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.
@ Kathy,
But then there are those who were born in the US – – and raised for quite a while in the US – – of parents who were not US citizens (maybe illegal immigrants or Green-card holders, etc); these children grow up believing themselves to be Americans, and why not given their experience. Depriving them of US citizenship is just as awful as imposing it on “Accidental Americans”. It was a BIG issue a few years ago in the US, especially in the western and south western states but probably that problem hasn’t been fixed yet either (too busy fighting terrorists overseas to get their homeland act together……)
@LM
I agree. But it’s just nice to think about having a choice. If you WANT the citizenship, you’re allowed to keep it. If you don’t have any ties with the US and want to get rid of it, it should be simple and cheap to give it up.
@ Kathy
I fully agree!!
@Kathy,
My children are American. The older one really believes it’s the greatest country on earth. Born to two green card holders legally in the US. They are of course UK citizens but may never want to use that.
They have only spend a few weeks of their entire lives outside of the US. If you were going to say illegal parents or parents who aren’t living in the states and aren’t citizens don’t get citizenship for their children then maybe I might agree with you.
Another renunciation article, comments open:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-25/hundreds-give-up-u-s-passports-after-new-tax-rules-start.html
My children were born in New Hampshire and have been to the Dominican Republic for visits only. They cannot speak Spanish effectively, but because their mother/my wife is a citizen of the Dominican Republic, they are dual citizens from birth. Yet there are Dominican-born natives of families that have been there for generations that are denied citizenship there, because their families came from Haiti.
OTOH, Ted Cruz was born in Calgary and became a Canadian citizen by birth, but because his mother had USA citizenship, he was “infected” also, and was able to go on to be a United States Senator.
Citizenship is not the problem. The problem is the USA unilaterally imposing citizenship and then unilaterally imposing FBAR, income tax and trade restrictions (such as the ban on travel to Cuba) on anybody USA laws declare to be a citizen.
I hadn’t realized that the ‘shared responsibility’ payment (I love that name) is only temporarily turned off for expats. Good luck finding healthcare that’s Obamacare compliant in another country.
http://thecostaricanews.com/5-expat-tax-topics-you-probably-havent-heard-about
There is a lot of activity over at the new Bloomberg article, with some Homeland Americans expressing empathy (sigh….so so nice for a change!) Other Brockers may want to join in.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-25/hundreds-give-up-u-s-passports-after-new-tax-rules-start.html
Surveillance is a major factor of FATCA so if anyone is interested in watching Glenn Greenwald’s speech in Toronto yesterday here it is:
https://openmedia.ca/
Glenn says:
“I am not particularly an enthused fan of the Harper government … ”
And he makes an excellent case as to why this is so.
@Embee, Greenwald gave that same presentation in Ottawa last night. I was there, as was Atticus.
The IRS gets into civil asset forfeiture together with structuring.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/us/law-lets-irs-seize-accounts-on-suspicion-no-crime-required.html
After a newspaper asks some questions they say they will change what they are doing but won’t refund prior money?!?!?! Sound similar to OVDP?
They just want to money.
@ WhiteKat
Sorry that WAS his Ottawa speech (not Toronto). All those cities in Ontario look the same to me. 😉 Awesome that you and Atticus were able to attend.
At the Bloomberg article, Spronkworks writes: “I get it… and offer you my sympathies for the ridiculous overreach of our tax system. It sounds like there is little upside to your latent US citizenship… “
@ Neill (RE the NYTimes article about Civil Forfeiture)
YIKES, AND YIKES AGAIN. What a horror. Sounds like flat-out stealing. Guilty until proven innocent. TRIPLE YIKES!
@ Embee, WhiteKat & Atticus,
I just listened to the entire Glenn Greenwald lecture – such a remarkable, powerful, honest presentation. Thank you, Embee, for bringing attention to this.
Has anyone tweeted him about worldwide surveillance via FATCA? I wonder what he would say or write about this.
@LM
yep, have tweeted him
@LM, I don’t do tweeting, but did facebook message him after the show.
