UPDATED WED APRIL 26
videos are posted at youtube
ONLY PLACE TO GET AUDIO FEED AT THIS LINK
As Ms. Bean testifies to the insignificance of #Americansabroad, Dani’s uniform and passport are to her right. Yes, those of us abroad, only 4300 renouncing vs 730,000 coming in, simply do not matter. Noticeable large errors regarding foreign countries supposedly taxing their citizens when they leave (that is not what CRS is); not getting it clear that OVDI is the source of the collection, starting in 2009, before FATCA was even signed; US banks do not like FATCA, they don’t want to report like foreign banks required. Maybe someone should explain to Ms. Bean that Hillary was the shield of the other 47,500 that were not turned over.
Before adjourning, Mr. Meadows has asked each witness to come up with 3 ways revisions could be made that would address the issues heard about today. While we all want FATCA repealed, maybe for the sake of compromise, we could at least try the same……………….
****************************************************
Updates April 25, 2017!!
TESTIMONIES OF WITNESSES FOR TOMORROW’S HEARING ARE HERE
VIDEO TESTIMONY OF DONNA-LANE NELSON
REVIEWING THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE FOREIGN ACCOUNT TAX COMPLIANCE ACT
Subcommittee on Government Operations
SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
HEARING DATE: APRIL 26, 2017 2:00 PM 2154 RHOB
PURPOSE:
To examine the effects of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on the U.S. and international economy, as well as potential legislative remedies.
BACKGROUND:
Signed into law in 2010, FATCA requires non-U.S. financial institutions to report assets and identities of U.S. citizens with non-U.S. financial accounts to the Internal Revenue Service.
As a result, many foreign banks have stopped serving U.S. citizens, and record numbers of Americans have renounced their citizenship.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and five expatriates filed a lawsuit claiming FATCA constitutes an unconstitutional breach of privacy, as well as an illegal treaty
WITNESSES AND TESTIMONIES
Name Title Organization Panel Document
The Honorable Rand PaulU.S. Senator State of Kentucky
Mr. James Bopp, Jr. Attorney The Bopp Law Firm, PC
Mr. Mark Crawford Director AKSIONER International Security Brokerage
Mr. Daniel Kuettel Former U.S. citizen living in Switzerland who renounced his U.S. citizenship due to FATCA
Ms. Elise Bean Washington Co-Director Levin Center at Wayne Law Wayne State University
Updates April 23, 2017!!
The Democrats have selected Carl Levin Protege, Professor Elise Bean, as their witness in support of FATCA. Professor Bean is an interesting choice given that the focus of the hearing, in its plain terms is:
REVIEWING THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE FOREIGN ACCOUNT TAX COMPLIANCE ACT
It seems to me that Professor Bean might be a much better witness if the hearing were for the purpose of:
CELEBRATING THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE FOREIGN ACCOUNT TAX COMPLIANCE ACT
To glean some insight into the perspective of Professor Bean, read the account of her March 30 meeting in Washington with PANA committee of the European Parliament. In explaining the superiority of the U.S. approach to penalties and enforcement she noted:
Bean agreed with MEPs that the US is in a more advanced position than the EU when it comes to penalties and enforcement.
“On improving enforcement, there are three things you can do in the EU,” she said. “The first is to increase your fines – your fines at the moment are a fraction of what the banks are earning. Secondly, you should require that the company or bank admits liability. This opens the door for class action lawsuits. Thirdly, make sure that the fines are not tax-deductible. Taxpayers end up paying more than big banks when the fines are tax-deductible.
“In the US, we also use monitors on compliance. We have a monitor who will monitor the institution for a period of two years to ensure that the required changes are actually made. Make the banks pay for their own monitoring.”
Bean also informed the European delegation that there will be tax justice demonstrations taking place in Washington and 60 cities across the US on April 15. The protests will demand Trump releases his tax returns but will also call for ending deferral of corporate taxes and for action on shell companies, she said.
