UPDATE: If you just can’t stomach Trump or Clinton, here’s a list of write-in candidates
Some notables (can you believe these?)
VADER, DARTH SPOKANE,WA 10/27/2015 Write-In
MOUSE, MICKEY ANAHEIM,CA 08/30/2015 Write-In
THE ELF, BUDDY NORTH POLE,AK 08/10/2015 Write-In
RAFF, RIFF NOTRE DAME,IN 02/04/2016 Write-In
ALSO: 19,252 emails and 8,034 attachments released by Wikileaks leads to resignation of Wasserman-Schultz; shut-down of Bernie confirmed
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as things stand today, I think Trump will win. Here's my 5 reasons why: https://t.co/jotMPWmt96
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 23, 2016
Michael Moore wrote a compelling post on why Trump is going to win. It is difficult to imagine he is wrong………
Some excerpts:
Friends:
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I gave it to you straight last summer when I told you that Donald Trump would be the Republican nominee for president. And now I have even more awful, depressing news for you: Donald J. Trump is going to win in November. This wretched, ignorant, dangerous part-time clown and full time sociopath is going to be our next president. President Trump. Go ahead and say the words, ‘cause you’ll be saying them for the next four years: “PRESIDENT TRUMP.”
Never in my life have I wanted to be proven wrong more than I do right now.
I assumed during the primaries that certainly the American people would come to their senses and that someone who wasn’t in the main spotlight would emerge toward the end. That someone seemed to be Kaisch…but it wasn’t to be. Now, I suppose many are assuming the same sort of thing regarding Hillary. Even if you don’t like her, she is the more reasonable choice. America has changed and I am sure those of us who have been gone for decades no longer have a real “feel” for what is going on down south.
1) Midwest Math, or Welcome to Our Rust Belt Brexit.
I believe Trump is going to focus much of his attention on the four blue states in the rustbelt of the upper Great Lakes – Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Four traditionally Democratic states – but each of them have elected a Republican governor since 2010 ………
Trump is ahead of Hillary in the latest polls in Pennsylvania and tied with her in Ohio. Tied? How can the race be this close after everything Trump has said and done? Well maybe it’s because he’s said (correctly) that the Clintons’ support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest. Trump is going to hammer Clinton on this and her support of TPP and other trade policies that have royally screwed the people of these four states. When Trump stood in the shadow of a Ford Motor factory during the Michigan primary, he threatened the corporation that if they did indeed go ahead with their planned closure of that factory and move it to Mexico, he would slap a 35% tariff on any Mexican-built cars shipped back to the United States. It was sweet, sweet music to the ears of the working class of Michigan, and when he tossed in his threat to Apple that he would force them to stop making their iPhones in China and build them here in America, well, hearts swooned and Trump walked away with a big victory that should have gone to the governor next-door, John Kasich.
From Green Bay to Pittsburgh, this, my friends, is the middle of England – broken, depressed, struggling, the smokestacks strewn across the countryside with the carcass of what we use to call the Middle Class. Angry, embittered working (and nonworking) people who were lied to by the trickle-down of Reagan and abandoned by Democrats who still try to talk a good line but are really just looking forward to rub one out with a lobbyist from Goldman Sachs who’ll write them nice big check before leaving the room. What happened in the UK with Brexit is going to happen here….
And this is where the math comes in. In 2012, Mitt Romney lost by 64 electoral votes. Add up the electoral votes cast by Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It’s 64. All Trump needs to do to win is to carry, as he’s expected to do, the swath of traditional red states from Idaho to Georgia (states that’ll never vote for Hillary Clinton), and then he just needs these four rust belt states. He doesn’t need Florida. He doesn’t need Colorado or Virginia. Just Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And that will put him over the top. This is how it will happen in November.
Being from Ohio, and seeing Michigan towns when driving back to see family, it is not at all hard to imagine this. Lots and lots of factory workers here and unhappy ones at that.
