Florida law to accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote for a candidate.
*News in this morning’s Miami Herald is that the FBI is “interviewing” absentee ballot brokers in the suburban Miami city of Haialeah. Indeed ballot tampering is a Federal felony. I suspect, reading between the lines, that political candidates who were funding thes absentee ballot brokers may face serious charges. Right now they are gathering evidence. Where there is smoke there is most likely fire.
Screwing Private Ryan…
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-20-2012/screwing-private-ryan
The political game in DC, is so disingenuous, that it gives Stewart endless satire fodder.
No mention that the funding source was also passport confiscation, but than again, will any bill in congress, you can never mention all the various provisions or your show would be a 24 hour marathon.
@thank you Just Me
I missed that episode last night. For those in Canada, it’s available on the Comedy Network at about 3:45:
http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/thedailyshow?videoPackage=123899
It shows John Stewart’s efforts in actively spreading ignorance.
Read the Congressional record attached to the rollcall whose link posted in a previous post. Mr Sessions informed the Senate they have already known that it is unconstituional for the Senate to introduce a bill which raises revenues (House of Reps are required to do such), and they have known from the beginning that the entire effort was a known waste of time.
The 60 40 thing was a (planned?) sham, where they had to vote to dismiss their own requirement they have upon themselves for not creating more spending. It failed. It was set up to fail so as to create an underdog situation. Like bombing your own troops and blaming it on the enemy so as to gain the greater media war. Then the Senate just sits quietly……..
The troops have been fragged, the perpetrators remain silent, now hand over the story to John Stewart.
So, screwing expats is fully known, and it is used as a political tool to make the democrats look like poor underdogs, and spread through powerful media progranda.
Make a quick check and you will find that John Stewart reports directly to Heinrich Goebbels in the current administration.
ps . The funding was not buried in the text—just like the HIRE act it was THE significant funding source and was fully debated in committee and the floor.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00193
*@all,
You may recall I sent Senator Bill Nelson an email urging him to withdraw his
support for the bill he introduced to suspend the validity of their passports
for any US citizen who allegedly has a $50,000 debt to the IRS. This letter is posted earlier on ths blog.
I am pleased to let you know that today I received an email reply from Senator Nelson. . It is quite
obvious that he was deeply moved by my plea. Here’s his reply:
“Dear
Mr. Conklin:
Thank
you for contacting me regarding provisions to revoke the passports of US
citizens who are delinquent on their taxes. I appreciate your taking the time to
be involved and informed about matters important to Florida and our
nation.
Please
know that I will keep your views in mind.
If you have any other concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me in the
future.
Sincerely,
Bill
Nelson”
His reply serves to confirm my decision to vote for his opponent, Congressman
Connie Mack, in the upcoming election in November. His bumper sticker is on my car.
*Roger Conklin, Congressman Connie Mack’s staff told me that they won’t do jack doodly squat for Americans abroad during their campaign for Senate. Thus, I can’t do jack doodly squat for Congressman Connie Mack either since I won’t vote for a lesser or greater evil. At the going rate, I’ll be sending in an empty ballot. Would you like to ask Congressman Connie Mack why he feels that Americans living abroad should or should not renounce their US citizenship?
@MarkTwain: re “The funding was not buried in the text—just like the HIRE act it was THE
significant funding source and was fully debated in committee and the
floor.” Says it all.
*@SwissPinoy, I had a chance to talk to Connie Mack when he was in Miami a few weeks back. We could not discuss the subject in depth because there were several others that wanted to bend his ear, but he did hear me out when Idiscussed the facts of live with respect to the unique-to-th-US citizenship based taxationand the way it has both destroyed American jobs and the lives of loyal Americans living abroad who, with FATCA, FBAR, etc. can’t survive. I had is undivided attention for those few minutes and we looked each other straight in the eye as we talked.
I am not suprised that he is not going to mention the subject during the campaign because it is so far off the radar of the average voter that he must concentrate on higher visibility issues to win the election. Will he actually do anything about it if he is elected? I wish I could be sure, but one thing I am sure of is that Nelson, if re-elected, will work to make things worse for Americans abroad.
He has already demonstrated that with his re-introduction of the passport cancellation bill. That’s why my vote will be cast for Mack. An absention would, in my opinion, be a vote for Nelson. I met with one of Nelson’s staff members the last time I was in Washington with the ACA-AARO group. We were received as a courtsey, but that’s all.
*”he must concentrate on higher visibility issues to win the election”
Politicians demand that we be “represented” in the states while expressing, at the same time, such statements which show that we are excluded from representation. It only takes 5 minutes for Connie Mack to list an issue relevant to Americans abroad on his campaign web site. Yet, neither Connie Mack nor any other political clown in the US is willing to give Americans living abroad 1 second during a political campaign. It is their duty and responsibility to represent us, as they insist, and yet they are unwilling to do what they require of themselves.
This shows that Americans abroad have absolutely no representation
and that it is an act of great American honor to renounce US
citizenship. America can only be proud when Americans abroad renounce
their US citizenship under the given circumstances.
Maybe I’ll vote for the Connie Mack clown, since he’s not the Bill Nelson clown. Yet, in either case, I’ll still be voting for a clown who will accomplish more silliness.
*On his web site, Connie Mack writes:
“I have spent my career in the U.S. Congress trying to expose individuals
like Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez for his oppression of the Venezuelan
people”
Why doesn’t he spend his career in U.S. Congress trying to expose Bill Nelson for his oppression of the American people abroad? Aren’t Americans more important for US politicians than Venezuelans?
Roger Conklin, the only reason why Connie Mack is giving you an ear is because he is the weaker politician who desperately needs your vote, but he is unwilling to spend 5 minutes to write about issues concerning Americans abroad on his campaign page.
Once again Mr. Conklin hits the nail on the head. If the Republicans were to utter a signal word of defense to the emigrant crowd, they would become instant fish food for Bill Nelson’s support base, John Stewart, and the talented young media-benders that are naturally attracted to Barry and his Band of Merry Men.
However, I just posted my $2 contributions to Connie Mack and baseball Mitt, pointed out that they have totally missed the opportunity of showing the public how the dems are screwing US citizens, lost their opportunity to be be viewed as underdogs fighting for the rights of normal people, and how all citizens abroad are waiting for someone to lead.
If baseball Mitt’s strategists were half as good as Barry’s (they aren’t), they would know that such a message should not be carried by Connie or Mitt, they could just feed the info to friendly media and let them have a go at it.
I also continually mention Swisspinoy’s point, that I (and other emigrants) have the option of not voting or voting for Ron Paulish candidates. I have even chopped up a flag with Bill Nelson and Obamas name on it and sent it to them, with absolutely no response,
However, they might just be waiting for the swat team to get into position.
You will be happy to know, that just today, in a quick email check, I heard back from one of my Senators, Patty Murray on this long dead subject! Made me laugh, and recognize how worthless individual letter writing or email is in getting attention. They can not keep up, as they are too busy campaigning.
Obviously, now that the election is over, some one is going through the inbox, doing the mass form reply process, so as to seem responsive. Never mind, that the issue was closed long ago.
@just me
Wouldn’t you have rather received nothing, than to know now without a doubt that they are completely out of touch and don’t give a damn about the real issues?
In the words of Mark Twain: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt”.
*@bubblebustin, Mark Twain was on solid ground with these words, having as his support the words generally attributed to King Solomon as recorded in Proverbs 17:28: “Even a fool, when he hideth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteh his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (KJV)