Professor Bean is a colleague of Professor Linda Beale of Wayne State Law School. Professor – through her own writings – is NOT sympathetic to problems of taxation-based citizenship and Americans abroad. She has distinguished herself as one who fundamentally believes that everybody with an undisclosed “offshore bank account” is (to use her words) a “scofflaw“. The professor, as well as a professor of tax law, is apparently also an expert in investing and diversification of assets as evidence by the following gem:
Now, there are at least two interesting things about the Romney’s stashing $3 million in a very low yield Swiss bank account.
1) There are better things to do with money. Even if you don’t mind a low return, you could hold that money in the US–helps the US economy more than in a Swiss bank, and is easily available without the transaction costs of getting it out of your secret Swiss bank account. Why would the Romney’s have a Swiss bank account with a very low yield? The Romney spokesperson says “diversification” but that doesn’t hold water. Makes one wonder where this money came from and certainly why it ended up in a Swiss bank.
In 2012, Professor Linda Beale introduced herself to the Isaac Brock Society in a thread which is referenced in the following tweet:
Prof. L. Beale – comments on her support of "specified reporting requirements from citizens to their governments" https://t.co/vDgyirXkcR
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 24, 2017
Professor Beale is a living, breathing argument for why it has become impossible for Americans abroad to retain U.S. citizenship and one of the reasons why:
When it's all said and done: All roads lead to renunciation https://t.co/dOeWdjNtXV
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 24, 2017
________________________________________________________________________
And now back to our originally schedule broadcast …
Q. What do Ronald Reagan and Heidi have in common?
A. They both became disillusioned with the Democratic Party
When questioned about this, Mr. Reagan noted (referring to the period in his life when he was a Democrat) that:
1. He thought many foolish things in those days; and
2. In any case, he had not really left the Democratic Party. Rather the party had left him.
@FredB
“Speaking of which my personal politics are being completely turned on their head, and I am in danger of turning into a former Democrat even before I turn into a former American. Because even though most of what the Republicans stand for makes me shake my head, the only ones who have caused me harm personally are the Democrats.”
This is also the road I have travelled, from a liberal minded, east coast, physician to a renounced EX American who would rather see anyone in the White house rather than the likes of the Clinton democratic mindset.
But honestly , does it matter what the social policies of the US are anymore? We don’t live there, our concerns should be just about their fiscal policies and the effects on US citizens abroad.
I am no longer an American . My concerns now are for my own country and their policies. If you are settled abroad in your other citizenship, then does it matter if you have second thoughts about being ‘their form” of an American Democrat? You can still be a Democratic socialist or whatever in your resident country. Let America go, it is an abusive partner in your life. Hoping for it to change doesn’t work
And now, an advertisement from Democrats Abroad …
The @DemsAbroad say: "When injustice becomes law, then resistance becomes a duty". Yet #StepFordWives "suck and blow" by supporting #FATCA! pic.twitter.com/JCQuPCyy8y
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 21, 2017
Sad but true. The Democrats Abroad AKA “The Stepford Wives” have once again conveyed the message (reminding me of a Democrat president):
“Let every Expat know, whether he wishes us well or ill, that Democrats shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of FATCA and Taxation-based citizenship.”
When it comes to supporting Democratic Party Central: Democrats Abroad are like The Stepford Wives https://t.co/sbaEVmBsP8 – it's a #FATCA
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 21, 2017
Yup, #YouCantMakeThisUp
For years and years the Democrats have made it clear that they fully support FATCA and taxation-based citizenship. One would think that they would keep their sentiments quiet. Yet, once again they have broadcasted their hatred of Americans abroad to the world.
It reminds me a bit of a teacher I once had who reminded me that:
“Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are ignorant than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Yet, that’s what those “Stepford Wives” have done, yet again. Brace yourself, after publicly condemning the Bopp/Republicans Overseas FATCA lawsuit, after failing to directly call for a move to “residence-based taxation” in it’s submission to the Senate Finance Committee, after arguing for FATCA Same Country Exemption (which would benefit only tax compliant Homelanders Abroad and support a U.S. FATCA attack on their own countries of residence), on the eve of the April 26/17 FATCA hearings in Washington, DC, they have once again confirmed their total and absolute hatred of Americans abroad and their support of FATCA.
