Media and Blog Articles – Part 1 of 11 (to 26 May 2015)
You can access all years at this link:
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/media-and-blog-articles-links-for-all-years/
EmBee suggested that it would be good if there was a thread for new articles, so that people would be aware of where to comment. So, I created this permanent page. You could mention such articles in the comment stream for this page, or if I see one on another thread, I can copy the link to here. I’ll keep adding to the list, but not deleting, so we’ll end up having sort of a “bibliography” too. [Note: Some articles are not open for comments]
For more articles on FATCA, enter FATCA into Google then click on the link “more news for fatca” just below the most recent featured article.
Note also: JC suggests to see #FATCA on Twitter for latest breaking news. JC finds that is quite a good source and there even are some international articles that one may read using Google Translate.” Others may help certain tweets and articles remain in elevated position by retweeting them.
2015.05.26
New Survey finds US expat voting could impact 2016 Presidential Election, Greenback Expat Tax Services, NASDAQ GlobeNewswire.
This congressional committee wants to hear all your FOIA gripes, Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, US.
The black money recovery skills of IT department are nothing to write home about, Vivek Kaul, The Daily Reckoning.
2015.05.25
The Intersection of US Federal Tax Law with Collection of International Information- – Including Other Federal Agencies, Patrick W. Martin, TaxExpatriaation, US.
2015.05.23
America the not so brave: America has led the global assault on tax dodgers and their enablers. But the reality still lags behind the rhetoric, The Economist, UK.
Cash Banned from Chase Safe Deposit Boxes, Matt Chilliak, Live and Invest News.
2015.05.22
US Steuergesetz hat unerwartete globale Konsequenzen, Colleen Graffy, Geopolitical Information Service. Also at Consequences of US widening net to catch tax dodgers, Colleen Graffy, World Review.
The horse may have bolted … but, Angelo Venardos, Asia Asset Management.
Important Correction: Passports Required to Enter and Leave US — but SSNs May be Optional, Patrick W. Martin, Tax Expatriation, US.
2015.05.21
Americans working abroad face unexpected financial issues, Sarah O’Brien, NBC, US.
Senate tax reform groups get more time, Bernie Becker, The Hill, US.
2015.05.20
Malaysia will defer FATCA reporting, FSI Tax Posts.
America’s Self-Inflicted Wound, Moises Naim, The Atlantic, US.
Janice Mays: The Tax Guru Who Guides House Democrats, Alex Brown, National Journal, US.
Sen. Rand Paul Launches Filibuster in Protest of Patriot Act Renewal, C-SPAN, US.
As we get closer to the primaries, here a reminder on what Rand Paul has to say so far:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4502329/rand-paul-objects
* Could some please clarify any other candidate that is worth considering?
* Likewise, who is worthy of being named & shamed?
I noticed some of the comments in various articles about May’s speech , use her ‘Americanness’ as an excuse to bash her. Even if you renounce US citizenship, you can never get rid of the taint.
” Poor Elizabeth. After all these years, she’s still nothing but a common brash, over-the-top, vulgar American…”
@ All – remember the Mayor of Stanstead interview? Well, I just discovered that there was a follow-up interview with a local lawyer. Unfortunately, she sounds compliance-directed, talking about how easy it is to get up to date via Streamlined. And she was making plans to go to speak to folks in Stanstead to help them understand the issues. YIKES. Anyone want to write to Quebec AM with further comments? Or to the Mayor of Stanstead with options for understanding the issues from a different perspective?
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/Quebec/Quebec+AM/ID/2662723171/?page=3
Thanks for the update, LM.
The good people of Stanstead who were born across the border in a US hospital because they did not have a hospital available in Canada to be born in need a different kind of information session than the one they are going to get from this (US?) tax lawyer. I can’t imagine that this broadcast gives many of those US-defined US citizens a lot of comfort.
