The risk of opening a dialogue: Better be careful what you wish for you might just get it!
Democracy and U.S. Citizens Abroad
The following message was sent to Just Me from Patric Hale and was posted as a comment on this site with the permission of Patric Hale.
Friends,
I’ve just signed up on their website (referring to americansabroadforobama.org) and sent the following message. I suggest everybody does the same – maybe they’ll get the message:
I’ve been a director of American Citizens Abroad for over 35 years. I lived in Europe for 28 of those years.
Here is the question that ALL overseas Americans want to know:
What has President Obama done for them that he deserves our support? We know that he has unleashed Doug Shulman of the IRS, and Senators Levin, Schumer, Casey, and Reid in writing legislation that makes the lives of ALL overseas Americans absolutely miserable so that more and more Americans are giving up their citizenship rather than live under the tyrannical tax regimes and policies of the USA while President Obama – and Hillary Clinton, too – has stood by and done nothing!
This goes diametrically against everything that Pres. Obama pledged to overseas Americans in 2008.
All politicians ever care about from overseas Americans is MONEY when elections come around but do absolutely NOTHING about the concerns overseas Americans have the rest of the time.
There are 5 million overseas Americans and in a tight election as this one will be we are looking not just for smiling faces and broken promises but ACTION!
The first thing Pres. Obama can do is tell the members of the Democratic Party in Congress to kill the amendment to the Transportation Bill that forces the IRS to determine whether a US citizen gets his/her passport renewed because of tax issues.
How successful do you think the Democrats would be if they proposed that everyone in America had to pay his/her taxes before getting their drivers licenses renewed??
Overseas Americans are SICK of being ignored and then dumped on by Congress while Pres. Obama does NOTHING to stop it! The IRS is even ignoring Executive Orders requiring cost-benefit analyses on their actions.
So the question is simple: What is the President going to do to HELP overseas Americans instead of permitting his administration and party dump all over them?
On June 4, 2012 I created a post called: President Obama opens dialogue with U.S. citizens abroad. The above message from Patric Hale was posted as a comment to that post. Those who are interested in this issue may want to reread that post. The gist of the post was that the Obama campaign, in an attempt to create the illusion of support for Obama, had created three sites:
1. http://www.americansabroadforobama.org
This site is now gone as an independent site and redirects to a site to raise money for Obama
2. http://www.facebook.com/AmericansAbroadforObama
This site is now gone period. Last time I looked it contained lots of negative comments about the Obama administration’s treatment of U.S. citizens abroad. Note the perils of allowing a dialogue!
3. http://www.twitter.com/aaforobama
Looks like the message from U.S. citizens abroad is beginning to get through!
Americans Abroad for Obama hears us!
Mr. FATCA (Dick Harvey) hears us!
The Americans Abroad for Obama twitter site continues to exist. Twitter affords less opportunity for a dialogue than a Facebook page. The discontinued use of the .org site and the Facebook page strongly suggest that the Obama campaign realizes it has a problem with U.S. citizens abroad. As a result, the Obama campaign appears to be taking steps to reduce dialogue between the campaign and U.S. citizens abroad.
Mr. FATCA hears us! The message of from U.S. citizens abroad seems to be getting through in other ways too. You may recall the public meetings on FATCA that took place over two evenings in June 2012 in Switzerland. The most high profile was Dick Harvey who was one of the primary architects of FATCA. On August 1 he published his thoughts on the meeting which included a recognition of the problems that FATCA is causing for U.S. citizens abroad. Harvey writes:
From a policy perspective, the question is: What should be done about the problems facing U.S. citizens abroad?
His thoughts are worth reading. Isaac Brock poster “Innocente” notes that:
The entire article is worth reading but I would like to mention footnote 10, which I initially missed. It seems to indicate that a delay in the FATCA roll-out might be necessary, although possibly for an insidious reason – to allow time for the roll-out of the first phase of GATCA:
“10 Some, such as the group American Citizens Abroad, argue that FATCA should be repealed. Although I believe American citizens residing abroad have a legitimate concern, it does not justify throwing the baby out with the bath water — FATCA should not be repealed. At most, it could be delayed while governments work out a multilateral system that would require reporting for customers of many different countries.“
The Obama history of non-response to U.S. citizens abroad
As has been documented on this blog, President Obama has failed to respond to the concerns of U.S. citizens abroad. These include invitations to him to “follow up” on the 2008 election promises made by Senator Obama. In addition, it includes (at a minimum) the failure to respond to the concerns of Americans abroad in relation to the abuses of citizenship-based taxation in general and OVDI, FBAR and FATCA in particular. Yet this president has the “audacity” (Remember “The audacity of hope”) to accept campaign contributions from the same U.S. citizens abroad that are the object of the Obama Witch Hunt. These contributions will surely be coming from “offshore accounts”. (Perhaps Romney should make a contribution to the Obama campaign from one of his “offshore accounts”.
