Here is an interesting post about the disabled in America, that I read today on the Huffington Post’s website. The medical and financial situation for disabled Americans isn’t at all good under the present Medicare system and even if ObamaCare should get fully implemented it is not going to get materially all that much better. Since basically the Obama plan only extends Mediare coverage to more people but does little to improve the level of benefits.
Yet in spite of the extremely poor system of support that exist in the States for the disabled the U.S. Congress feels absolutely no degree of human shame about forbidding disabled expats from accessing the supreior social and taxation supports that may be available to them under more compassionate governments. The flip side of this Congressional intransigence is that if your level of government services is not as good as what is provided for in America, the U.S. government will not send funding to you so that you can have the same level of benefits as you would have if you did live in America. Instead their message to you would be that you must move to America if you want those benefits.
Of course the response of the resident American would be that if moving back is being offered as an option then you should move back. To which I would reply; why is it that I don’t have to live in America in order to have tax liabilities but I have to if I want the benefits of fulfulling those tax liabilities? Doesn’t this set up generate any type of cognitive disonance in the mind of the American politician? In the end no matter which way you look at it the U.S. goverment wins and the poor soul who happens to be a U.S. person loses.
It seems quite clear that the U.S. uses tax law and American exceptionalism as shields behind which to hide its own human rights abuses and to salve both their collective and individual legislative consciences. All of which renders them unworthy of holding the offices to which they have been elected.
As ShadowRaider identified in another post, FinCen rejected any comments by those abroad who noted the burdens imposed by the BSA Bank Secrecy Act re FBARs. See:
‘Amendment to the Bank Secrecy Act Regulations–Reports of Foreign
Financial Accounts’
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-02-24/html/2011-4048.htm
“…With respect to the comments raised by United States persons living
abroad, FinCEN does not believe that an exemption is appropriate simply
because a United States person chooses to live outside of the United
States. With respect to commenters who recommended exempting certain
regulated entities, such as those that qualify for exempt recipient
status for purposes of reporting on IRS Form 1099, FinCEN has carefully
considered the comments and has decided not to adopt them. While these
entities may be entitled to some measure of special treatment under the
Federal tax rules, FinCEN wishes to note that the purpose of the FBAR
is broader than tax administration.\7\……”
So, as the US government, through the words of FinCen demonstrate, the mere fact of ‘choosing’ to live outside the US is the real crime. And, though the RDSP in Canada and some government assistance may be the only thing that stands between those with disabilities, and poverty, the US will not assist those it deems US citizens by either providing equivalent services, or tax relief, or exemption from onerous, punitive and unjust FBAR and other reporting requirements – and concomitant confiscatory penalties. The US refuses to allow those with certain intellectual or mental health disabilities from renouncing/relinquishing, on the grounds that they cannot give informed consent to ‘choose’ to rid themselves of the US citizenship tax burden. Yet, it also then justifies the imposition of the FBAR and other tax burdens on their RDSPs (nontaxable in Canada where they live and hold other citizenship), on the basis that all those outside the US have ‘chosen’ to live there, and thus cannot complain about whatever FinCen, the IRS and the US government imposes on them as a result.
Countries don’t want us unless we contribute to their treasuries. Will Canada give me a residency permit if I don’t live and contribute there? No. Will Switzerland No.
I think what the US is doing is wrong, i.e., trying to collect more $$$ without offering ANY benefit whatsoever. But the US is following through on trend which has been global for decades: if you don’t contribute, you will not receive. The US wants yearly contributors. The US is fed up with ZERO returns coming from people who hold US citizenship. So I’m happy to give it back to them.
Regarding the crime of ‘choosing’ to live outside the US – a crime that FinCen, the IRS, and the US conveniently invented. Those unborn, who’ll become US citizens by birth to a US status parent, living abroad – are they ‘choosing’ from within the womb to be born and live outside the US – and thus will grow up to be criminals – and their ‘foreign accounts’ all suspect? Those who moved outside the US as minors, brought by parents to live abroad, did they exercise a ‘choice’ to move? And, for those who did actually ‘choose’ to live outside the US, as adults – since when did that become a statutory crime? And how does ‘choosing’ to live outside the US justify any type or size of laws, burden and penalties that the US capriciously and punitively decides to impose?
Obama’s brother-in-law is a Canadian, who grew up in Ontario Canada http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/06/18/f-ng.html – now he has moved to the US, works there for the White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/aapi/leadership/working-group/konrad-ng, and presumably has become some type of a US ‘taxable person’ – or US citizen. So, does FinCen say that all his pre-existing Canadian accounts and assets, are to be punished, and reported – on the basis that he ‘chose to live outside the US’? What, retroactively? And, all his entirely legal and ordinary Canadian accounts which were not ‘foreign’ assets on the day before he obtained US status, but now, magically they would be according to the IRS. And if he ever has to take care of his Canadian parents – and their local Canadian ‘foreign’ accounts via a Power of Attorney, or as an executor or beneficiary – the IRS will need to be told, via stacks of useless incomprehensible forms. Because now, FinCen and the IRS, Treasury, and the Bank Secrecy Act deems that their Canadian ‘foreign’ estate will be dangerous ‘foreign’ assets that may be actually hidden money laundering, terror-funding, US tax-evading, criminal proceeds. Would the IRS and Treasury treat Obama’s brother-in-law the same as they are treating all the rest of us? I really wonder.
This is why I believe that there will be no US commission struck to study (and publicize) our plight. If we were only to use just these exact quotes and extracts from FinCen, or from Shulman, or the insults and slanderous characterizations by Levin, Baucus, etc. we could amply demonstrate why those abroad are renouncing, and why the US is guilty of persecuting us. No deeper analysis would be required, enough is already overwhelmingly obvious proof that we enjoy only a growing unbearable burden and jeopardy, and no benefit or representation. That is exactly why I believe the proposed commission will never be struck – because it would prove too embarassing to both the Democrats and the Republicans. It is bipartisan guilt that is too stark to be given any official recognition and voice. It would identify that those renouncing have a very compelling reason to do so, and that it is our only remedy – for those that can achieve it.
Wow, between Mr. Wren and Mr. Ng we have have a pretty good picture of the welfare state in its full splendor. These two guys are riding in the wagon and they demand that you tax slaves PULL HARDER!
Mr. Wren is a panhandler, you see them all over the world. He wants his entitlement and he could care less about expats, FATCA or anything else. He uses the government’s monopoly on force to extract property from everyone else. There is nothing voluntary about it.
And who wouldn’t want Mr. Ng’s job:
Wow, fly around asia on taxpayers dime helping create more Agenda 21/NWO type propaganda. This is so reminiscent of Michelle Obama’s fat salary to handle “community affairs” at the University Hospital in Chicago where Obama funneled millions of political slush money.
The empire is corrupt to the core and it is going to go down in a heap of ashes. You had better make plans to protect yourself from these parasites.
Personally, I will have to agree with this US Homelander — let me renounce for my son and you will have no argument from me.