They are going to say — no problem, only three years of back-tax filing and six years of FBAR filing to give all my financial information to the US and then ongoing? It’s not super-complicated for most people to do? Are these people any different than the rest of us in their concerns?
@Dreamer re “the American taint”
You may be onto something. I will be celebrating (well, observing) 37 years in Canada this summer, and I have learned at least one thing…the American taint never goes away if you moved here as an adult. Bashing any other nationality, skin colour, religion or sexual identity is completely taboo, but if you have the American taint you’re fair game. Our best bet is to try to go in cognito so as not to ruffle feathers. For example, if American-Canadians (how odd that looks) were as outwardly proud of their heritage as, say, Italian-Canadians, or Finnish-Canadians, we would be put in our place faster than you can say “Tim Hortons.” This is why, I believe, we get so little sympathy in the media. Call me out on this if I’m wrong, but there is a nasty side to Canadian politeness and good will and it can be ugly when any taint of America makes us the skunk at the garden party. Elizabeth May is finding this out,not, I think,for the first time.
@Lake Superior Guy
**This is why, I believe, we get so little sympathy in the media**
Nope it has nothing to do with u being American… when people see the words… *tax evading* we are painted with a brush of being rich & sipping drinks on a beach… The gov’t says I am middle class & I live in a crappy old house with pipes that talk to each other, that one day will be my inheritance from my parents… oh yeah…. with snarky kids & a hubby who works hard to ensure we have everything we need…. Majority of the media can’t be bothered to understand the issue… only a few…. because of the internet… attention span is short & news need to get out… how many articles have u read on the internet about this issue that was wrong… they just lifted the info & talked about it without understanding it… Nothing about being american… In the ye olde days… people use to say to americans.. wow.. that’s great… now… man.. it sucks to be you… When I go to other countries… people find out I am canadian… first thing they say… how do u deal with all that snow & cold all yr? Huh… even at customs.. they aren’t joking either… its perception… If want to really feel prejudice… come to Quebec & only speak english… see how quickly people turn on u… even the Quebec gov’t…
@US Foreign Person
I can only speak from long experience. Many times I witnessed red-faced Canadians apologize to me after bashing Americans and then remembering my heritage. Polite, yes, but the venom was quite real and taxes had nothing to do with it.
@Lake Superior Guy
Sorry to hear about that… does not matter what country u are in… people are insensitive…. if anyone says… oh… that has never happen to me… they are full of it… I have developed a thick skin… not much gets my anger up,.. except this crap with the canadian gov’t… bunch of traitors who need to be unemployed…
@Lake Superior Guy
I believe that the rest of the world has mistaken passive aggressiveness for politeness in Canadians.
One would think the Obama’s might understand what discrimination feels like and would NEVER do it to others:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/241553-michelle-obama-speaks-of-emotional-toll-of-being-first-black
@Bubblebustin
You are probably right. I have experienced passive-aggressive behaviour in the workplace and it is stunningly painful and by its nature unexpected.
@Charl on Obama
Amen
@LSG– Vietnam War, Iraq 1 and 2, War on/of Terror, racism, gun violence, institutionalized poverty, inability to look beyond a two party system, healthcare as a privilege not a right. These are a few US wrought “issues” from the past half century– I understand where the anti-Americanism is rooted.
The link below was just sent to me by a friend in Maryland. You may have seen similar reports before but situations like this are now scaring folks in the homeland – – and so they should (be scared).
http://dailysignal.com/2015/05/11/the-irs-seized-107000-from-this-north-carolina-mans-bank-account-now-hes-fighting-to-get-it-back/?utm_source=heritagefoundation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningbell&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRojvKzOZKXonjHpfsX56%2B0vUaOwlMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4JTcZmI%2BSLDwEYGJlv6SgFQrLBMa1ozrgOWxU%3D
So now we’re “defectors” if we renounce.
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article50635.html
It’s a wholly sympathetic article, but I take exception to the sensational use of the word defectors, conjuring images of sneaking through foggy border checkpoints and going over to the dark side. Headlines like really this don’t help.