2) The Last Stand of the Angry White Man.Our male-dominated, 240-year run of the USA is coming to an end. A woman is about to take over! How did this happen?! On our watch! There were warning signs, but we ignored them.
Nixon, the gender traitor, imposing Title IX on us, the rule that said girls in school should get an equal chance at playing sports. Then they let them fly commercial jets. Before we knew it, Beyoncé stormed on the field at this year’s Super Bowl (our game!) with an army of Black Women, fists raised, declaring that our domination was hereby terminated! Oh, the humanity!This monster, the “Feminazi,”the thing that as Trump says, “bleeds through her eyes or wherever she bleeds,” has conquered us — and now, after having had to endure eight years of a black man telling us what to do, we’re supposed to just sit back and take eight years of a woman bossing us around? After that it’ll be eight years of the gays in the White House! Then the transgenders! You can see where this is going. By then animals will have been granted human rights and a fuckin’ hamster is going to be running the country. This has to stop!
Can’t relate to that at all so will say nothing…….
3) The Hillary Problem
But her vote for the Iraq War made me promise her that I would never vote for her again. To date, I haven’t broken that promise. For the sake of preventing a proto-fascist from becoming our commander-in-chief, I’m breaking that promise. I sadly believe Clinton will find a way to get us in some kind of military action. She’s a hawk, to the right of Obama.
Let’s face it: Our biggest problem here isn’t Trump – it’s Hillary. She is hugely unpopular — nearly 70% of all voters think she is untrustworthy and dishonest. She represents the old way of politics, not really believing in anything other than what can get you elected.
Young women are among her biggest detractors, which has to hurt considering it’s the sacrifices and the battles that Hillary and other women of her generation endured so that this younger generation would never have to be told by the Barbara Bushes of the world that they should just shut up and go bake some cookies. But the kids don’t like her, and not a day goes by that a millennial doesn’t tell me they aren’t voting for her.
The enthusiasm just isn’t there. And because this election is going to come down to just one thing — who drags the most people out of the house and gets them to the polls — Trump right now is in the catbird seat.
I don’t like Trump. But after watching a lot of the Republican convention and then seeing Hillary speak in a commercial, it is hard to come away thinking that there’s any excitement or passion to be had by supporting her. She is boring……..and that war thing…….
4) The Depressed Sanders Vote
Stop fretting about Bernie’s supporters not voting for Clinton – we’re voting for Clinton! The polls already show that more Sanders voters will vote for Hillary this year than the number of Hillary primary voters in ’08 who then voted for Obama. This is not the problem. The fire alarm that should be going off is that while the average Bernie backer will drag him/herself to the polls that day to somewhat reluctantly vote for Hillary, it will be what’s called a “depressed vote” – meaning the voter doesn’t bring five people to vote with her. He doesn’t volunteer 10 hours in the month leading up to the election. She never talks in an excited voice when asked why she’s voting for Hillary. …….
They’re not going to vote for Trump; some will vote third party, but many will just stay home. Hillary Clinton is going to have to do something to give them a reason to support her — and picking a moderate, bland-o, middle of the road old white guy as her running mate is not the kind of edgy move that tells millenials that their vote is important to Hillary. Having two women on the ticket – that was an exciting idea. But then Hillary got scared and has decided to play it safe. This is just one example of how she is killing the youth vote.
Definitely not hard to picture……..so depressed maybe, that lots stay home.
5) The Jesse Ventura Effect
Finally, do not discount the electorate’s ability to be mischievous or underestimate how any millions fancy themselves as closet anarchists once they draw the curtain and are all alone in the voting booth. It’s one of the few places left in society where there are no security cameras, no listening devices, no spouses, no kids, no boss, no cops, there’s not even a friggin’ time limit. You can take as long as you need in there and no one can make you do anything.
There are no rules. And because of that, and the anger that so many have toward a broken political system, millions are going to vote for Trump not because they agree with him, not because they like his bigotry or ego, but just because they can. Just because it will upset the apple cart and make mommy and daddy mad. And in the same way like when you’re standing on the edge of Niagara Falls and your mind wonders for a moment what would that feel like to go over that thing,……..
