Cross posted from RenounceUScitizenship
To the readers of the Isaac Brock Society blog. I recognize that many of you are no longer U.S. citizens. As a result, the November 6 Presidential Election may have no direct effect on your lives. Nevertheless, as citizens of other countries you have a clear interest in stopping the U.S. plunder of other nations through citizenship-based taxation. Therefore, I suspect that citizens of all free nations have an interest in putting an end to citizenship-based taxation, FBAR, OVDI and FATCA to harm other sovereign countries. Although, Barack Obama is not the architect of citizenship-based taxation, his administration has used it in new ways to harm other sovereign nations.
Last night the Economist Magazine ran an online debate, on the issue of whether Barack Obama should be re-elected president. The debate allowed live comments. There were a total of 92 “registered” comments. Of the 92, approximately 7 were attempts to comment that never became comments (unless the absence of a comment was intended to be the comment). In any case, of the 85 substantive comments approximately 7 were from U.S. citizens abroad. The agony of U.S. citizens abroad is real. Their pain can be heard. The simple fact is that the Obama administration has made life for U.S. citizens abroad a life of agony. In order to spread the word, I created a number of tweets which link to the cries of anguish. Here they are:
@barackobama thinks #americansabroad are “Form Crime” criminals – hence the #FBAR Fundraiser, #OVDI and #FATCA watch economist.com/debate/days/vi…
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 13, 2012
@aaforobama Count the reasons – starting with #OVDI #FATCA #FBAR why #americansabroad will not vote for @barackobama economist.com/debate/days/vi…
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 13, 2012
@aaforobama – Is @barackobama ignorant of the effects of #FBAR #FATCA #OVDI or simply evil? Please let this us know economist.com/debate/days/vi…
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 13, 2012
2. @aaforobama – 7 mill Americans overseas living #FBAR #FATCA #OVDI can’t be wrong! economist.com/debate/days/vi… – Looking for to @mittromney
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 13, 2012
1.@aaforobama Should @barackobama be elected? U.S. citizens abroad say NO! #FATCA #FBAR economist.com/debate/days/vi… Elect @mittromney – Yes we can!
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) June 13, 2012
Barack Obama began his road to the presidency by being a community organizer in Chicago. We must end his presidency by being community organizers in the Expat community. The Obama administration has destroyed the health, wealth and life of U.S. citizens abroad. Michelle Obama credits the Obama presidency with allowing her to feel proud of America. I credit the Obama presidency with creating conditions that make me ashamed to be a U.S. citizen. Renunciations of U.S. citizenship are soaring under Obama. People are desperate to renounce U.S. citizenship – and renounce they will!
The only way to end the Obama presidency is for people to vote for Mitt Romney. In October I wrote a post which I titled “An open letter to Mitt Romney“. My letter included the following:
Governor Romney, I am writing to you for two reasons:
First, I believe that you are the most likely candidate to be the Republican nominee for President, and that you will likely be the next President of the United States of America.
Second, I strongly urge you to make FATCA an election issue. President Obama has been bad for America. I agree that “Obama means not working”. But, if FATCA is the legacy of the Obama Presidency, FATCA is the seed that will destroy the United States.
Governor Romney: I don’t want you to ever be in a position where you must “apologize for America!”
I am an expat American Patriot. But, America is no longer the country that you and I grew up in. I am not leaving the United States of America – The United States of America has left me!
I am of the opinion that Mr. Romney would be a good president and would be much better for U.S. citizens abroad. My reasons are captured in this comment to the post:
I have always felt that Romney (of all the candidates) is the one who would be most sympathetic to this. My reasons are:
1. Both he and his wife’s fathers were born outside the U.S.
2. I have speculation that Romney may also be a citizen of Mexico.
3. Romney has a family summer home in Grand Bend Ontario giving him a life long connection to Canada.
4. Romney clearly has to file FBARs.
5. Romney is (in truth) an “Independent” who is a pragmatist. Therefore, if given the proper education, he would see how much citizenship-based taxation hurts the U.S.
I have always felt that we should attempt to engage Romney. If we educate him, it will give him an issue to attack Obama. I have yet to meet a person who does not see things our way, once it is explained. Furthermore, it will portray Obama as the thug that he is.
In addition, we should reach out to Ron Paul – who very clearly is opposed to the Ex-Patriot Act. I noticed that he used the words “Trojan Horse” to describe some aspects of citizenship-based taxation.
