62 thoughts on “Don Whiteley at Vancouver Sun: The Accidental Kenyan”
The satirical approach is brilliant. It really puts the shoe on the other foot. It really needs to be circulated. I wonder if American Thinker would find it interesting as a follow up to the other articles such as the one Petros wrote? I’ll bet Grover Norquist would appreciate it.
I can picture Schumer steaming over seeing it in one of the so-called “right wing” blogs because it really smacks down his phony arguments against ex-pats.
The point is that it is a brilliant and really needs to get out there.
And I agree with OMG, anything about Obama and Kenyan citizenship gets people’s attention.
Everyone who came out in defense of Saverin’s expatriation would appreciate it because they received a lot of criticism themselves.
@Arrow-Don: Did you try the Economist, Bloomberg’s, Forbes and Wall Street Journal? They’ve run some pieces about FATCA.
As a freelancer, does your contract with Vancouver Sun place any limits on how long you must wait before pitching it elsewhere?
When you do a search for the words Obama Kenya on Google News, Don’s article in the Vancouver Sun is the 6th listing.
The #1 listing is from CNN posted within the last hour.
Does somebody have a way to send the article to Donald Trump? He’s a loud mouth. He’d love to see what Don wrote.
@Arrow,
I didn’t make the connection between DW and Arrow until later today. Sorry we did not connect up in Sydney. BTW, I have forwarded the Accidental Kenyan to a lot of my journalist contacts. I hope some read it and pass it on. I know David Jolly from the NYTs did, for one,
I would suggest that you try to send it to the Huffington Post, Daily Beast and the Daily Caller as three others who might be so inclined to run it even if the MSM papers won’t
Again, thanks for getting this up on the web and getting some attention. Every success builds on others, and you never know when the message will finally go viral.
@Arrow
You should send it to the Boston Globe who did an editorial yesterday in favor of Schumer’s Ex-Patriot legislation
@FromTheWilderness
I tweeted it to @BarackObama, so maybe someone will see it.
The accidental Kenyan. What if Kenya adopted the US Citizenship taxation model? Pay up, @BarackObama http://bit.ly/K4JZ6k #FBAR #FATCA
@Arrow…
Roger wishes it could also be published in the Miami Herald. 🙂 Have you tried them? They have been running with the Rubio anti DATCA opinion pieces, so this might appeal to them? Just a thought?
@Tim… Isn’t the Boston Globe owned by the NYTs? Humm.
@ Just Me
I hope you were in your bunker when you sent that tweet to Obama and that you’ve got plenty of provisions for a long stay. :-s
Interesting but is the IRS actually filing liens on property in foreign country’s? I thought the only ramifications were domestically American, I understand the FATCA will go beyond our borders but except for that, is the IRS really coming at you?
@WhoaIt’sSteve
It depends on what you mean by ‘is the IRS really coming at you?’ For anyone born in America, but now living abroad, I guess the answer could be yes, if you want to continue to cross the border. And, yes, FATCA is how they are coming ‘at us’.
‘Is the IRS actually filing liens on property in foreign countries?’ Well, I don’t think they can do that in Canada but I, for one, would think they just might try that. Or to put it another way, I believe they would if they could.
@Whoaitssteve
You’re reading it a little too literally. Remember it was my fantasy. Slapping a lien on the white house is in the same category as KIRS, FUBAR and KAFKA — which also don’t exist. You got the point though, right? The IRS won’t step on Canadian soil, but they’ll cheerfully nab you at the border, or seize anything you might own in the US.
@Tim
The first newspaper I worked for was the Boston Globe, but I’m afraid to reveal how long ago that was. Bobby Orr was still playing for the Bruins. And for a while (in Vancouver) I strung for the NYT, also years ago. They weren’t interested this time.
@Everybody
Again, I really appreciate all your support. In the area of copyright, the material is mine — but almost all other newspapers insist on “exclusivity” so now that it has been published no one else would pick it up. The exception would be other Postmedia papers, and one of those might run it if they like it.
I’m not done. I’ll find other ways to keep pushing this — and all Brockers apparently have been twittering this across the universe. That warms the heart of an old ink-stained wretch.