By focusing on Romney’s offshore accounts the Obama campaign continues to disparage U.S. citizens abroad!
The Obama campaign uses the Twitter site to continue in its pathetic efforts to make the primary issue in this campaign Romney’s tax returns and offshore accounts. As I pointed out in an earlier post – “The Evolution of Barack Obama” – this is about as low as one can get. This continued attempt to make Romney’s tax returns and offshore accounts the issue in the campaign, is an insult to the American people in general. But, it is a particular insult to U.S. citizens abroad who have had their bank accounts deemed to be “offshore” and their use of those bank accounts deemed to be “criminal”.
What follows is one of the most (IMHO) offensive tweets from the Obama campaign and a response to it.
Is Romney using offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes? Check out a map of his overseas investments: OFA.BO/rCLuat
— AmericansAbroadObama (@AAforObama) August 7, 2012
@aaforobama the time has come for you to put up or shut up – appreciate obama has no substance – but time for you to explain – Make my day
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) August 7, 2012
Romney should respond to this by:
1. Acknowledging that the Internal Revenue Code is a problem and is “American Style Corruption”; and
2. Force a dialogue on tax reform which would include the issue of territorial taxation.
Any dialogue on tax reform is certain to demonstrate that Romney is the better candidate for president.
In conclusion, …
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzf4yjphgf8&]
On July 17 in Virginia Obama delivered one of finest speeches (if you believe in class warfare). It included two themes:
1. We are all Americans (presumably including U.S.citizens abroad);
2. His purpose in being president is to help the “middle class”
Therefore, the president should be interested in helping “Middle class American citizens living abroad”!
So far, President Obama has not been interested in a dialogue with U.S. citizens abroad. But, he sure is interested in their money! What can those “middle class” U.S. citizens abroad (the ones who don’t have a lot of cash) do to interest the president in a dialogue? Any thoughts?
What in the *ç”(=)=%!## does Romney have to do with the rest of us Minnows Abroad?
What exactly did Obama promise to US citizens overseas in 2008? Was there any substance or what? What exactly were even the problems back in 2008? That was pre FATCA and nobody knew about the FBARs, or am I missing something?
Great post though – Nice to see that he would rather run and hide than open a dialogue and address the damage that he has done…
*@Don
Thanks added this link to the post
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/04/10/senator-obamas-promises-to-americans-abroad/
@renounceuscitizenship- The Romney campaign has not done one thing in defense of his offshore accounts because the Republican party supports the thesis that American’s who have no reason to have their money in any financial institution other than an American one. It is either that or else they are scared to be seen as supporting tax evaders, but then that only leaves them accepting another false statement.
Overall I believe that Romney, and the Republican Party, has done a poor job of defending Capitalism. He hasn’t pointed out how capital controls are infringements on individual freedom and an instrument of totalitarianism that is just as unconstitutional as would be a repeal of the right to bear arms.
The Republicans deserve to lose this election because they haven’t even been able to defend their own ideology in the face of these false democratic attacks.
*Most of the 6 million Americans living abroad understand better than Americans living in the U.S. what is happening to the world today – getting more competitive and educated .. these overseas Americans have the ideas to bring back America to a great country .. but as a politician, you need to be in line with the special interest groups and lobbyists
Seeing the Roanoke speech makes me think that Obama actually will win this election. He presents a false but sufficiently compelling narrative and I am pretty sure the American people, downtrodden worse than the last time, will elect Obama out of fear of Romney. This will mean four more years of increasing problems for expats. Sorry folks. I am predicting an Obama win. I hope I’m wrong.
@petros,
and the worse the economy gets, the greater the unemployment, the bigger Obama’s base gets…self fulfilling prophecy.
@renounce,
thanks for the post.
