I came across this article while looking for expat news to tweet. I know we’ve discussed American exceptionalism quite a bit and could easily blame most of this lack of knowledge on indifference (“Hey, who cares, everybody knows America is the greatest place on earth, why should I care or bother about anybody/anyplace else?”) but the author gives perplexing statistics that really surprised me.
In addition to Sarah Palin claiming she could see Russia from her house (see http://www.snopes.com/politics/palin/seealaska.asp for explanation of how SNL involved in creating misquote) and Paul Ryan referring to Canada as “overseas,” maybe it’s not such a big jump???
“A 2007 study conducted by a George Washington University researcher showed that our seeming indifference about other countries and cultures begins at a very early age in American school systems.” Among some of the findings (emphases mine):
- 25 percent of U.S. high school students who were bound for college couldn’t name the ocean that lies between California and Asia
- 80 percent of the surveyed students didn’t know that India is the world’s largest democracy
- 80 percent of the surveyed students couldn’t point out places like Israel on a global map
A separate 2012 survey conducted by the nonprofit education company World Savvy, along with the International Baccalaureate Organization demonstrated:
- 78 percent of the students didn’t know that Mandarin is the most commonly spoken language in the world
- 45 percent thought the most common was English
- 77 percent of respondents couldn’t identify Canada as America’s largest trade partner
- 72 percent had no idea what region Afghanistan was in
“And the kids aren’t the only ones to blame, as many American adults also seem to have a huge lack of interest in learning about other countries, how those countries live, and the languages they speak — which certainly isn’t the case when it comes to other countries knowing about American ways and people.”
I cannot imagine that the education system has gone that far downhill. I’m in my late 50’s and perhaps fortunate in having gone to Catholic schools (though there’s no way I would have agreed at the time). In university, many of my friends had gone to public schools and they certainly seemed to be very well educated. So what has happened? Why are the schools so bad? What other reasons could there be for such a lack of knowledge and incentive?
Curious to know why that guy shot our border agent yesterday. Maybe he didn’t like being told he couldn’t bring his handgun into Canada. Thanks goodness the agent’s in stable condition.
With handguns, we’ll never know how many arguments could have been settled intelligently.
@all,
Well here is a personal test of my Global knowledge. So, just speaking specifically, and not generally, I have found myself totally ignorant of this development that is happening just off the Canadian Coast? I do know where Canada is located, so maybe I have not totally failed. It is near New Zealand, isn’t it? LOL
World’s biggest geoengineering experiment ‘violates’ UN rules
Controversial US businessman’s iron fertilization off west coast of Canada contravenes two UN conventions
Apparently the Canadian Government knew, did you? I certainly had no idea.
Canadian government ‘knew of plans to dump iron into the Pacific’
Not quite sure about the quality of primary/secondary schools in Brazil (Obvious exception for the International Schools, e.g. American, British, German Schools in Brazil).
@bubblebustin
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1272693–b-c-border-crossing-remains-closed-after-canadian-guard-shot
“The suspect was driving a white van with Washington licence plates. He reportedly drew his weapon as soon as he learned his vehicle would be inspected and shot Bowcock before turning the gun on himself.
Neither police nor CBSA have released the alleged shooter’s identity.
What I’d like to know is what was in that van?
News is that border may reopen at 4 pm PST but many doubt it will happen.
“With handguns, we’ll never know how many arguments could have been settled intelligently.”
That statement is based on the assumption that the person pointing their gun at you defenseless and unarmed Canadians is “intelligent”.
What do you call someone stupid enough to believe Obama’s lies? Intelligent isn’t the word that comes to mind, how about extreme anti-white racist?
New Threats to Riot if Obama Loses Election
Canadians live in such a fantasy land that they think that it is impossible that all this black and multiculti disfunction could possible reach its ugly hand over the border. As a Swiss, I am certain that this politically motivated and unrestricted EU immigration policy will end in tears. Despite (or because of) Schengen I cherish the Swiss militia and target shooting tradition and have made sure that I am prepared for a breakdown in the state’s monopoly on force. Like the Brits, you Canadians prefer to leave your women and your children vulnerable to rape and pillage for the benefit of the welfare state. The big joke will be that it is precisely the same women who have disarmed the men who will face the brunt of violence when things come unglued. Selberschuld, slave.