@WhiteKat
I favorited your recent Bloomberg post. 911 comments now. You said: “newly formed non-profit organization called the Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty.” Is this true that it is only recently nonprofit? If true that should be made very clear on the website and perhaps in a press release.
by Ron Paul…
Once-Peaceful Canada Turns Militaristic; Blowback Follows
In 1968 the government of Canada decided to openly admit Americans seeking to avoid being drafted into the US war on Vietnam. Before, would-be immigrants were technically required to prove that they had been discharged from US military service. This move made it easier for Americans to escape President Johnson’s war machine by heading north.
Although a founding member of NATO, Canada did not join the United States in its war against Vietnam. The Canadian government did not see a conflict 7,000 miles away as vital to Canada’s national interest so Canada pursued its own foreign policy course, independent of the United States.
How the world has changed. Canada’s wise caution about military adventurism even at the height of the Cold War has given way to a Canada of the 21st century literally joined at Washington’s hip and eager to participate in any bombing mission initiated by the D.C. interventionists.
Considering Canada’s peaceful past, the interventionist Canada that has emerged at the end of the Cold War is a genuine disappointment. Who would doubt that today’s Canada would, should a draft be re-instated in the US, send each and every American resister back home to face prison and worse?
As Glenn Greenwald pointed out this past week:
Canada has also enthusiastically joined President Obama’s latest war on Iraq and Syria, pledging to send fighter jets to participate in the bombing of ISIS (and likely many civilians in the process).
But Canada’s wars abroad came back home to Canada last week.
Though horrific, it should not be a complete surprise that Canada found itself hit by blowback last week, as two attacks on Canadian soil left two Canadian military members dead.
Greenwald again points out what few dare to say about the attacks:
That is the danger of intervention in other people’s wars thousands of miles away. Those at the other end of foreign bombs – and their surviving family members or anyone who sympathizes with them – have great incentive to seek revenge. This feeling should not be that difficult to understand.
Seeking to understand the motivation of a criminal does not mean that the crime is justified, however. We can still condemn and be appalled by the attacks while realizing that we need to understand the causation and motivation. This is common sense in other criminal matters, but it seems to not apply to attacks such as we saw in Canada last week. Few dare to point out the obvious: Canada’s aggressive foreign policy is creating enemies abroad that are making the country more vulnerable to attack rather than safer.
Predictably, the Canadian government is using the attacks to restrict civil liberties and expand the surveillance state. Like the US PATRIOT Act, Canadian legislation that had been previously proposed to give the government more authority to spy on and aggressively interrogate its citizens has been given a shot in the arm by last week’s attacks.
Unfortunately Canada has unlearned the lesson of 1968: staying out of other people’s wars makes a country more safe; following the endless war policy of its southern neighbor opens Canada up to the ugly side of blowback.
Copyright © 2014 by RonPaul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.
The Bloomberg article was sure hoppin’ today. Here is my absolute favourite comment: (Can we send this to Mr Harper?)
DevilsAdvocate02
“It must be humiliating to be a Canadian or European knowing the US can control your privacy, finance and tax laws. It doesn’t matter what laws you pass, if they don’t jive with the way we want it done from the US that is tough, you will dance to our tune. What is like being a trained dog of the US government? I thought Europeans had more pride, but even the French have meekly submitted to our orders, knowing who the master is. Roll over boy. Good boy, good dog!”
@JC, I meant newly formed (meaning this year) and non-profit (which it has always been).
Just Me –
In 1968 the government of Canada decided to openly admit Americans seeking to avoid being drafted into the US war on Vietnam.
You, nor Ron Paul, nor anybody else can document this phony factoid.
@USX
Can you “document” against it?
@WhiteKat Not mentioned on ADCS website: their legal nonprofit status. Audited too? This information would help elevate their credibility a smidge and make some contributing more comfortable.
Another one:
https://bdaily.co.uk/finance/27-10-2014/credence-independent-advisors-a-look-at-fatca-foreign-account-tax-compliance-act/