The Stepford Wives is a 1972 satirical thriller novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a photographer and young mother who begins to suspect that the frighteningly submissive housewives in her new idyllic Connecticut neighborhood may be robots created by their husbands.
Democrats Abroad is a frighteningly submissive group of automatons who believe it’s their job to carry on the work of the Democratic Party outside the United States. In their “robotic way” they believe in the “goodness” of the Democrats and ignore:
“FATCA, FBAR, OVDI, OVDP and the rest of the Treasury/IRS/HIRE/IGA alphabet-soup train wreck that is coming down the tracks to destroy the lives of U.S Persons abroad, and ultimately the homeland United States as well”.
They are, in their robotic way, completely asleep at the wheel and will be judged by their complete inaction in this matter.
Oh well!
During the summer a letter from Joe Green did at least acknowledge that the Obama Democrats were using the prison of citizenship-based taxation to make life hell for U.S. persons abroad. In part it included:
So, ladies and gents, while we have made some progress in in ameliorating the toxic (or is that tax-ic) issues that the Task Force was created to address, we continue to discuss our concerns with the governmental bodies that are charged with implementation. When the time is right (not in the midst of the federal election campaign), we are optimistic that we will achieve more – or perhaps all – of our goals. And, when appropriate, we will get back to you with specific actions that you may be able to take.
But, as we move forward toward November 6, please bear in mind that, as troubling as our tax issues are now, conditions would be much worse (taxes and way beyond) with a Romney presidency, a tea party House and a Senate without a filibuster-proof majority. Imagine a right wing activist Supreme Court for thirty years (despite the welcome news about the President’s historic health care initiative)!
Let’s Get Out The Vote!
Your DPCA FBAR/FATCA Task Force,
A post written in response to this letter generated lots of interesting comments. Might be interesting to go back and refresh your memory. These comments include the most expressive we have seen.
The letter noted that, (in true Stepford wife style) that an election was simply not the time to discuss important issues. But,these issues would be addressed after the election.
A video of Allenna Leonard discussing the election is here. (Could someone explain how any U.S. citizen abroad could support the Obama Democrats?)
Not that anybody was fooled, but take a look at the latest letter from Democrats Abroad. It’s a “Stepford Wife” classic!
Dear Fellow Democrats,
I want to wish you a very happy holiday and a wonderful new year.
Democrats Abroad had a very good 2012 and a lot of it is due to you. So, here is a big thank-you to all of you who registered, voted, volunteered and came to chapter events. The reward came in November 6th and we all shared in the happiness of victory as well as, for many of us, a sigh of relief that we would not be seeing Republican nominees to the Supreme Court or austerity programs burdening the less well-off while the wealthy got new tax breaks.
We can be very proud of our voter registration work and our phone-banking efforts to DAC members who vote in swing states and in states with close senate races that helped to re-elect President Obama and to see Democratic gains in the Senate and the House. Special thanks are due to Executive Vice Chair Joe Green for voter registration training and trouble shooting and to Vice-Chairs Giles Hogya and Adrienne Jones for leading the phone banking campaigns.
It is not possible to pass by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary without saying how much sympathy we feel for the victims and their families and how grateful we should all be for our own families and friends this year. Some of you have emailed to ask what we can do as Democrats Abroad Canada. While the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for March 30 will probably consider a resolution, one thing we can all do now as individuals is to email the President, and our Senators and Members of Congress to support taking action. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is preparing bills that would reinstitute the assault weapons ban and limit the sale of high capacity magazines. Or, you may urge support for your own recommendation with respect to access to firearms or mental health initiatives.
I also want to give you some news about what we will be doing in 2013. First, expect to receive a message from us requesting you confirm your membership. This is a yearly requirement and you will help us a lot if you correct any information that is out of date.
Upcoming in 2013 is the election year for Democrats Abroad worldwide, at the international, country committee and chapter levels. Here in DA Canada, Joe Green, Ken Sherman (DA International Chair and Hamilton chapter chair) and former Toronto chapter Chair Julie Buchanan have agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee. You can expect to see detailed information about DAC ExCom officer and DPCA voting member job descriptions and AGM voting procedures early in the year.
Again, we have scheduled our Annual General Meeting for Saturday, March 30th from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Details about how you can attend in person or electronically will be sent with the formal meeting notice.
Again, thank you,
Allenna Leonard, Chair
Democrats Abroad, Canada
This message is paid for by the Democratic Party Committee Abroad, Democrats Abroad, 430 S. Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. It is being sent to you because you are a member of one or more of these Democrats Abroad group(s): DA International and Canada.
Well at least we know, at the end of the day, who wins; tax preparers/accountants and the IRS.