At the very least, Romney should receive the very strong support of U.S. citizens abroad.
I commented further that:
How about pick up he telephone and tell him that U.S. citizens abroad would like to organize to throw their support behind him – I am very serious.
At the risk of oversimplification, you will find that in life there are three kinds of people:
1. Those who make things happen
2. Those who watch things happen
3. Those who ask – What happened?
Because we live outside the United States, we are able to observe the world and the United States in a much more objective way than those who live inside the United States. The common “Homelanders” and the “Homelander Elite Core” are captive to U.S. National Narcissism. They are in the third category – at the end of the day – as we watch the daily erosion of the United States – they will just ask “What happened?”
There are many U.S. citizens who read and comment on blogs and wish things were different. They are in great pain, but they are really just watching this happen.
It’s time to make things happen! If you don’t take steps to “make things happen” then who will? If you are an American Patriot, then I suggest you have a duty to get involved in the upcoming election. Find a way to help spread the word. Do everything you can to keep Barack Obama from enjoying a second term.
Now, I want to point out that the “Obama Central Command”, has created a sham organization, called “Americans Abroad For Obama” – americansabroadforobama.org. This is their attempt to manufacture the “illusion of support” for Barack Obama. This has also meant that Obama has inadvertently opened a dialogue with U.S. citizens abroad – an opportunity that we must take advantage of.
Conclusion: Democracy assumes that citizens (and that’s what we apparently are – or maybe not) assume a level of responsibility. Assuming a level of responsibility means participation in the upcoming election. There are many U.S. citizens abroad who believe (a belief that I share) that through OVDI, and the FBAR Fundraiser, that the Obama administration has launched a vicious unprovoked attack on U.S. citizens abroad and on other countries. FATCA – the U.S. Berlin Wall – is simply icing on the cake. It is commonly said that U.S. citizens have two choices:
1. Renounce U.S. citizenship (the renunciation of U.S. citizenship might be the most patriotic thing you can do); or
2. Comply
This is true, but there is another possibility. That is to work as hard as possible to get Mitt Romney elected president. We cannot know for sure whether Romney would reverse any of the destructive policies of the Obama administration. But, we do know that nothing could be worse than four more years of Barack Obama. Our ability to survive as U.S. citizens living outside the United States is dependent on getting rid of Barack Obama!
This requires that you become a community organizer. As U.S. citizens abroad it means that we must become a larger community of smaller communities. Once we become that larger community of communities, then we make that telephone call to Mitt Romney. Community organization made Barack Obama president. Community organization is what is required to end it. Are the organizer for your community?
Can we as U.S. citizens living outside the United States make a difference in the November 6 election?
“Yes we can!” – Let’s effect some “change we can believe in!”
While you are at it, you might spread the following message:
I was wondering how public these IRS public hearings are. I live close to Washington, DC and I wouldn’t mind speaking at the next hearing about FATCA (if there is one). Does anyone know if this is possible? I haven’t yet received any response from the politicians that I contacted, and I wish there was more I could do.
@ShadowRaider, since you live near DC, why not contact http://www.aca.ch/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=120 the ACA? They have announced that: The ACA soon will have a Washington office “The new office in the US capital will open after summer, to strengthen links with legislators there.”
from:
http://genevalunch.com/blog/2012/06/12/geneva-based-aca-opens-washington-office-to-change-us-tax-law/
see ‘Geneva-based ACA opens Washington office to change US tax law‘
Posted by Ellen Wallace on 12 June 2012 at 15:40
They’ve also: …..”published a paper in Tax Notes International recently, outlining its proposed reforms.”……
and,
‘Americans abroad now have a tax counsel, soon to have DC office’
…..”Washington DC attorney Charles Bruce has been taken on as the organization’s legal counsel. Bruce is a specialist in international tax planning, withholding tax regimes and compliance matters. He “has served as Tax Counsel at the United States Senate Finance Committee, as Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, Committee on Foreign
Activities of U.S. Taxpayers, and as Chair of the ABA Task Force on International Trusts of that Committee,” says ACA in a statement.”………
@Shadow Raider
The only and last FATCA hearing was May 15th. You could have attended, as I am sure there were lots of empty seats.