That 4 page missive by Richard (Dick) Harvey is about the worst piece of literature on the matter and misses all the major points, but if some think it helps the FATCA cause so be it. The US right to preserve and enforce its tax base, while doing nothing in return for US citizens abroad brings us right back to the Boston Tea Party. And wow, the fact that Swiss banks might close the accounts of US persons was not foreseeable and an unfortunate downside is only belittling a massive problem.
Luckily there seems to be some Swiss resistence building, in lobbying the Swiss gov’t to stand up to the big bully. Not sure if this has been posted to IBS yet, but here is the website for Swiss Respect, www.swissrespect.ch/
Oh, puhleeze. Obama fails to deliver on a campaign promise and suddenly we’re surprised? I really thought we were a much more realistic bunch than to expect, or even hope, for integrity from any elected official.
@Petros, I think you may be right that Obama will win and problems for expats will worsen. However, even if Obama doesn’t win I don’t see any sign of likely improvement. Get out now would be my guiding principle. If I hadn’t already, that is.
@nofatcat
Harvey in one breath says that foreign financial entities are free to make choices for themselves, and in the next calls the shutting out US persons discriminatory. As usual, the US policy makers want their cake and eat it too. Lame.
He left his email addy on his paper for those of you with sharp pens.
rharvey@law.villa nova.edu.
Sorry the 2nd half isn’t linking, prob because of the space between
@Watcher, well, exactly. If anyone is waiting for the results of the election to see if they want to renounce, don’t. Bush signed the HEART Act, which erected the New Berlin Wall. That signaled the time for me to leave, though I only learned about it in early 2010.
Re: “So far, President Obama has not been interested in a dialogue with U.S.
citizens abroad. But, he sure is interested in their money! What can
those “middle class” U.S. citizens abroad (the ones who don’t have a lot
of cash) do to interest the president in a dialogue? Any thoughts?”
Send masses of letters to the White House, each with ‘monopoly’ type fake money enclosed. Note that this is the only ‘cash’ contribution we can offer, since the rest is threatened by US extra-territorial taxation, specialty accounting fees, and FBAR/FATCA penalties. Note that so far, Obama’s ‘dialogue’ with US citizens abroad and promises are not worth ‘the paper they’re printed on’. On the back of each playmoney banknote, include a brief statement of concern – ex. re being criminalized as tax evaders and money launderers, denied local bank accounts, taxation without representation, confiscatory tax policies, etc.
*@bubblebustin
Yeah thanks, I saw the email address, and it is tempting to flood his inbox with reality.
But as I see it, he has little if any influence now days, just being used by the adminstration as the fallguy.
@nofatcat: That 4 page missive by Richard (Dick) Harvey is about the worst piece of literature on the matter…
Indeed. In my opinion though, his previous effort was in fact worse still. That one contains no hint whatsoever of an admission that FATCA is utter junk. Mr Harvey seems to be largely impervious to reason.
[unapproved pending the reception of permission from the author]
@all- here is a copy of the replies that I got from Mr. Harvey to my criticisms of what he hath wrought-
All of this correspondence took place on June 4. What I have posted are his replies to my letters-
Thank you for taking the time to read my article and offer
your comments. In response, FATCA
was aimed at obtaining transparency on offshore investments by both US resident
and non-US resident taxpayers. However, as your e-mail correctly
indicates, one of the macro issues is whether the US should change its tax laws
with respect to US citizens residing outside the US.
As you know, currently the US taxes non-resident US citizens
on their worldwide income. One could clearly build a very reasonable policy
argument that such income should not be taxed in the US, or alternatively should
be taxed at a reduced level to reflect the fact that such US citizens are
not receiving a lot of benefit from the US government. It
will be interesting to see whether this is seriously considered at some time in
the future.
Even if the US were to exempt non-US residents
from US taxation (similar to other countries), there still is the question of
how the US (and other countries) should enforce the taxation of its residents.
In today’s world where money can be moved around the world with a click of a
computer, there is real possibility that the payment of income taxes could
become optional unless there is effective information reporting to tax
authorities (or alternatively the collection of a withholding tax). This is one
of the reasons why my article urges that the US and non-US tax authorities
attempt to develop a coordinated approach to offshore tax evasion.
Again, thank you for your comments.