It hits print in the Sun tomorrow — but that’s a bit of an anti-climax these days.
DW
Do not discount the print. That’s the only way a lot of people would ever see it. Plus, a piece that is put up as online-only by a print-also outfit always lacks that additional standing.
Brockers can also think about bombarding the Vancouver Sun with brief cogent one-more-point letter supplements –
@Whoaitssteve
I don’t think there are any documented cases of the IRS going after foreign property for current FBAR cases, but it is an option that they are capable of if they get angry at you and enough money is on the table.
@Tim, thanks for the link, that’s a great site.
@Don/Arrow-congrats! It’s getting out there!
@Joe Expat… Ok, I did as you requested. WorldNet daily, is not one of my favorite sites, but I am willing to try anything, these days! LOL I know Rush loves them! 🙂
Accidental Kenyan article “destined to become a classic”..!
See mention below in article http://www.mahanyertl.com/mahanyertl/the-accidental-kenyan-what-if-other-countries-adopted-their-own-fatca-law/1750/
by Brian Mahany
“The title of this post, The Accidental Kenyan, comes from an editorial in the Vancouver Sun earlier this week. It is destined to become a classic among the tax bar so we have posted a link to the original article. Don Whiteley at the Sun does a much better job of telling the story, so we will stick to the lessons learned.”……..
The satirical approach is brilliant. It really puts the shoe on the other foot. It really needs to be circulated. I wonder if American Thinker would find it interesting as a follow up to the other articles such as the one Petros wrote? I’ll bet Grover Norquist would appreciate it.
I can picture Schumer steaming over seeing it in one of the so-called “right wing” blogs because it really smacks down his phony arguments against ex-pats.
The point is that it is a brilliant and really needs to get out there.
And I agree with OMG, anything about Obama and Kenyan citizenship gets people’s attention.
Everyone who came out in defense of Saverin’s expatriation would appreciate it because they received a lot of criticism themselves.
Thank you Arrow-Don Bin Wows Me (mind a little Star Wars?). I found it under Opinion. The link at the top of this page looks like this …
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/2035/accidental+Kenyan+What+would+happen+African+nation+copied+policy/6689987/story.html#ixzz1wBaS528D
… so I thought it was in the business section. Problem solved. I had already read your piece when I decided to go to the Vancouver Sun home page (never been there before) and then I couldn’t find my way back.
@Arrow-Don: Did you try the Economist, Bloomberg’s, Forbes and Wall Street Journal? They’ve run some pieces about FATCA.
As a freelancer, does your contract with Vancouver Sun place any limits on how long you must wait before pitching it elsewhere?
When you do a search for the words Obama Kenya on Google News, Don’s article in the Vancouver Sun is the 6th listing.
The #1 listing is from CNN posted within the last hour.
Does somebody have a way to send the article to Donald Trump? He’s a loud mouth. He’d love to see what Don wrote.
@Arrow,
I didn’t make the connection between DW and Arrow until later today. Sorry we did not connect up in Sydney. BTW, I have forwarded the Accidental Kenyan to a lot of my journalist contacts. I hope some read it and pass it on. I know David Jolly from the NYTs did, for one,
I would suggest that you try to send it to the Huffington Post, Daily Beast and the Daily Caller as three others who might be so inclined to run it even if the MSM papers won’t
Again, thanks for getting this up on the web and getting some attention. Every success builds on others, and you never know when the message will finally go viral.
@Arrow
You should send it to the Boston Globe who did an editorial yesterday in favor of Schumer’s Ex-Patriot legislation
@FromTheWilderness
I tweeted it to @BarackObama, so maybe someone will see it.
The accidental Kenyan. What if Kenya adopted the US Citizenship taxation model? Pay up, @BarackObama http://bit.ly/K4JZ6k #FBAR #FATCA
@Arrow…
Roger wishes it could also be published in the Miami Herald. 🙂 Have you tried them? They have been running with the Rubio anti DATCA opinion pieces, so this might appeal to them? Just a thought?
@Tim… Isn’t the Boston Globe owned by the NYTs? Humm.