Here it is, straight from the Donkey’s mouth:
In light of the annual IRS deadline, we’ve been receiving a lot of questions about DA’s advocacy on filing issues for overseas Americans. Why not support Rand Paul’s proposal to eliminate FATCA entirely?
From our late 2016 FATCA FAQs:
Republicans say they want to repeal FATCA. Why won’t Democrats Abroad join their campaign to repeal FATCA?
Democrats Abroad supports policy that cracks down on illegal tax avoidance. When some taxpayers break the law by hiding assessable earnings from the IRS in offshore accounts it increases the burden for the rest of us. For many decades those with access to elite financial structures and schemes have been using offshore accounts in bank/tax secrecy jurisdictions to become even richer. Nations throughout the world have determined to bring this practice to an end and Democrats Abroad believes that is a good thing. Democrats Abroad supports the policy initiative behind FATCA. We also think FATCA can be fixed to remove the unintended adverse impacts it has on law-abiding Americans abroad.
In January 2014 the Republican National Committee (RNC) passed a resolution calling for the repeal of FATCA. While the resolution made it look like repealing FATCA would be Republican Party policy, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives did not introduce a bill calling for FATCA to be repealed in all of 2014. A bill calling for the repeal of parts of FATCA was reintroduced in the Senate by Senator Rand Paul in March 2015. It has one co-sponsor and a 1% chance of being enacted.
The RNC and Republicans Overseas, the organization formed in 2013 by members of the RNC to cultivate the overseas vote for Republicans, has been very open about their strategy of exploiting the anger and upset around FATCA to raise money and build support for Republican candidates amongst Americans living abroad.
Republicans Overseas has admitted that it sees FATCA as a political tactic for activating a ground game to attract overseas voters. If FATCA had been repealed by Congress before 2016, the Republicans would lose this wedge issue in the 2016 campaign. Republicans ran in the 2014 midterm elections on a pledge to repeal FATCA as soon as they won control of the Senate. They
have had control of both houses for two years but a repeal bill to mirror Sen Paul’s bill has not as yet been introduced in the House. And why would it? The GOP can use the promise of a FATCA repeal to take into its campaigns for Congress and the White House. We understand that FATCA hearings may be planned for the months leading up to election day – an opportunity to make the case for repeal. We are putting ourselves forward for inclusion on the witness list for a House hearing on FATCA should one be scheduled for this year.There is a global context for this question as well. By 2017 FATCA will have been in place for more than three years and be well entrenched in the compliance practices of international banks and brokerage houses. In addition, in 2017 the “global FATCA” will start to come online with the commencement of financial account reporting by at least 80 countries under the OECD Common Reporting Standards. By that time international financial account transparency and disclosure will be a given and the global crackdown on illegal tax avoidance will be very difficult for Republicans to arrest.
Is this for real? Rather than defend their FATCA Attack On Americans Abroad, they are attacking those Republicans who support FATCA repeal. Yes, yes, bring it on!!
Don’t forget that the Obama Treasury (you know the “Change You Can Believe In” – Hopey Changey Guy”) refused to to accept Same Country Exemption confirming its attack on Americans abroad.
Now, back to the April 26, 2017 FATCA hearings in Washington, DC (resulting from the FATCA repeal legislation proposed by Congressman Mark Meadows and Senator Rand Paul). Although these were not organized by the Democrats, they apparently will have witness(es) in attendance who will defend FATCA. This is good, because instead of attacking and condemning the Republicans (the current justification of their focus on FATCA retention), they will (presumably) be forced to explain why FATCA is so desirable. Rumour is that there will be a way to witness this spectacle live online!! Yes live online!!