Truly a win-win-(lose) situation – don’t worry only citizens lose.
@USXCanada
The two Sask farm sisters entered OVDI (apparently in the summer of 2011). In other words their problems are because of what they DID (entering OVDI) as opposed to what they did NOT DO. So, I am not sure that their circumstances are relevant to the Form 8938 issue that you raise. (The Sask farm sisters are the victims of bad professional advice coupled with their desire to be in compliance with the law. Remember that when it comes to the IRS: #nogooddeedgoesunpunished Hopefully they are opting out and making reasonable cause arguements)
@Duke of Devon
I am inclined to think that they will use Form 8938 against anybody if they think there is money to pay the fines. The more I observe the compliance problem, the more I think the IRS just views “Form Crime” as the second of these two revenue streams:
1. Taxes
2. Penalties (Mainly Form Crime)
Their job is raise revenue pure and simple (as the Homelanders tell me). Dealing with compliance is actually very simple. Just tell the IRS and the cross-border professionals how much you have and they (in combination) will take it.
The IRS will measure the potential return against the effort involved. In most cases, I suspect with people outside the U.S., the effort may be perceived to be too great.
I would guess that the IRS is less likely to invest less time in people outside the U.S. because it takes more time.
@All
My prediction: The publicity generated by FATCA will mean the end of citizenship-based taxation. Why? FATCA has now brought the “dirty little secret” (and it is as dirty indeed) of citizenship-based taxation into public discussion. The discussion is not yet loud and is in its infancy. But, it is getting louder. The idea that the U.S. can levy taxes against residents of other countries assumes that the U.S. has a property right (dog ownership) in its citizens. Furthermore, it means that the U.S., uses its “persons” to enter a country (like a Trojan Horese) and extract the wealth of the country.
In other words: “The rest of the world must pay tribute to Form Nation – the world’s most indebted country”.
The irony is that the U.S. is so indebted is because of its war mongering. The wars were “necessary” because there is so much resentment of the U.S. (of which 911 is simply the most visible example). So, now the U.S. unleashes FATCA on the rest of the world because they think the cost will be borne by other countries. Wrong. FATCA will unite the world in opposition to the U.S. (contrary to what some prominent “Homelanders” believe). FATCA is sure to create more and more anti-Americanism, which in its most extreme form will turn to extreme resentment of the U.S. What is the cost of this extreme resentment? Answer: More need to defend the Homeland. Possibly more wars. More cost. The U.S. has done a masterful job of planting the seeds of its implosion.
Once the rest of the world sees “citizenship-based taxation” for what it really is, Form Nation will make a bit of “self-righteous noise” but it will cave.
Imagine Susan Rice and Hilary Clinton arguing to the world that the U.S.:
1. Owns its citizens
2. By virtue of ownership is entitled to the fruits of their labor
3. Is entitled to remove these fruits back to Form Nation.
(On second thought I think Susan Rice might make this claim but not Hilary.)
Citizenship-based taxation is over! It will just a few years for the law to officially change!
You heard it here first.
Finally, although this is my prediction for the longer run, this is of no help to U.S. persons abroad in the short run. They will pay and pay dearly. Some will pay with their health. Some will pay with their money and some will pay with both.
Life is tough and unpredictable. I bet you regret saving for retirement now.
*usx. Canada does not and will not ‘enforce’ US tax law in Canada. You are being paranoid . The grandmothers unfortunately volunteered to be eaten by jumping in to the net. We need rational discussion of the dangers.
@Wellington
Yes the winners are the IRS, lawyers, tax preparers, accountants and compliance consultants. But there is another group that is starting to emerge to take advantage of FATCA:
These are investment counsellors who have figured out the U.S. citizens abroad can avoid almost all of these problems if they keep their money in the U.S. I know of at least three companies that are aggressively marketing to U.S. citizens abroad.
The clear losers are:
1. U.S. citizens abroad
2. At the end of the day the U.S. itself see my comment above.
@Duke, the precise danger is that grandmas are not good at protecting themselves. I.e., they are lining up and will line up for vivisection by the IRS. Thus, the fight against FATCA is about protecting grandmas. This is precisely why the IGA must be rejected and the Americans told to take their FATCA law and stuff it up their FATCA asses. Our people are being picked clean by the IRS as we stand–the Canadian laws do not provide adequate protection of her citizens and residents as it is, we do not want to do one thing which would strengthen the position of the IRS, like handing personal banking information of Canadian citizens and residents of Canada to the IRS. That’s just asking for the IRS to steal. You don’t leave your purse or wallet on the front seat of your car where thief can steal it, and you don’t give private banking information to a foreign government. It is common sense.