*In elementary school, 6th grade, circa 1958, in Trenton, Michigan this is what happened in our geography class. The teacher, Mr. H., stood in front of the class and asked if any of us were of any ethnicity other than the usual English, Irish or Scottish. Then he told us that Arabs were dirty people and that a flood would take care of the problems in the Middle East because most of the land there is below sea level. He told this to a room full of 11 and 12 year old children.Then he went on to describe other races as stinky, dishonest etc. In Canada, now, this guy would be fired. Some folks have been warped by bad educators, stupid Hollywood movies, and propaganda in the media and don’t even care to know about the rest of the world. They believe what they are taught, see and hear on TV. and watch in movies.
@banany
In elementary school, 6th grade, circa 1968 in California this is what happened in our history class. My teacher said that Lincoln started the civil war to free the slaves, that Wilson “reluctantly” brought the US into the wwI to “make the world save for democracy” and that in 1941 Japan made a “surprise” attack on pearl harbor.
The difference between your geography teacher and my history teacher is that your geography teacher’s teaching is now recognized as being lies but most Canadians and Americans still believe the lies that my history teacher told me. Wake up, slave.
It’s not just in school. My civics professor in college (I was required to take civics) taught that US citizens have all the rights listed in the amendments to the US constitution. Then a student asked if foreigners in the US have the same rights too. The professor said that it depends on whether the US has a reciprocal treaty with the foreigner’s country.
I thought that it would be absurd that a foreigner could not have such basic rights in the US, for example, freedom of speech or due process, simply if the foreigner happened to be from a country without such treaty. So I researched the subject and found that what my professor said was totally incorrect. First of all, the rights listed in the US constitution have nothing to do with citizenship. They apply to anyone who is inside the territory of the United States: citizens, legal immigrants, temporary workers, tourists, illegal immigrants, anyone. They do not apply to US citizens if they are outside the US, instead they are subject to the laws of whatever country in which they are located. There is no such thing as a reciprocal treaty to guarantee basic rights to people in peace time.
I think that people who get angry at those who renounce US citizenship supposedly because of taxes think that the renunciants have chosen to “sell” their rights. They get angry because they think that the renunciants put money above human rights and the founding principles of the US. If they understood that what really matters is where you are located, that many other countries offer the same rights if you are located there, and that US citizenship is simply the right to be located in the US with no restriction, renunciation of citizenship wouldn’t be considered something evil.
@ShadowRaider;
Ask them then if it is ‘evil’ to actually be born in another country, outside the US to a US parent or two – and to prefer to live where you were born? Or, to move to another country – outside the US, as a young child, with your family? Or, to move outside the US as an youth, or adult, to travel, marry, work or study? There is no economic advantage inherent in most of those life events – they have to do with family and ordinary life events – not US taxes.
@badger, You’re totally right.
I just found out that a friend of mine who lives in Israel has voted for Obama. This is after he found out by himself about all the restrictions he faces in Israel because of US taxes, and after I explained to him how the US and Eritrea are the only countries in the world who practice citizenship-based taxation.
I have a meeting with senator Mike Lee’s tax legislative assistant tomorrow.
@Shadow Raider,
That’s an interesting insight (people may think a person is “selling” his rights because of taxes) into the current anger against persons who renounce theirUS citizenship. Expatriation sure does seem to be perceived of as being about money, and basically nothing else, in the eyes of many people who live within the US.
This is something I’ve thought about and wondered about in the past year, having been a former USC for a long time, never having sensed anger directed towards me or expatriates in general until just recently, so I appreciated your analysis on that point, which I hadn’t even thought of.
I think going back to my era in theUS (1960s), pretty much no one cared if a person chose to expatriate. I expatriated in the 70s and personally I never ran into any flak about it, occasionally curiosity, but no one disturbed by it, a live and let live attitude, no defensiveness.