Check back and the link to the link to the proceedings where there will be a hearing into FATCA (including the harm done to Americans abroad). This spectacle should NOT be missed. You will see that those who oppose FATCA (a broad range of people) and those who support FATCA (the Democrats) providing evidence and discussion.
But, the FATCA hearings aside …
The great “genius” of “Democracy in America” is that it is dominated by two private clubs. These private clubs are the Democratic and Republican parties. This party dominated process brought us “The Donald” who was chosen in spite of the Republican Party and “Crooked Hillary Clinton” who was chosen BECAUSE of the DNC.
In other words, the Democratic Party will not be going away in the immediate future.
Democrats Abroad (which is probably a group of Homelanders) is here to stay and here to continue one of the core missions of the Democratic Party:
The Democratic Party wants to destroy Americans abroad.
And the lesson from this is:
You keep your friends close and your enemies closer, that's why I intend to join @Demsabroad (… https://t.co/toVg1LHISj via @@USExpatCanada
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 21, 2017
Watching the video now. I’ll post a time index when I’m done. Connolly’s just ignorant so far. Bean is mendacious and malignant.
@All
I was at the hearing today and while it is going to take a while for me to decompress and fully take everything I heard I do have a few comments generally applicable to the non US governments and non US media.
1. Why did the Canadian Govt not send any representative from its embassy down the street in DC. Were they even aware of what was going on.
2. What is the CDN govt’s position now regarding the likelihood of the US Congress passing reciprocal FATCA reporting?
3. Has there been any direct contact between the Canadian government and Congressman Meadows.
4. Why did the CBC not send any of its Washington, DC based reporters to either cover the hearing or the press conference afterwards. I have enormous respect for Elizabeth Thompson but I would have liked to seen much more from the CBC.
Going forward while much of the blame for FATCA has been rightly placed on that of the US and it’s political institutions it is also clear that increasingly much of the blame also has to be placed on non US actors like Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau, the CBC, Canada Revenue Agency etc. I will have more to say on this later.
Thanks, Tim, for being at the hearing today and for these relevant questions that need, but we’ll likely never get, answers for. And, the beat goes on.
It is so very interesting when a person with power ( https://www.washingtonian.com/2011/10/03/washingtons-100-most-powerful-women/ ) professes good works and ethics in one context ( https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/people/elise-j-bean http://live.worldbank.org/node/9619 while willfully denying and dismissing and scoffing at the harm they defend – the harm being done via the abuses of US extraterritorial CBT/FATCA/FBAR to ordinary people living outside the US – ex. the minors and those deemed legally incompetent living lawful ordinary lives with legal local education and disability savings outside the US – merely because they or their parents had a US birthplace – and despite them having no economic connection to the US.
Tell us oh FATCAnatics and US CBT apologists how you and your tax laws and FATCA and FBAR benefited those outside the US who you slandered today? How did you support the children ‘abroad’? How did you support those with disabilities ‘abroad’? What healthcare or education did you provide us with? How about the roads we drive on? Post-secondary grants? Clean water to drink? Food or shelter?
Oh, you say we can’t qualify for anything – unless we live inside the US? Funny, in view of the claim that the US government benefits us wherever in the world we reside.
And you have the nerve to pretend that FATCA and FBAR and US extraterritorial CBT has not caused us harm and caused ordinary people and families to renounce? Or that even if that is the case, it is justified because you “meant well” and disingenously claim it was ‘unintended’?
Hmmm, what is ethical about lies, obfuscation and sins of omission coming from those sworn to serve?
Is it ethical to dismiss the harm to so many ordinary people in order to pursue your crusades and obsessions?
The FATCAnatics were all about pretending that their ends justified whatever harm their means have caused, and finding ways to make light of it – and apparently they’ve got no qualms whatsoever in playing fast and loose with the facts and abusing their control over the proceedings to upbraid those who don’t agree with them.
When Connolly gave his exaggerated example of the ‘extremes’ of egregious tax evaders in his attempt to dismiss the harms experienced by the witnesses, he basically said that it doesn’t matter what happens to the many ordinary people as long as they can pursue the few. And it is absurd and improbable that there are masses of US taxable millionaire and billionaires running loose outside the US, hiding among us ordinary folk, just waiting to be FATCAed.