I have a feeling the American people are so sick and tired of the same-old same-old, this is a very distinct possiblity (and opportunity).
Coming back to the hotel after appearing on Bill Maher’s Republican Convention special this week on HBO, a man stopped me. “Mike,” he said, “we have to vote for Trump. We HAVE to shake things up.” That was it. That was enough for him. To “shake things up.” President Trump would indeed do just that, and a good chunk of the electorate would like to sit in the bleachers and watch that reality show.
One other thing Brockers have to start to realize is that while many Brockers think of themselves as anti establishment and outside the elite to many other anti-establishment voters who aren’t personally effected by FATCA Brockers and expats more broadly ARE considered FATCATS and elitist no matter how much Brockers don’t want to think of themselves that way.
I agree with Dash that the lawsuit here in Canada is our best bet for doing anything to defeat FATCA/IGA. That might set a precedent for other countries as well. The mainstream USA political candidates likely won’t do anything for expats once they get into office. Neither Donald nor Hilary can be trusted. They likely won’t do much for homelanders either.
Given that FATCA and the application of FBAR to non US residents come from the Democrat party, I am amazed that anyone who has any knowledge of these issues could even consider thinking about supporting that party.
For those scared that we may vote on this issue and this issue alone you do know what this one issue means. For this one USC living overseas with non US spouse and children it means that I WILL LOSE MY FAMILY unless repealed. If you think there is any other issue or collection of issues more important to me and others similarly situated, then you understand nothing.
For those who repeat such volitile names as “Hitler” in reference to Trump, the Homelanders calling him this are the same who call us, including YOU, tax cheats and traitors. Are their interpretations of our situations accurate? If not, then is it not perhaps likely that their interpretations of Trump are also incorrect?
Furoius AC has given very good reasons why Trump is the better canidate for us. Please watch the vidoe FAC linked to. A very intelligent and well reasoned argument.
Barbara and JC also give well reasoned arguments for Trump a/o against Clinton. Names and not much else offered by those who do not want Trump.
Myself, though currently trapped and unable to renounce “cleanly” I will take Japanese nationality as soon as I can, thus I will not be voting.
I was overseas for over a decade, ended up coming back and have finally settled back in. Here are my thoughts.
I was a lifelong liberal, and to be frank, I guess I stayed away too long to realized how screwed up things have become. These are not democrats we are dealing with here anymore, they are socialists and they are playing a power game to seize control for good this year.
Hillary will change nothing for expats. Hillary, if anything will target expats even more because they are convenient scapegoats. Trust me on this, you want Trump.
Here’s why you want Trump. Have dreams of coming back to the US some day if you could? It will be easier under Trump, the jobs will be there, the security will be there as well. Care to remain an expat? Trump is planning to simplify the tax code, we’re talking postcard sized, foreign tax credits remain in place. Trump’s not a dick, Trump is more than fair in his dealings. If there is an unfair burden, he might even listen, because it’s the kind of thing he actually enjoys doing.
Why else Trump? It’s a zero risk offer. If he’s horrible and full of shit, he will be impeached instantly. Dems would never impeach Hillary, ever, for any reason. And the first order of business will be allowing those 30m illegals the right to vote. And that is the end of fair elections in America for the next generation.
I was happy where I was until circumstances started changing. You may find yourself happy and comfortable where you are too, but America is still a liferaft. There is nothing quite like it in the entire world and it will welcome you back with open arms if you need to run back for any reason.
Eliminate the FATCA nonsense? Your best shot is Trump. At the very least he would tone it down and simplify everything so if you do owe taxes, it would be far less painful. Definitely no need to pay to prepare your stack of paperwork. He’s the *only* one with that plan.
Vote for him or don’t, he will win this election though, feet on the ground here it is amazing. I have been to every area church looking for the right one to join in the past 4 months. Every one of them has been fairly soild for Trump. This is in California, in the bay area. It’s happening. You can either go kicking and screaming on November 8th when the landslide comes to fruition. Or you can cut out the media lies and actually investigate for yourself with an open mind. There is a reason they attack him on stupid things, it’s because he has had the same exact core message for 30 years. Everything they attack him on is distractionary nonsense.