Next step is final regulations due out before Fall, and implementation starting January 13th. At that point, no turning back, as Congress will be unwilling, even a Republican one, to be seen as undoing anything related to unsavory bank secrecy or terrorist funding, and that is how it will be framed, in my opinion. GATCA will be well on it’s way. I have published the text of the testimony here...
@badger, This is good news, thanks. Maybe I’ll contact ACA to see if I could get involved with its activities in Washington.
@Just Me, It’s too bad that there won’t be other FATCA hearings, but
maybe there will be public hearings about other similar topics at the
IRS or even Congress. I think that I’m one of the very few people with
the knowledge, motivation and ability to speak in favor of Americans
abroad in Washington. I don’t like political activism, and I don’t have
any experience with it at all, but I’m really outraged with the
situation and I see no other solution. I think that in this case I could
actually make a difference, or at least I should try.
@Just Me, thank you for publishing the text of the hearing, I had already taken a look at it. I believe that it is well possible for Congress to offer relief to the innocent people trapped in this mess without sounding favorable to tax evaders and terrorists. For example, they could exempt from the FBAR penalties the accounts located in the country where the person resides, or in the case of immigrants, where the person resided before immigrating to the US. Actually, such a rule would probably not even require congressional action, as the IRS has the discretion to choose when to apply a penalty.
Don’t be so pessimist. Remember the presidential pardon for those who fled the US to avoid the draft?
@Shadow Raider…
You know, I have never been an activist in my life, but having been stung by the IRS’s zealous pursuit of offshore tax cheats, I think the venom they injected into my blood has transformed me! LOL.
You make some very reasonable suggestions, and would to god (if you believe in him) they would listen to someone besides their own little cabal of radicals marching towards GATCA.
Right now, the strategy has to be Mitigation for Minnows, so it isn’t perceived as Windfalls for Whales.
I would definitely reach out to Mary Louise Serrato at ACA with your volunteer offers. They need as many as they can, and while I am in the States, I might even head back to DC to visit friends and see if there is any door knocking I can do. Would have to un-wrinkle the suit out of the mothballs, and put on shoes again, which would be a big sacrifice but maybe I will … 🙂
One other thought for new Immigrants, would be to give them a grace period of say 5 years, when their offshore accounts would not be reportable or taxable. This to allow them time for mitigation, either removing their signature authorities, or shutting them down and moving the money to the US, if that is what the US wants.
That is what NZ does, but they also couple it will an election process when you first sign up for their IRD tax number, (like how the SS number is used here.) They then send you a notice in the mail 3 or 4 mos before the end of your exemption period, so there is no surprise. That way, no gotcha FBAR like penalty. (They don’t require FBARS, just income reporting.)
Would the IRS actually do that? Combine some activity with the State Department to proactively notify new immigrants of their obligations under US tax law related to offshore holdings? It would certainly take a BIG change of mindset of our minders. Nah, I didn’t think so either.
@Shadow Raider: Yes, I remember the draft dodger amnesty. Most chose to remain in Canada, where they had already become citizens.
I also remember Weapons of Mass Destruction–which, of course, were never found in Iraq.
It now seems US is on a path of economic self-destruction and wants to mass destroy the rest of the world economy along with their own.
I really appreciate your interest in trying to make a difference in Washington.
@Shadow Raider
Thanks for bringing some optimism and your offer to help. It’s been depressing to see that a lot of people have actually been meeting IN PERSON with the people at IRS to address this specific issue – Canadian officials, Americans of Indian Descent, and lawyers like Phil Hodgen to name a few who had face to face meetings (see links to related articles below), and the IRS answer has always been “Sorry. OVDI is the ONLY solution, and if you try quiet disclosure, you’ll face harsh penalties. Come to us before we find you”. All they were asking were a real amnesty for minnows.
Since the IRS is not responsive, it seems the only other options are to talk to the press about FACTA and the OVDI extortion, and try to engage the presidential candidates.
http://www.taxandestateplanning.com/2011/12/articles/us-taxation/irs-says-no-new-relief-planned-for-canadians/
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-24/us-canada-news/29922079_1_delegation-irs-officials-irs-headquarters
http://hodgen.com/irs-meetings-today-about-rrsps/
Thanks again.
@Christophe, You’re welcome. And thanks for the links, I didn’t realize that there were many people already meeting with the IRS about FBAR and OVDI. They have already done a lot, more than I would volunteer for, but I’ll still try to help as I can.