And I’m wondering what they’d say about why it is that their fellow high profile Democrats appointed to the Treasury and Commerce didn’t keep their money in the US, but found it necessary to invest ‘offshore’? but that was okay for their Treasury Secretary and their Commerce Secretary among others;
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1021240866485552520
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2013/05/02/pritzker-family-baggage-tax-saving-offshore-trusts/#a0fde993ca11
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us/politics/trade-nominee-has-500000-in-cayman-islands.html
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/13/business/la-fi-mo-jacob-lew-treasury-citigroup-hearing-20130213
Or didn’t pay US taxes plus other ethical lapses;
https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/rangel-found-to-have-violated-multiple-ethics-rules/?ref=nyregion&_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/nyregion/17rangel.html
And lest you think I’m partisan, I don’t excuse any US homelanders from the hypocrisy of US extraterritorial CBT,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/01/19/treasury-nominee-initially-omitted-more-than-100-million-from-disclosures-democratic-memo-shows/?utm_term=.49b90a3e3e71
Etc. etc.
If FATCA is so good, Ms Bean and Rep Connolly then why doesn’t the US impose it WITHIN the US?
Ms. Bean knows full well that we outside the US – ex. in Canada, we have our own version (ex. T-5) of the Form 1099-INT, and our tax agency gets copies and we also report and pay local taxes on the interest (if any) that accrues. Most people make zero interest on their ordinary chequing accts, so there wouldn’t be any to report and zero to pay US taxes on. Many ordinary people live paycheck to paycheck, so there wouldn’t be anything much to save.
Neither our T-5 nor the US Form 1099-INT calls for the highest balances in aggregated accounts, the debits, credits, withdrawals and other transactions.
Is it ethical for a lawyer to willfully lie even if it is by omission or implication?
Thanks Tim for attending the hearing.
We’re not the only ones calling for the repeal of FATCA;
http://www.cutoday.info/Fresh-Today/CUNA-WOCCU-Call-For-Repeal-Of-FATCA
I guess Ms. Bean, Rep. Connolly and the FATCAnatics will call them friends of us tax evading money laundering terror funding drug lords ‘abroad’ .
@ Tim
Thanks for being there. I didn’t know there was a likelihood of reciprocity. Did you hear something about that in Washington? You are right on the mark about our Canadian government rolling over for FATCA. Blame lies on both sides of the border.
And dangling SCE is back again despite it being nixed just recently https://www.americansabroad.org/news/treasury-department-slams-the-door-on-same-country-exemption-for-americans-abroad/ .
http://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-maloney-introduces-bill-to-ease-financial-burdens-of-americans
@ badger
That’s great news about CUNA and WOCCU supporting the repeal of FATCA. Dare I say momentum is building?
My blood is boiling after having sat through the replay of the whole hearing. Stupid Democrats pontificating under the guise of asking questions, then shutting up witnesses (Bopp and Kuettel) when they try to answer. They didn’t listen to a single word of testimony, simple stewed in their own made-up world, in which “FACTA” (as Maloney kept stupidly calling it) raised the corpse of SCE, while the beeyatch from DC seemed to think that without FATCA (at least she said it right) was the sole defense in this world against tax cheats, terrorists and child sex traffickers, and repealing it “opens the door wide” to every crime imaginable.
Meadows was cool, eloquent, and razor sharp. I truly hope he didn’t mean it at the end when he implied a need for middle ground. He knows very well that repeal is the only intelligent choice.
@Barbara: you mean the gentlewoman from DC 🙂 who “seemed to think that without FATCA (at least she said it right) was the sole defense in this world against tax cheats, terrorists and child sex traffickers, and repealing it “opens the door wide” to every crime imaginable.”