America needs money to function. Does anybody here really believe that Trump would get rid of inheritance tax? Lower taxes? Now is not the time for lower taxes. Where is the money going to come from to run a government? How is the country going to work without a financial basis? And as for repeal of FATCA- I see Trump as full of promises. He is like a chameleon who changes his colours every day. Promises promises.
It is a real real shame that the Republicans couldn’t find a more sensible candidate. But it looks like the “People have spoken”- and so Moore might be right.
I have been a fiscal conservative all my life. I hated what Obama stood for. He wanted to actively punish me. Of course it wasn’t legal for me vote for his opponents but it was a legal requirement that I pay his taxes. Obama said he would punish me and he did to an extent I would never have dreamed possible.
My stuff is the single most important thing I control. I can help people I want to help with my stuff rather than the people the government thinks need help. I can invest the way I feel is important with my stuff. I can educate my kids or others with my stuff.
Clinton like Obama thinks that my stuff is really the governments. She thinks she knows better how my stuff should be used. I think Clinton can take the Obama nightmare I had to the next level. After all they think FATCA etc has been a monumental success. We are all (well not all as in my case I was a target) minor problems to be ignored.
I’ll vote on the single issue of my stuff and I don’t care. Sure I can hope for something better than Trump but I will still vote for him.
I am in the UK and ordinary people are supper excited about Trump. It’s the number one question I get here. So I think he has a great chance of winning.
Moore has said in interviews that he feels the probability of a Trump win is low but he is terrified of a low voter turnout. So he is sounding the alarm like this to make sure people turn out.
The argument that taxes can’t be cut because every cent is needed to fund the government is as false as it is common. Simple math shows that cutting taxes increases revenue and the few times it has been tried prove this fact.
As a businessman, Trump knows the effect of taxation better than most politicians who have never had to make payroll.
Let’s say you have $100 left each month as discretionary income. If taxes are cut, say allowing you to keep $120 of your money you have more money to spend. You spend this extra $20 as does most everyone else. This increases the demand of whatever you spend your money on. Increased demand increases the demand for labor to make, transport and sell it. Increased labor demand means that people move off the unemployment rolls and on to pay rolls, thus not only does it reduce the amount of money the government pays out in unemployment benefits it also increases the number of people who are paying income taxes.
Further, the US gov. has been taking in record high amounts of revenue. Revenue is not the cause of their fiscal problems, overspending is.
Reducing taxes increases revenue by increasing the demand for labor while it reduces government benefit payments by reducing dependancy on government programs.
Cutting spending, so much wasteful spending in Washington DC, is something else that absolutely must be done but the Democrat party has a history of not doing this when in power.
November 8, 2016 will be a landslide Trump victory.
It will also be the day that the “People Of America” will take a world leadership role in “pushing back” against the world’s political elites that are now hated the world over.
The context …
This election is taking place in the context of extreme hatred and distrust of the political elites. To put it simply: the political elites are now hated worldwide by everybody (except themselves). The UK vote in Brexit is one visible manesfestation of this principle.
The November 8, 2016 election …
The United States is falling apart. The gaps between the rich and the poor are extreme. There is a sense that the system doesn’t work for those who are not rich. There is also a sense (correct) that the political elites have manipulated the system for their direct benefit and at the expense of others. There is a sense that there is only injustice and that “injustice can be escaped” ONLY if you are one of the elites. “There is one set of laws for the Clintons and one set of laws for everybody else”. Those who are NOT part of the elites may now know exactly how they are being screwed, but they know that they are. They recognize that NOTHING will get better with the “elites” in charge.