Next, they’ll be branding us as “heretics” and call for public stoning.
Yesterday the CBC posted two articles (@RefugeeFromAmerica commented on the donation thread about this) :
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-cites-hate-crime-laws-when-asked-about-its-zero-tolerance-for-israel-boycotters-1.3067497
This one had 4403 comments before I went to bed.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tories-deny-plan-to-use-hate-crime-laws-against-israel-boycotters-1.3069723
This one had 477.
And today ALL THE COMMENTS ARE GONE! Could it be that the CBC didn’t like the fact that 99% of the people commenting were alarmed and very much against this Harper government “proposal”? Or is it possible the CBC system can’t handle that many comments? Their comment policy only says they reserve the right to close the comments, not make them all disappear. I’ll never bother commenting at CBC again that’s for sure.
@Barbara
Aren’t those articles that give the impression that the renunciations are made up people fleeing the US getting a little tedious? 75% of renunciations are taking place in Canada, the UK and Switzerland (at least they were a year or so ago) – all high-tax countries that don’t provide instant citizenship.
Everyone’s got something to sell with the fact that Americans are renouncing in record numbers, this writer’s no exception.
@LM
I just cannot get over these “laws”. It is the height of stupidity. Or cunning. So totally off the wall ridiculous as if it was giving the IRS or the police “carte blanche” to go out and rob people. Its tragic and horrific and mind-boggling at the same time. And all these “bulk search” themes have to do with a country which does not have the money to pay people to do things the right way according to the law and the constitution. So the make up these laws without thinking of how they can be preverted. Just horrific. I am so glad not to live in America. Its just insane.
Bubblebustin –
Switzerland is not a high tax country. Rather it is a high income country which leads to insufficient FEIE coverage.
@ Polly
I agree 100%, especially “I am so glad not to live in America. Its just insane.”
I think my Maryland friend who sent the link to me agrees with your view, too, and wishes he was not living in the US – – it’s not the US that we remember from high school days. Sad sad sad (and frightening).
EmBee,
I have just opened in Google Chrome http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-cites-hate-crime-laws-when-asked-about-its-zero-tolerance-for-israel-boycotters-1.3067497 and see 4466 comments. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tories-deny-plan-to-use-hate-crime-laws-against-israel-boycotters-1.3069723 right now has 1035 comments.
For some reason, I can no longer see comments for CBC articles using Firefox — but I can see them (and comment) if I use Google Chrome as my browser.
@ calgary411
Well that’s interesting. All was well using Firefox last night, then earlier today all comments disappeared and NOW they are back (Firefox too). I guess CBC was just having a bad comment day. Thanks for nudging me to check again.
Sounds like some meeting with Republicans Overseas and MichaelDeSombre head of the TEA Party.
Republicans Overseas @RepubAbroadHK May 11
Looking forward to our call with @RepStefanik next Monday 18 May at 8:30pm HKT @MichaelDeSombre
2 retweets 0 favorites
Republicans Overseas @RepubAbroadHK May 10
Call with @RepStefanik at 8:30pm Hong Kong time at @MichaelDeSombre’s office – http://eepurl.com/bmK1M5
CORRECTION. Meeting with Republicans Abroad President and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R) New York. So. It was tweeted.
@LM
And talk about crazy- this and CBT is all about making monkey out of thin air. They take the money without offering ANYTHING for it. How can this be? How corrupt in thinking and excuses must one be to just confiscate money from people- their lifetime savings- or collect so-called “taxes” sans services from expats? They invest nothing, they offer nothing- but they take your money. Their excuses and reasoning (also called “rationalisations” by Freud) dont hold water. Insane.Corrupt.Who passes laws like these? Who is in charge of the nation?
The Opinion Pages NY Times
An American Tax Nightmare
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/opinion/an-american-tax-nightmare.html?_r=2