I was truly floored by that intervention by Ms Norton, who has instantly killed any chances I might ever vote Democratic in the forseeable future. She asked a question then shut up the witness like you said, Jeez. These people truly despise us, they believe living abroad is an abomination, that the very fact that we are abroad means we are dishonest, means we are akin to drug trafficking, money laundering and tax evasion (oh yeah, not forgetting of course terrorism, and sex trafficking — did she mention pedophilia?). Sure, some of us might be good people (reminds me of Trump and Mexicans) but they have to prove it and if we are truly good people we should then be happy to bend over and take two tax systems, double taxation, FBARs, forbidden banking, ruined pension planning, etc with a smile. JEEZ!
This whole thing has opened my eyes to people I didn’t care for: the Freedom Caucus. This unbelieving former Dem says thank God for them.
“Meadows was cool, eloquent, and razor sharp. I truly hope he didn’t mean it at the end when he implied a need for middle ground. He knows very well that repeal is the only intelligent choice.”
I used to think RBT was the most intelligent choice, and sufficient, but even with RBT FATCA is dangerous and over-reaching. So yes, repeal is the only good option right now, and hopefully RBT will come eventually.
@Badger: Not lies, obfuscation and omission. Alternate facts is the new vocabulary.
I should probably call my credit union and alert them to the fact that I am a suspected terrorist financier because my Canadian pension and Old Age Security are deposited directly to my account every month. It seems some members of Congress might think my regular donations to World Vision fund radical extremists instead of the education of the three girls I sponsor in Nepal, Armenia and Indonesia.
Disgusting. Really really disgusting.
Just like I thought. The meeting accomplished nothing at all. There will not be any repeal at all and henceforth we would all have to seriously now think about renouncing. It makes my blood boil by hearing all these people think we are in drugs or tax evaders. It costs me more money to file my taxes than to pay the actual tax. This is the reality plus I can’t open up brokerage account or be partners with non US citizens as they are scared of being in partnership with any US person.
I am just starting in. Got only as far as Connolly and lost my ever lovin mind. His blatant ignorance/lies is startling. From what you all are saying, not sure I can bear hearing Bean. There may not be enough high blood pressure medicine in the world for me to manage this.
Thank you Tim for attending and being our fly on the wall.
Ginny If Daniel,could sit beside her without punching her in the nose, you can watch her testimony. I misspoke earlier. He brought his wife and 2 children at his own expense.
@DoD
I tried, but got ill. We’ve been called tax cheats, criminals, judged guilty absent the principle of innocent until proven guilty, but now we are referred to as akin to sex traffickers? Be still my heart.
Do me a favour, DoD or anyone. Please explain to me in really simple grade 4 level vocabulary, how is it that the USA was and is still referred to as the greatest most powerful nation in the world? Unless most powerful means the biggest bully in the world.
I am sorry and I mean this sincerely for anyone who like the woman in the first video who literally vomited when she renounced. I get how your citizenship is an attribution of personal identity. I do get that truly because I only identify as a Canadian.
Can these US politicians not understand how three plaintiffs who spent only the first five years of our lives on US soil – and so many others who lived there even fewer years and some not even one second having never been born there- do not share this same patriotic affiliation and just want to be free since we are citizens/permanent residents of another country?
Can they never see the arrogance in the position they hold which deems us as owing any loyalty( = tax tribute) to what we view as foreign soil.
In their view the only sovereign nation is the world is the USA.
I beg to differ. The fact that my own government incorporates this position that US law is the law in Canada makes me even sicker.
Apparently Misters Harper and Trudeau2 don’t know who they are.
I assure you Gwen, Kazia and I do know who we are, which is citizens of the sovereign nation of Canada and we won’t let them forget that.
Are we proud that we are suing our own nation? Not particularly.
Do we believe (y)our cause is right and justified? Absolutely.
All of the above is why neither a Mr. Connolly, a Ms. Bean nor any Canadian politician will be able to silence the three of us as we saw them attempt to do with the witnesses at this hearing.
Ms Bean
If I were you I would probably be checking out these comments on the infamous Issacbrocksociety
You may actually be our saviour instead of percieved prosecutor.