How the “savers” have fared under Obama …
Although I wouldn’t blame Obama specifically for this (although I do blame him for not recognizing the problem), the decline of interest rates to near zero levels has been a massive fraud on the “savers” of the world. What has happened is that the “savings of the savers” has been stolen from them to pay for the “sins of the debtors”. In some parts of the world there are new NEGATIVE interest rates. That’s the problem for the 50+ group. For the younger people the situation is as bad as I have ever seen. No jobs, high student debt, etc. (Interesting that Hillary has no support from younger women). The president always talks about people “playing by the rules”. Those who have “played by the rules” have been royally screwed.
The irrelevance of Americans abroad (unless they organize to vote) …
The situation with Americans abroad is painful for them but not relevant. Do you believe for a minute that an administration that can’t deal with the horrible domestic problems will care about Americans abroad? But, the situation with Americans abroad is interesting because, it is proof positive of the extent to which the U.S. Government (and probably other governments) will go, to confiscate the capital of the savers. This is more visible in the case of Americans abroad. And just in case you have missed the news: Hillary and the good old Democrats, have made it very clear that:
1. They are in full support of citizenship taxation; and
2. They intend to continue the use of FATCA to “colonize the rest of the world”.
The choice: A vote for the “elites” (Clinton) or a vote against the “elites” (Trump)…
This is not about the Democrats vs. The Republicans. This is about the “elites” vs. those who recognize the “elites” are their enemy. Both of the candidates have very high disapproval ratings – very high!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen introducing the candidates …
In this corner, on behalf of the Democratic Party – representing the “elites” …
Hillary Rodham Clinton. The problem with Hillary is that she was anointed by the Democratic Party. It’s pretty obvious that her candidacy is the result of a “party coronation” and not the result of an “on the ground “direct democracy” kind of choice. Think Superdelegates. So, we have the candidate representing the interests of the “elites”, chosen directly by those “elites” in an unfair way. In addition, there have been many candidates who have been disliked. But, I sense a pure hatred of Hillary that is unusual. In any case, the woman has no growth potential. She is well known. She has her supporters. She has her opponents, but her support will not grow. She is the candidate of the Democratic party and NOT a candidate that represents any interests of individuals. The ONLY reason she is running is so that she can be president and Bill can come back to live in the White House.
In this corner, in spite of the wishes of the Republican Party – representing ordinary Americans …
Donald J. Trump: Although Hillary was anointed by the Democrats, Trump was not anointed by the Republicans. In fact, most Republicans don’t even like him or approve of him. Trump (to the extent this is possible) really is the result of a form of more “direct democracy”. Without the insider, Superdelegates, Clinton would not have gotten the nomination. Trump got the nomination in spite of the opposition of the Republican party. I am making this point for a simple reason. On November 8 it’s PEOPLE who will vote. So, the election on November 8 will come down to a choice between a candidate who has some public support and a candidate who has only party support. Guess, who is going to win!
Who would make the better president?
Not sure that even matters because you have to be elected to be president. But, for what’s its worth, consider the following questions:
– which of Trump or Hillary would be better at managing the country’s finances?
– which of Trump or Hilary would be more likely to lead the USA into another war?
– which of Trump of Hillary has a better understanding of the relationship between work and reward?
My prediction: November 8 will be a Trump landslide. People will vote for the possibility of a better future and will vote against a guarantee of the problems of the past.
I will re-state this again. What have Nigel Farage, Marianne Le Pen, Geert Wilders, and Vicktor Orban done to fight FATCA? I as I see it absolutely nothing.
For those pointing to the generic “I understand Overseas Americans” comments from Hillary, remember, Obama said this when running for the presidency:
“Barack Obama believes that the U.S. government should pay close attention to how American citizens are treated in the private sector while they live and work abroad. Our government must work to ensure that overseas Americans have every chance to compete on a level playing field, and he will work with Americans abroad to identify and understand problems they may face as a result of U.S. government policies.”
Either the Dems get specific, or I can no longer vote for them. And I say that as a long term registered Democrat. This is an easy issue for the Dems to address – I have contacted them. They can respond.