*It may sound odd considering the way I feel. Perhaps is a day dreaming. But I still believe that things will be corrected in a way the justice will be done for Americans Living and Working Abroad. Eventually they will be separated from Americans Living in the USA who have hided foreign bank accounts. Of course every ones´inputs will remain necessary. It is the so called democratic process. You may be surprised but I still think that President Obama is a just and fair man trying to do the best for the American people. He will try to do the best for us American Abroad. And hopefully will be re-elected. And we will sleep in peace.
@that is me. The Prosac must be working. Just kidding, hope is not dead in me either, but it’s getting tattered on the edges.
@Thatisme
Yes, I agree with you. It just won’t happen in our lifetimes.
I have come to see that the U.S. has a world view that is fundamentally different from the rest of the world (mostly based on narcissism and delusions of grandeur) so that if you want to live outside the United States you have only practical option:
Renounce regardless of the cost and just move on.
Reminds me of the book “When bad things happen to good people” – horribly unjust, nothing you can do about it but get out, get psycho-therapy for any emotions you may be feeling and get on with your life as quickly as possible.
If you believe in past lives how about this:
U.S. citizenship by birth is what you get if you made too many mistakes in a previous life.
Could you tell me (just for my own interest) why you think Obama is a “just and fair man”?
*@renounceuscitizenship Trying to answer your questions. I like what Obama has been trying to do in the US and the World (with some reservations of course). Just recently he did change something about children of immigrants born in the USA. He did try to resolve the question of health care, a chronic problem in the USA that nobody has been able to change. He wants to protect the middle class and stop the privileges of no tax for the rich. Let me stop here. This being said, let me agree with you that I hard can believe how the USA treats its citizens who live and work abroad. And I can´t understand why suddenly we became even more targets almost considered criminals until proved otherwise. I also can agree with you that renouncing the USA citizenship – if you are a dual citizen or have another passport – seems to be the way to go. But, I may be naive but I still believe in the democratic process and I hoping that sooner or later we – Americans Abroad – will have representation and be treated with the respect that all other Americans enjoy. Yes, I agree with you, it will not come in my life time. But I like to be part of the efforts to change things this way and I think this Society is an enormous step in this direction. Not to talk of ACA that does a great job for us. Finally let me say that I am puzzled that not many Americans Abroad are as concerned as we are. I fail to understand why. I would expect that six or seven million Americans Abroad would be more visible at this time and I am a little disappointed that they are not. For instance, I make a comment in some site of Americans Abroad about our terrible situation and I get very little, if any responses. I also don´t see too many real stories of people who were clearly mistreated by the IRS considering that I suspect there are millions of Americans who did not and do not know about FBARs. Well, let me stop here. Thanks for being here. Thanks for this Society. I am learning a lot with you all. I am less alone and I deal with my anxieties and fears. Back to the Prozac.
Thought I would post a reality show for you on what politics has become in America. We are a Plutocracy, and unless one of the Billionaires financing our elections and our so called Democracy wants the changes we seek, we probably are not going to get it.
Good Bill Moyer’s program here, that I would recommend to you.
Dark Money in Politics
Time to start our SuperPac, and find our own Billionaire sugar daddy! That is how change happens in America now.
@Just Me: We are a Plutocracy…
Or how about Kakistocracy?
Yes, since the Supreme Court decided that money from corporationsm- any amount – to candidates is a form of political expression (free speech) they started running a show called “democracy”based on money. Obama is facing this Supreme Court and a Congress that wants to block any of his accomplishments, for political reasons. Yes, renouncing the citizenship is a political expression and I have nothing against Americans Abroad doing this. But a lot of Americans Abroad can´t or don´t want to go this route. What is left? It is in the title of this blog: let´s organize ourselves and within the political process try to change things. Of course if we had a millionaire among us who could support our attempts to change what is being done to us this would be great. Perhaps the Brazilian Facebook guy before leaving could havehad mercy on us and made a donation, for instance- to ACA http://www.aca.ch the organization that is trying to help us. We could also try to find a way to reach congressman from the States where we last lives and worked, This has been difficult even though there is a Americans Abroad Caucus. And finally we could try to reach President Obama to ask his help, trusting that he will be responsive to our plight. Again, being naive I believe that before the elections he will address Americans Abroad, and show that he cares for our well being the same way that he cares for Americans Living in the USA. This society I believe is a very important political agent for the changes that we are trying to propose. ACA has the suggestions of what needs changing. We could, even if it is as an exercise, try to put into words what we would like to see happening that will lessen the enormous burdens and threats on us, as if we were criminals.