If you do believe RBT should be implimented please share that belief here.
I know you worked on FATCA but you did not start CBT.
Fingers crossed
Ginny,
Unfortunately your situation did NOT come at the hearing. However, I asked a question at the press conference that at least tries to tie back to the situation in Canada with you and the other three plaintiffs. A video of this below. I ask about the IGA’s at the 25:08 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZoLSfyyjvI
I also did discuss your situation with Donna Lane Nelson who is the woman in the video that renounced while I was having lunch with her and John Richardson in the Longworth US Capitol cafeteria prior to the hearing. She indicated she would try to do her best to bring the lawsuit in Canada if the opportunity arose.
Yesterday was a very tiring day. I flew to Washington, DC very early in the morning and returned that same evening. I am still going over my notes and letting everything sink in. At least a got to experience one tenth of what you and the other plaintiffs are probably going through.
“Please explain to me in really simple grade 4 level vocabulary, how is it that the USA was and is still referred to as the greatest most powerful nation in the world?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTdy1Yp1h5A
“Can these US politicians not understand how three plaintiffs who spent only the first five years of our lives on US soil
[…]
In their view the only sovereign nation is the world is the USA.”
You made a typographical error, right? You’re really talking about Canadian politicians, right?
It does seem to have genuinely bothered Mr Meadows that even one American would renounce their US citizenship because of unjust laws. Citizenship Based Taxation is an unjust law and lawmakers who’d disagree will have to vilify the many renouncing to fit that their narrative. As long as there are people like Meadows at the forefront that won’t be easy to get away with.
Although FATCA repeal might allow some people to retain their US citizenship it will not stem the tide of renunciations. There are two types of US law and policy makers who matter here, those who value Americans abroad (Meadows) and those who don’t (Bean). I suggest we focus on the former.
@ Tim
Thanks so much for that link to the post conference. I detected ( aside from the terrible acoustics that led me to conclude a poor parrot was continually being decapitated by a huge cleaver) John Richardson’s voice and what I assumed to be you asking your question. It was also my first encounter hearing Mr. Bopp et all speaking and now I can understand how others have confidence in him and his supporting team.
Fwiw, I feel much better now. As my kids would say that was good stuff.
@Norman Diamond: you are so right. I very much enjoy how you right my sails with your pithy comments. And I will always admit to being a triible typist. See what I did there? Sure let’s call that a typographical error.
Realistically, what would I do without all of you furthering my education? I admit I take breaks from the Brock forum when I need to think through things or the litigation work heats up. Ultimately I am like a homing pigeon and return to find you all often cheer me up. Thanks.
@ George ( The Original) if I had any part as you recently said about your offspring contemplating legal studies, I am sure it is more attributable to the fine example you have set for her or him. My father did that for me.
@Ginny
Unfortunately the acoustics were bad although I did not realize it at the time. This was not my department in terms of setting up.
You of course saw this trashy article whose publication did not even bother to show up to the hearing or press conference.
https://www.dcreport.org/2017/04/27/republicans-want-to-make-life-easier-for-overseas-tax-cheaters/
One issue with this particular article above is given they didn’t bother to show up to the hearing they decided to use a photo that was taken by John Richardson and post on the Republicans Overseas website.
One issue with this particular article above is given they didn’t bother to show up to the hearing they decided to use a photo that was taken by John Richardson and posted on the Republicans Overseas website without attribution.
@Ginny
I don’t know if this link works but these are some pictures on Facebook of John Richardson meeting with Congressman Rod Blum of Iowa.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212864253910385&set=pcb.782557548576986&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212864253950386&set=pcb.782557548576986&type=3&theater
I don’t want to feel any pressure to do so if you are not interested but if we make another trip to DC you Ginny might make an interesting addition to our group.
Just watched the press conference …. very good indeed. Thank you to all who participated.
@Tim
Thanks for the pictures. Currently, I have no intentions of setting foot in the USA again. It’s enough that I can look North out of my window and see it.