“RT segment from April 15, 2013 in ‘honor’ of US income tax day. Features noted figures Jet Li and Eduardo Saverin, who recently quit their American citizenship for tax reasons. Freddi M. Weintraub, a tax attorney, provides insight into the law surrounding expatriation. Segment concludes with an interview with Mike Gogulski (me), who renounced his US citizenship in 2008 for political reasons and has lived without any nationality since — a stateless person.”
It is my understanding that Gogulski is an anarchist of sorts. If so, being stateless would be a badge of honor. So good for him — he’s walking the walk.
Perhaps I was a little hard on our freedom fighting Gogulski, but you put yourself in the line of fire, you know what might happen. Just like I did when I made my lengthy submission to the International committee on tax reform, to name only one of many instances where I’ve do so.
Even if Gogulski renounced over taxes, so what? Eduardo Saverin renounced over taxes as well, and I have zero desire to place his head on a pike. Sure, there were some politicians that did want his head on a pike, that made sure that they were heard regarding their displeasure, and of course, the restless, idiot masses were no doubt whipped up into a frenzy on how he went and took off with all of his money, and of course, without paying his fair share, too. Yeah. Uh huh. I’m more inclined to believe that Eduardo likely paid more in taxes, especially exit tax, than those idiot, hypocrite politicians that would call him an unAmerican traitor to lather us their brainwashed base. And that, my friends, is just one of the many reasons why the US is now just a sorry assed place to be.
Thanks to citizenship based taxation, people can always say that those who choose to renounce are doing it for the taxes, because taxation and citizenship are linked in the law. As long as they are linked, it will always be this wonderful little wedge issue, manipulated by sanctimonious politicians, to drive Americans away from the truth, and into a sick world of ideological, flag waving bullshit, pitting one group against the other. Meanwhile, after I renounce, I will hear the same thing from some people, on how I supposedly did it for taxes. Even from some members of my family as well. I assure you. I don’t give a f— what anyone thinks of my decision.
Frankly, I think Mike Gogulski has a point here. This type of nationalism, this, brainless, flag waving, herd mentality crap where the individual is subservient to the state, either as tax chattel via CBT, or under a police state complete with Orwellian doublethink, is just complete insanity of the most insidious kind. At least the slaves in the old antebellum South knew they were slaves. The modern day homelanders have no clue whatsoever! They are convinced that they are free in their police state, and nobody is going to tell them otherwise.
Hell! Why don’t I go stateless? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just chicken? Personally, I want a different citizenship first, because it makes more sense to me. Nevertheless, why should I question how Gogulski runs his life? It’s not my life, after all. I just wouldn’t make some of the same choices, because I’m not an anarchist. But on the same coin, I cannot intellectually, nor moralistically afford to be an unthinking conformist, neither.
@bubblebustin
For all I know, I could be setting myself up for a drone strike against my person just for ranting here. Now, I would say that the odds of that happening are likely slim to none, but I now live in a world where something like that CAN happen, because in the US, human rights have now taken a backseat to the War on Terror.
And I’m fully aware of how the spectre of FATCA is screwing with my life, (along with a lot of others here) and that renouncing is the only option I have just to have a normal banking relationship with my spouse, let alone attempt to plan for some sort of modest retirement, or even have a TFSA account.
I go by my sad little anonymizer out of respect for someone else’s wishes. Friend or enemy should know my real name by now.
I have my sad little anonymizer too — for my son’s sake. Not at all for those I write to and speak with in Canada, save the press who “mostly” would just like a good one-day story where my son could be exploited. No need to be entirely blatant about it.
My real name has been given here at a couple of times if anyone really wants to know.
I think I could’ve picked a better anonymizer for myself, but I may as well live with it now.
@Calgary411
Using our real names here wouldn’t count for much anyway. Our real names only serve a purpose when it is required of us to do so, namely when writing the government or in some cases being interviewed by the press.
Sad little anonymizers? Nobody’s really anonymous on the Internet. I’ve done the writing about stuff in the open on activist sites and it’s not like using your actual name changes things anymore than caped crusading style does.
He shares his story his way and people here share their way. If there was one right way to do this, someone would have by now and we’d all be free, wouldn’t we?
@Yoga girl
The fact is, many news outlets won’t interview unless you use your real name. I was approached by Vivienne Walt of Time magazine once, but the same person who asks that I use a pseudonym here asked that I not reveal it to her. I asked her if fear of revealing our true identity shouldn’t be part of the story. No response. I don’t believe that she’s had anything published concerning expats to this date.
Same for me with Vivienne Walt of Time, bubblebustin.
Gogulski said what he had to say / did what he had to do for himself. I am here at Isaac Brock because, like mjh, “I cannot intellectually, nor moralistically afford to be an unthinking conformist,” to not make waves for myself. I would go insane if I were not able to say what I need to say about the US and its citizenship-based taxation violation to US Persons Abroad. I will not let a bully do that to me and my family.
Golgulski’s blog:
http://www.nostate.com/
Gogulski not only had the guts to go stateless, he also had the audacity to formally complain about not being on the name and shame list. A few months later his name appeared on it.
Too audacious for me. ;^)
Most of us I imagine would much rather get out more quietly than that, just because we seek our own peace in the world, and not necessarily have a point to prove to the world.
Still, I have to respect the man for taking a stand.
Folks, you honor me here, and I am touched by your thoughts. Thank you.
Likewise, Mike, we are honored with your activism and that you took the time to post here. 🙂
I think that you and I have much in common. We renounced US citizenship, live in Europe, live in countries that begin with “S”, are almost the same age (a few days apart), have an IT background, have ties to Florida and likely share similar political interests. 🙂
Good work, Mike!
Of course most Americans assume expatriation must be for tax reasons. They can’t believe that anyone would ever do anything for any reason other than money, and yet are outraged when they believe people act on the only motive they believe exists.
Of course there are reasons to give up US citizenship other than for money. Warrantless searches, indefinite detention without trial, targeted killings – how could anyone possibly want to leave “the greatest country in the world” and the “land of the free”, even if both of those appellations are just a sick joke?