@ Just Me
I hope you were in your bunker when you sent that tweet to Obama and that you’ve got plenty of provisions for a long stay. :-s
Interesting but is the IRS actually filing liens on property in foreign country’s? I thought the only ramifications were domestically American, I understand the FATCA will go beyond our borders but except for that, is the IRS really coming at you?
@WhoaIt’sSteve
It depends on what you mean by ‘is the IRS really coming at you?’ For anyone born in America, but now living abroad, I guess the answer could be yes, if you want to continue to cross the border. And, yes, FATCA is how they are coming ‘at us’.
‘Is the IRS actually filing liens on property in foreign countries?’ Well, I don’t think they can do that in Canada but I, for one, would think they just might try that. Or to put it another way, I believe they would if they could.
@Whoaitssteve
You’re reading it a little too literally. Remember it was my fantasy. Slapping a lien on the white house is in the same category as KIRS, FUBAR and KAFKA — which also don’t exist. You got the point though, right? The IRS won’t step on Canadian soil, but they’ll cheerfully nab you at the border, or seize anything you might own in the US.
@Tim
The first newspaper I worked for was the Boston Globe, but I’m afraid to reveal how long ago that was. Bobby Orr was still playing for the Bruins. And for a while (in Vancouver) I strung for the NYT, also years ago. They weren’t interested this time.
@Everybody
Again, I really appreciate all your support. In the area of copyright, the material is mine — but almost all other newspapers insist on “exclusivity” so now that it has been published no one else would pick it up. The exception would be other Postmedia papers, and one of those might run it if they like it.
I’m not done. I’ll find other ways to keep pushing this — and all Brockers apparently have been twittering this across the universe. That warms the heart of an old ink-stained wretch.
It hits print in the Sun tomorrow — but that’s a bit of an anti-climax these days.
DW
Do not discount the print. That’s the only way a lot of people would ever see it. Plus, a piece that is put up as online-only by a print-also outfit always lacks that additional standing.
Brockers can also think about bombarding the Vancouver Sun with brief cogent one-more-point letter supplements –
http://www.vancouversun.com/about-vancouver-sun/editorial.html#letterseditor
@Whoaitssteve
I don’t think there are any documented cases of the IRS going after foreign property for current FBAR cases, but it is an option that they are capable of if they get angry at you and enough money is on the table.
See especially the third comment from the bottom here:
http://bit.ly/M0uu0D
The thing that would keep them from doing it is that it would be (even more of) a PR disaster, not that it is not within their power.
@omghesstillanamerican
Here, this is just for your! 🙂 Winging its way to The Donald!
https://twitter.com/FBAR_Compliant/status/207460063865077762
@Just me
The conservative website WorldNetDaily has been very actively following and commenting on the Obama / Kenya citizenship issue since the beginning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldNetDaily
They would probably find DW’s op-ed piece most interesting. I don’t have a twitter account so please forward to them if you think it would be useful.
https://twitter.com/#!/worldnetdaily
Don’s article got mentioned at the FATCA LinkedIn forum where all FATCA implementation “professionals” hang out.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/FATCA-Foreign-Account-Tax-Compliance-3731046
@Tim, thanks for the link, that’s a great site.
@Don/Arrow-congrats! It’s getting out there!
@Joe Expat… Ok, I did as you requested. WorldNet daily, is not one of my favorite sites, but I am willing to try anything, these days! LOL I know Rush loves them! 🙂
Accidental Kenyan article “destined to become a classic”..!
See mention below in article http://www.mahanyertl.com/mahanyertl/the-accidental-kenyan-what-if-other-countries-adopted-their-own-fatca-law/1750/
by Brian Mahany
“The title of this post, The Accidental Kenyan, comes from an editorial in the Vancouver Sun earlier this week. It is destined to become a classic among the tax bar so we have posted a link to the original article. Don Whiteley at the Sun does a much better job of telling the story, so we will stick to the lessons learned.”……..
the article made it here as well:
http://www.taxalmanac.org/index.php/Discussion:North_of_the_49th_Parallel
Badger —
You’re much better at this than I am.
DW