I do have an impression that even back then, there were some Americans who did have an opinion on expatriation, but those folks tended to think anyone who’d give up theirUS citizenship was either a communist or a draft dodger, or both, and good riddance! Obviously not an open-minded opinion or attitude, but not vindictive either. And not a defensive desire to hang onto people.
Looking back, I think that people didn’t get upset about expatriation because theUS was a more confident country then.
Now, the attitude towards former Americans seems to be vindictive. From my reading in the past year, I get the feeling that Americans today pretty much equate citizenship with tax, which I find sick and crass. This view is probably not true of all Americans, of course, and it may be too strong a statement, but, boy, they sure put an emphasis on tax/citizenship that I’d never heard of, let alone thought of, before last year (though I’ve read that this attitude started in the 90s). And I think that misconception, misdefinition of the meaning of citizenship, is growing in the US, along with a meanspiritedness and vindictiveness, two characteristics not traditionally considered an American trait (even with negative stereotypes, I don’t recall those traits coming up).
It’s really bizarre being dragged into this mess retroactively as the tax card wasn’t even on the table, in the deck, years ago. It’s also a pretty disheartening trend to observe.
Good luck in your meeting, Shadow Raider.
*@Shadow Raider, Good Luck tomorrow.. Hope all goes well!! Thanks again for all you do!!
I add my voice to saddened123, and calgary411 – may your meeting go well – and may you find it fulfilling whether it goes as hoped, or not. It will be interesting I’m sure, no matter what. : )
Thank you for doing for others what we cannot do for ourselves.
About your friend – s/he may have other pressing issues that weigh against this one. I have struggled with what to do with my (hopefully) last ever US ballot, telling myself that there are other issues I care very much about – some of which effect the whole planet, not only the US. But, now I feel sick when I look at the envelope – whereas I used to feel excited, and connected to where I was born, and my family history there. I don’t know if that will sway anyone inside the US, but I guess they’ll never know what it is like to have that experience.
And as Pacifica pointed out – the equating of ‘citizenship’ with taxes, is an artificial relationship. Permanent residents in Canada pay the same taxes as their resident citizen fellows, and they are not yet Canadians, but we all receive the same services.
@ Shadow Raider. I missed your 8.17 post when I was replying to your earlier one. I, too, wish you success at your meeting tomorrow. I think it’s terrific what you’re doing.
@ Shadow Raider — We’re all rooting for you. Good luck!
@Shadow Raider and Badger,
Very interesting ideas and comments. I also have another thought;
“They do not apply to US citizens if they are outside the US, instead they are subject to the laws of whatever country in which they are located.“
Wouldn’t it make sense then, that if a USC does not have the basic rights of the Constitution when in a foreign country and they are subject to the laws of that country, they would not then, be subject to the laws of the US?
Good luck tomorrow Shadow Raider; we’ll all be waiting to hear how it went. And thank you!
@nobledreamer, about the rights extending only within the boundaries of the US, and the laws of the other country applying without. I thought about that too. Why should the obligations of citizenship-based taxation and the US military draft extend beyond the US borders and apply to US citizens inside other countries (particularly in the case of duals born abroad – outside the US) when the rights afforded by the Constitution do not? One really salient example is that of voting from abroad – which a significant number of states deny to those who were born abroad but never lived in the US. One would think it very wrong to arrogantly impose a tax duty abroad where one cannot exercise the fundamental right to vote – also from abroad.
In the case of those born dual ‘abroad’, surely the most salient citizenship is the one conferred by birth inside the non-US country – on whose soil they reside, and also the laws of the country they live in should govern them above that of the US. I believe earlier posts have discussed this.
It would be very interesting to see how the US reconciles the deprivation of voting and other US Constitutional rights with the imposition of two negative obligations – to be taxed and required to report on assets from abroad (and be subject to life altering penalties) – where no services are received, and to be required to fight and die – without any say in that or other matters via the vote.