BTW, the IGA would mean that Canada would enforce US law in Canada. Also, certain aspects of US law are enforced, or at least theoretically so, in Canada. While we mustn’t exaggerate the dangers, we must not downplay them either. USCitizenAbroad, in this post and in all his posts, sets the right tone. This is a HUGE PROBLEM. It threatens to destroy the global economy as we know it. And it is causing the United States to lose whatever good will they have left in the world. Then who will lead the new world order? Will chaos ensue or will another bully step in worse than the first? And finally, one must not underestimate the animosity this is causing even in the banking sector. I spoke to one banker some months ago about FATCA, about which he was familiar along with other new banking regulations that the United States is imposing. His response: “Fucking Americans!” Soon the new name of the country to the south of Canada will be, the “Fuckingunitedstates”. Our grandchildren will grow up not realizing that “Fuckingunitedstates” is more than one word.
*petros. Agreed.
@Duke, thanks. I added a bit of profanity, probably after you wrote your comment. Well, sometimes profanity helps.
In my speech at the FATCA Forum last Saturday, I focussed precisely on this issue of the damage that is already happening because Canadian governments failure to provide adequate protection from the United States. I said the status quo is already hurting a lot of people. If Canada signs the IGA, then thousands upon thousands of people in Canada will be ruined.
@USCitizenAbroad
If it wasn’t so early in the morning, I’d think you were into the holiday cheer 🙂 Hope is the last thing I want to have right now, but I hope you are right! Once FATCA is unleashed on the world, Americans won’t help but realize they are shackled to the homeland, and all their dreams of pursuing and maintaining full and free lives in other countries will come crashing down.
The threat of FATCA help tipped the balance for my husband and me in deciding whether we would make efforts to become tax compliant, for which we have paid dearly. Under the FATCA decree, if you have more than $50K in the bank and indicia suggests you may be a USP, and if you are not prepared to lie to your bank about having US citizenship if asked, expect to hear from the IRS. That’s when the proverbial you-know-what will hit the fan. So far the only symptom of the persecution that citizenship based taxation brings has been US citizens quietly renouncing, unable to utter the words “citizenship based taxation” in their departure. America’s dirty little secret in the washing is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
One further point that deserves mention. What is your estimate of the rate of decreasing possibility of making any useful appeal to “reasonable cause”? Reasonable cause on FBAR for example being – I didn’t know, how could I know, absolutely not my fault – of course to the extent that that would ever be accepted as an argument in the first place. I’d say that since mid-2011 that the reasonable-cause-of-ignorance window has closed by a minimum of 1/4 to 1/3.
On a different tangent, how practical is it for a Canadian resident to be certain of never wishing to or having to set foot in the US ever again? Remember that as regards population, Canada is the country that is 4000 miles long and 100 miles wide. The data gremlins are ever interlinking their bits; US place of birth seems guaranteed eventually to raise a border shibboleth of IRS compliance. That recent US background paper on the topic was not just a make-work project, was it?
Thanks, usx, for posting that link. THe US background paper was interesting indeed — I can certainly see those next steps.
I especially liked the bonus poem “Renunciation”.
Thanks, bubblebustin.
I see you’ve been typing with your middle finger. You, Victoria, Petros. I like the emphasis.
I won’t be testing the theory in open air because this is not only about my son and I wouldn’t want him in any kind of ‘spotlight’. It is, more, about all the others like my son and their families, those who may have less of a voice to understand and speak out for those they love.
My hatred of the United States runs deep. I seriously think it’s time to bring out the attack beavers.
Yep, absolutely necessary now!
Never underestimate beaver strength.
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Shouldn’t there be at least as much discussion about the “Tax Exiled”?
Dem’s Abroad:
“With the pending expansion of civil rights in the United States, Congress and the President are debating whether to include the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) as part of immigration reform, which would allow same-sex spouses of US citizens to immigrate legally.
Republicans are opposed; will Democrats defend marriage equality in the quest for fair immigration reform?
Our panel discussion will untangle the complex web of issues. Our panelists include Martha McDevitt-Pugh, Bob Bragar, and Joe Smallhoover. Martha and Bob are members of DA-Netherlands, international leaders in Democrats Abroad, and are very active founding members of Love Exiles. Joe is the newly elected Vice Chair of DA-France. Martha, Bob, and Joe were also delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Martha was recently quoted in a New York Times article that clearly and concisely lays out the issues that will be discussed by the panel.”
https://www.democratsabroad.org/comprehensive-immigration-reform-and-samesex-couples-april-6-2013-american-university-paris
Keep the faith–same country exception
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The DA amendment that was passed and part of the DNC convention platform: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154264064337980&set=a.484496837979.266236.688807979&type=3