For those saying they don’t believe Trump will follow through on the platform, I have to ask: Do you think there’s less chance that the party with the correct solution in their platform will implement it, or that the party that refuses to address the problems with FATCA and CBT will suddenly wake up and decide to solve it?
Normally, you get to vote “Yes” to A or “Yes” to B. But the ability to vote “no” is an enormous motivator for people who are unhappy and this should not be underestimated. We saw this with Brexit where people who had never voted “yes” to anything in their entire lifetime turned up on the day to vote “no” to the EU. Trump seems to have done a good job of portraying himself as a vote for “no”.
@Bill Thomson,
My answer to your question is “fool me once…”.
It was actually the propaganda arm for the DNC, Democrats Abroad that wrote that message on behalf of Obama. It’s quite probable he had no input in the message at all.
Hillary’s mention of FATCA was also at the behest of Democrats Abroad. DA knows what issues are for Americans abroad. What party would even risk the fallout from condemning its own legislation if it’s not to retain a base they fear they are losing? Let’s not overlook the fact that Democrats Abroad voted overwhelmingly for Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
Clinton Cash Movie
Free Online
Stunning , Eye Opening and Shocking Expose’:
http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/07/24/clinton-cash-global-premiere-scores-170000-views-3-hours-bernie-sanders-supporters-promote/
The Michael Moore thing is a standard rhetorical method to call opponents to action. He may be correct, but the reason why he writes it is to get everybody to vote for The Hillary. His propaganda is quite effective because it is spread by both Trump supporters and Trump antagonists.
It’s tempting to write in Boris Johnson, even though he already has another job.
We’ll all be damned if Clinton is elected, and we’ll all be damned if Trump is elected, so pick your poison. The only positive I can hand to Clinton is that she’s perhaps the devil we know, while Trump is an unknowable incoherent mess, the damage he’ll do won’t be known until he does it. Clinton will probably maintain the status-quo, which we at least know what that will be like since we’re living in it right now, just more of the same old crap.
I hate to go all political on the Isaac Brock site (a chief virtue of which is that we come from a wide range of political backgrounds) but…
I wouldn’t vote for Trump for dogcatcher, I care too much about dogs. I wouldn’t vote for him under any circumstances whatsoever, period, end of, and I worry about the sanity of anyone that would.
That said, as a more or less single issue anti FATCA/FBAR/citizenship-based-taxation-voter I don’t see how I can vote for a Democrat, especially Hillary Clinton who would hang all of us US ex-pats out to dry at the drop of a hat. And then laugh about it.
So, my choices are to vote Libertarian or not vote. I would have voted for Rand Paul if he had got on the ballot.
As for those of you promoting the Breitbart movie, PLEASE. Spare me. Breitbart is a woeful excuse for a “news organisation”, better described as grotesquely biased purveyors of angry pro-Trump populism and anti-immigration, anti-Muslim vitriol. I’m as likely to watch any pile of crap “movie” they promote as I am to vote for Trump.
@star
“I wouldn’t vote for Trump for dogcatcher, I care too much about dogs. I wouldn’t vote for him under any circumstances whatsoever, period, end of, and I worry about the sanity of anyone that would.”
Thank you for saying this so well. Even though we are against FATCA, Trump is dangerous and volatile. I cannot vote in the US anymore (non US Person) but totally agree with you. We need to look at the whole picture.
@Middle Finger
“We’ll all be damned if Clinton is elected, and we’ll all be damned if Trump is elected, so pick your poison.”
Here’s to you as well!
@Star-
There is a “check and balance” system in the US: Executive, Legislative, Judicial. Trump as President would have to bring the Legislative with him. If he really messes up then yes this is imaginable: Republican Congress voting to impeach Trump, which is another “check.” One may only hope that he metamorphosizes in the coming months to gain more comfort among voters.
Only looking at US person abroad issues: then the choice is very clear: don’t vote for Clinton.
@JC
Nope, sorry, would never happen. Trump has turned the RNC into cowering drones and he would do the same to a Republican Congress. There will be no checks on a President Trump.