*@Shadow, best of luck tomorrow, you know we’re all rooting for you 😀
Several days ago there was a discussion on the number of US-Swiss dual citizens living in Switzerland. I cannot locate this discussion thread but would like to document what I was able to determine:
1) 2000 Swiss Census: 4’153 Swiss citizens living in Switzerland with a second citizenship as American (i.e., USA).
– The last Swiss census (Volkszählung) was in 2000 at which time questions on dual-citizenship were asked.
Other related information:
2) US Citizens living in Switzerland (Permanent and Non-Permanent): 20’815 at 12/31/2010
– Note: Swiss government statistics normally consider Swiss dual citizens as Swiss only. The above would be US Citizens only, i.e., not dual US-CH citizens.
3) US Citizens born in Switzerland: 970 at 12/31/2010
4) US Citizens naturalized as Swiss for period 1981 to 2010: 5’936
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/07/blank/data/04.html
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/07/blank/data/01.html
5) Dual US-Swiss Citizens living in USA: 55’213 at 2011
http://www.eda.admin.ch/etc/medialib/downloads/edazen/recent/media.Par.0107.File.tmp/2011%20Auslandschweizerstatistik.pdf
@nobledreamer Lol you’re too kind I was rambling, I went back and re-read and I was like ohh crap, that’s why I added the Tl;dr summary haha. Anyway China is a totalitarian one-party state, I don’t think anything they do is usually worth emulating. Also being of an Asian mindset they don’t mold their youth the same way we do, they are very much of the conformist attitude, that is typified by the Japanese expression the nail that sticks out gets hammered back down. It all comes back to performance metrics…oops I almost did it again, haha the problem is I work with this stuff so I go off on this rants. What I mean to say is standardized testing is a sucky way to measure academic achievement but it’s the cheapest and crudest way, comparing us to China doesn’t show that they are more intelligent or creative it shows they can force Chinese children to memorize all that is required to pass the test.
add @badger Citizens of each and every country have to follow their own domestic laws no matter where they go on the planet. Take for example Thailand, some pretty bad people from the US would go there and do some pretty gross things with kids, it wasn’t illegal there but when they get home they were nailed for it and prosecuted because it is against the law here, so while yes you are no longer under the jurisdiction and protection of the Bill of Rights when you leave, you are still bound to the obligations under US law, and it’s similar for each and every country, you might lose your protections under the law by leaving the jurisdiction but you never lose your obligation under the law no matter where you go.
“Anyway China is a totalitarian one-party state … “
Ron Paul says the US has a one party system: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-12/ron-paul-one-party-system
The United States is a totalitarian police state: http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/10/18/wade-hicks-on-no-fly-list/
If Dr. Paul hadn’t backed down from the convention I’d be a lot more sympathetic to his plight. Gary Johnson has more credibility in my eyes than Dr. Paul now.
Hmm, firstly Canadian Free Press doesn’t seem very legit to me, but nevertheless a police state because a Tea Party, truther got denied boarding? If the story is indeed true it was most likely an administrative problem because TSA so horribly run it’s a farce.
@WhoIt’sSteve, re the imposition of US laws on an extraterritorial basis – on those deemed to be US citizens. I am aware of the type of instance you use as an example above. Canada has a similar law, as have many other countries. Sexual exploitation and abuse of minors is an international crime, not a right – it is against US domestic and international law, and so there is a valid argument for why it is enforced on US citizens even if committed abroad. Are you equating the US assertion of the ‘right’ to tax citizens abroad with the ‘obligation’ of the US to prosecute sexual predators?
US citizens living and paying full taxes abroad to the countries where they live and earn, have broken no laws in their country of residence, the country of their other non-UScitizenship (duals), and no international laws if they do not report and pay US tax imposed by the US on an extraterritorial, citizenship only basis. They also do not break any laws recognized and imposed by their countries of residence and other citizenship, or international law if they do not register for the US draft.
My point was that to demand that those deemed US citizens (even duals by birth abroad) be prepared to die for the US, and to pay whatever US tax and financial reporting the US Congress imposes on them – at the same time that the US refuses to ensure that ALL those abroad can vote, and receive services equivalent to their brethren inside the US, is to skew the idea of citizenship overwhelmingly towards obligations forced on the individual, without any concomitant rights or benefits.