Thatisme, as I understand it, Americans abroad have been reaching out to congresspersons where they used to live for the past 100 years in hopes of being heard, and are still being ignored. ACA has accomplished much more. This means that Americans abroad should either focus on ACA or move their US domicile to Florida where 6 million Florida abroad votes will get us the political representation in Florida that we deserve to have. Dividing us up across the country is absurd and undemocratic. Under existing conditions, America can only be ashamed that it claims to be a democracy. From now on, all Americans abroad need to register to vote in Florida and vote for Americans abroad interests.
*That is an idea, but how to move my US domicile to Florida? I never lived in Florida. Perhaps we should focus on the states where a small number of votes will make a difference in terms of the Electoral College. The question remains: how can we organize ourselves in order to be heard? Many ideas: for instance, if we all contribute a little we could place a 1/4 page ad in a major US newspaper stating our concerns. Is this asking too much? How can we work with ACA and support more what they are doing? We don´t have to be belligerant. We can be in favor of the IRS going after Americans who are not paying their taxes, we can even consider helping them to find these Americans. But…why focus on us? This is the big question.
Thatisme, the easiest way to do this is to go to a Voters Administration office in Florida to register to vote using the mailing address of the Voters Administration office (after explaining that one doesn’t have a US address). Another option is to use a mail forwarding address, or one could pay someone in Florida for their address, ask a friend or relative or maybe even someone here. One may have to fill out a Declaration of Domicile using that address or to have 2 bills sent to it. The problem with using the address of the Voters Administration office, is that one then might have difficulties getting a Florida id card. But, for voting purposes alone, that shouldn’t matter. I’m thinking of becoming a member with ACA and I don’t have any issues with the IRS other than recommendations as to how they can help themselves by making things easier for expats until residency-based taxation finally kicks in. It’s not the fault of the IRS that demorepublicans burden it with their inability to think beyond US borders.
*Perhaps we or ACA should point out to the US administration that Americans should be encouraged to work abroad because as their number increases there will be more jobs open for the people back home. The way they are doing, they are discouraging Americans to work abroad, that is, they are increasing unemployment in the USA.
@thatisme, or conversely, ‘rats leaving the sinking ship’. (Sarcasm is my therapy)
Americans who find jobs abroad also won’t need US unemployment checks, saving the American taxpayer money, and they can repay their US debts and buy US products to boost foreign trade and assist the US economy. Sadly, the demorepublican monolopy stops thinking at the US border, being unable to comprehend what it means to not have a US address.
*They are shooting their foot. I am not sure if this is because of poor inteligence or because of prejudice. It is obvious that Americans working abroad are good for the USA. This is good for any country. And I did not mention the moneys that they earn abroad and bring or send to the USA in many ways. The USA should be extra nice to us.
In another vein, I spoke with someons today who is living in the USA and got his Green Card. He is very happy and was telling me that in a few years he could become a dual citizen. I asked him how he received the Green Card, He said it was from the mail. I asked what instructions he received. He mentioned some, such as he could not stay more than three months outside the Country. I asked him if there were instructions about him having to file FBARS’ on earning and bank accounts in his country of origin. He said NO, they did not mention this. Now I ask, if they are going to “get” him for not sending FBARS and applying big penalties, why they did not tell him from the beginning about the FBARS? Would that be very difficult? The same for the ones who become citizens. Now I keep asking myself, why they don´t do this? It is lack of inteligence or it is bad faith?…
So many questions.
@Thatsme…
Regarding your desires for ACA…. to “point out to the US administration that Americans should be encouraged to work abroad”
I would add, both ACA and Roger Conklin personally have been doing for over 30 years. The problem is in getting in that so called People’s House and Senate to pay attention.
I hope you have read the Conklin Report. ? This is Roger’s testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee. Send it to everyone you know.
and to your final comment… “So many questions.” Yes indeed.
Here’s a recent article published on some more Romney’s offshore assets that were not previously disclosed.
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/07/assets_offshore_hint_at_larger.html