I hope he gets his walls built.
Old news: http://www.wptz.com/Local-Man-Jailed-For-Crossing-Street/5756044
This just in: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/pokemon-fans-accidentally-wander-over-us-canada-border-205345112.html?nhp=1
Another perspective I found on Facebook. Yet another reason to vote Trump. I didn’t write it, someone else did:
“If I only had Trump or Clinton to vote for, I’d stay home. People are so busy focusing on Trump’s illogical (frankly dumb ass and bigoted comments) that they fail to see the bigger picture, the TPP and TTIP and Services pact (aka the TRIAD). Hillary will ratify it. Trump will not. If the TPP is ratified, the rest of the dem platform goes down the drain, specifically all measures to mitigate climate change, raise the minimum wage, protect the environment, rein in dangerously bad banking practices, etc…and anything else that would impinge on the profits of any multi-national company based in any one of the signatory countries. And then there’s access to information and censorship of the Internet (TPP take a nice bite out of that). Clinton is itching to finish off Assad and has Iran and Russia in her sites. Trump…hmmm…he has made one ridiculous statement after another about things he will not have the legal power to do or the Congressional support to do if elected. Is building a huge wall along several thousand miles of border feasible? Does anybody really think he can force Mexico to pay for it? So, at worst, he will be a lame duck president and at least more entertaining than Clinton, albeit a major embarrassment for America. I don’t need to be thrown a bone. I need a president that will represent the majority of Americans. Hillary Clinton will not do that. After all, if she did, who would pay her big money for speeches after her term in office is up.”
Repealing FATCA would not be easy for any US administration.
Implementation has costs banks in many countries a lot of money, and a lot of US diplomatic capital has been expended getting it legalized by all those different governments. Some of those governments are likely to be somewhat outraged if told it was all unnecessary and the US now wants the world to (a) remove all the expensive due diligence machinery, bank by bank and country by country, (b) stop reporting US Person accounts, and (c) welcome US citizens back with open arms.
I speculate that that’s perhaps how “Repeal FATCA” made it into the Republican platform: they can safely say they want to repeal FATCA, knowing full well that a measure with so many costs for all, and no benefits for anyone except expats, would never make it through Congress.
As a lifelong Democrat I have struggled with who to vote for, ever since being FATCA’d.
I would gladly vote for a rational Republican who isn’t completely extreme on health care, voter rights, guns, climate change and helping billionnaires. But so far the GOP has just done everything it could to disgust me, and I cannot fathom voting GOP, even their pseudo-Republican Trump. Even though Trump has made some interesting noises, his presidency would be catastrophic and I cannot wish that upon the world or the USA. The only good thing about the Republicans, from our point of view, is defunding the IRS. However this does not make the IRS more rational, in fact less so (I’ve been exchanging letters with them for a year over a one-digit error in a social security number which has led them to try to tax me when I owe no tax). But perhaps it makes it a slight bit less dangerous. I doubt it, but hey. As much research posted here in other recent posts shows, the GOP have thrown us under the bus as much as the Dems.
The Democrats, while having made our life hell, are a slightly more rational party, and they do have DA which does trickle back major discontent to the higher ups. Recently a researcher has fed survey data and quotes of actual people to the DNC showing how Americans Abroad are considering renouncing. There is still a tendency to minimize the impact of CBT+FATCA but some progress is being made. The much loathed same-country exemption is the earliest relief in sight in my opinion. Perhaps better than nothing (and I HATE this proposal, because it solves nothing, almost).
FATCA has equivalents (always less intrusive and threatening, but still) everywhere now, at least in the EU. If you’re in France you get a letter asking about your account in Belgium, etc. So this kind of reporting will be a fact of modern life, unfortunately. So it’s truly CBT that sets the US apart.
Fred – “The much loathed same-country exemption is the earliest relief in sight in my opinion. Perhaps better than nothing (and I HATE this proposal, because it solves nothing, almost).”
Can anyone explain what would be the drawbacks to the same-country exemption proposal?