The US Congress, through the IRS, has overwhelmingly dedicated funds and energy to enforce the imposed extra-territorial tax and reporting obligation, yet the chances of getting US funding and legislators support for a mere 2 year commission to study the situation of US citizens abroad (ex. for voting, representation, services received, etc.) http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr6263/text is likely doomed to failure, or at best a brief symbolic endeavour. It is estimated to have a 1% chance of passing http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr6263 It is not in the perceived interest of those inside the US to identify the barriers we face, the rights we do not enjoy, the services denied, the representation that does not exist, the double taxation, and the injustice of the tax and reporting burdens imposed on us, the lack of redress, and the unreasonable restrictions on expatriation.
There should not be life or death obligations without equivalent rights. The right to vote is central to a democracy. Many of those forcibly deemed to be US citizens, living abroad, are deprived of the right to vote – and will never be able to without US residence – because of state laws. How can one be forced to be taxed, and to die in combat, yet be unable to vote? How can one be forced to keep an unwanted citizenship – by the IRS – in spite of the fact that it is not an agency given the power to grant or legislate ‘citizenship’ – which is the responsibility of the Department of State? If the IRS wants to continue stating that an individual owes them a debt for previously assessed US taxes – even after they have expatriated, apparently they have the unilateral power to continue to assert that. But to speak of the ‘loss of citizenship’ or nationality ‘for tax purposes’ – is to tie citizenship to taxation as if they were one and the same. To refuse to recognize the loss of citizenship – under the stated laws of the US, but to force us to continue to be tax subjects after a recognized expatriating act has taken place, is to elevate taxation above the US laws governing citizenship.
As @pacifica said, the US has equated the two, and elevated the obligation of taxation to the pinnacle – over any possible ‘rights’ that those deemed US citizens are purported to enjoy from abroad. The ‘obligation’ to be taxed has been elevated above the ‘right’ to vote and to be represented from abroad. The ‘obligation’ to die for the US has been elevated above the ‘right’ to vote and be represented from abroad.
It was only at the last minute, due to lobbying by the ACA, AARO, etc. that we are not currently subject to the Obama healthcare tax – though we would be unable to use any services from abroad. Others here have described how they were forced to pay via US taxes for services that they cannot ever access from abroad (ex. Medicare). Taxation was elevated above any right to service. Taxation was elevated above any right to justice or fairness. Why should US taxation be given extraterritorial reach into other
jurisdictions, where Congress admits to limits on other powers and benefits?
The purported social contract with those claimed as US citizens abroad is broken – if it ever really existed. It will not be mended willingly by the US, who refuses to see, study or admit that there is a problem – though it was identifed as long ago as President Carter’s presidency, (or before).
If we have no mutual social contract, then the US is treating us as if we are merely a source of revenue, nothing more. If we are not free to sever the relationship, then we are like serfs bound to a feudal overlord – except that this overlord does not recognize any territorial limits to jurisdiction. The continual threats to abolish the FEIE and Foreign tax credits, and the call to tie US passports to US tax compliance demonstrate that the only protection we currently have from some forms of double taxation are subject to the caprices and whims of US politicians. If the US recognized that it has an obligation to us as well as the power to tax us and draft us, it would not even momentarily entertain those attempts by legislators to double tax us. Since the threats continue to resurface – and are seriously entertained in the US, it is obvious that the nature of the relationship forced on us is abusive and exploitative.
There is no point in a defender of the US trying to assert that it’s imposition of citizenship based taxation and our unwanted US citizenship entitles us to
buys usUS protection, or to a right of return to the US. Other countries provide equivalent protection, and a right of return without imposing concomitant extraterritorial citizenship-based tax burdens.@badger
For want of a better phrase, “right on!”
To the best of my knowledge, any ‘rights’ given to US citizens abroad would still exist without citizenship based taxation, proof that the taxation of USC’s abroad is not an integral component of citizenship. It is helpful to examine the rights of US citizens and US persons abroad, and how citizenship based taxation impedes the exercising of those rights.