Dick
J. Richard (Dick) Harvey, Jr.
Distinguished Professor of Practice
Villanova University School of Law and Graduate
Tax Program
rharvey@law.villanova.edu
1-610-519-4474
Recent articles
at http://ssrn.com/author=1542659————————————————————————————————————————–
Although I am sure we will never agree on everything, I think we can agree there
are two issues that our e-mails have been discussing.
The first is
whether the US should tax its citizens on a worldwide basis. It is clear where
you stand on that issue and quite frankly, I have some sympathy for your
position. I also understand this first issue was very real to you and likely
contributed to your decision to give up US citizenship.
The second issue is how to enforce taxation of
US citizens that are resident in the US. This same issue is often faced by
other countries that have citizens that have hidden money in various tax
havens/bank secrecy jurisdictions. On this second issue is where we likely do
not agree. I personally believe we need transparency (or possibly withholding)
to enforce the tax laws. Otherwise US tax evaders will migrate to those
financial institutions and/or countries that do not provide tax information to
the IRS. However, my article attempts to admit that it will be very difficult
for the US to unilaterally enforce FACTA. That is why I have strongly
recommended the US Treasury/IRS negotiate with other countries to attempt to
develop a system of transparency that could be used on a global basis. Such an
approach will also require the US to start making information on foreigners that
have invested in the US. This is one of the reasons the IRS and Treasury have
recently finalized regulations requiring the collection of information by US
banks on foreign depositors.
I have
enjoyed this exchange of e-mails and with you the best.
Dick
*@petros and all. here is a copy and paste of “candidate” Obama’s commitment back in 2008 to US citizens living abroad. This is undoubtely why he received such massive support from US citizens voting from overseas in that election:
BARACK OBAMA: SUPPORTING AMERICANS LIVING OVERSEAS
Americans abroad are uniquely aware of the impact that our government’s policies have on the rest of the
world and recognize that it’s time for America to be seen as a global leader once more. Facing terrorism,
climate change, global AIDS, or the spread of weapons of mass destruction, America cannot meet these
challenges on its own, and the world cannot defeat them without America. As president, Obama will restore
America’s moral leadership in the world and the understanding that the world shares a common security and
a common humanity. Obama understands the special concerns and issues of Americans living abroad and
will seek to address these as president.
Strengthen Economic Security for Americans Abroad:
Barack Obama believes that the U.S. government
should pay close attention to how American citizens are treated in the private sector while they live and
work abroad. Our government must work to ensure that overseas Americans have every chance to compete
on a level playing field, and he will work with Americans abroad to identify and understand problems they
may face as a result of U.S. government policies.
Responding to Social Security Concerns:
As president, Obama will make sure that the Social Security
Administration guidelines on receiving Social Security benefits abroad are made more accessible to overseas
Americans. He will ensure that the U.S. State Department works with U.S. embassies and U.S. consulates,
which are usually the point of contact for Social Security beneficiaries living abroad, to ensure that embassy
officials are properly trained on Social Security issues..
Citizenship Transmission:
Each year, several thousand children of Americans living abroad are denied
U.S. citizenship, and some are born “stateless,” without any nationality or citizenship. Barack Obama is
committed to addressing these effects on travel abroad, immigration of family members, and citizenship in a
manner that protects American interests. In an Obama administration, the U.S. State Department will work
to ensure that U.S. regulations on reporting the birth of a child born to an American parent abroad are more
widely communicated to Americans living abroad. Obama will also work to ensure U.S. embassies and
consulates streamline the citizenship claim process for American children born abroad.
Voting Procedures:
Obama supports vigorous efforts to ensure that American citizens abroad have the
ability to exercise their voting rights. He supports efforts like “VoteFromAbroad.org” that seek to make the
overseas voting process more transparent and accessible for Americans abroad. Obama supports the
Overseas Vote Act, the Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2007, and full funding to implement
the Help America Vote Act.
Census of Americans Abroad:
The U.S. Census currently does not count American citizens living outside
the U.S. Obama supports efforts to find an efficient and accurate procedure to count Americans living
abroad in the U.S. Census.
Concerns of Americans Living Abroad:
Obama believes it is important to understand the role of
Americans abroad in determining U.S. policy. Obama will work with members of the Americans abroad
community and the U.S. embassies to determine how the U.S. government can be responsive to the concerns
of overseas Americans. As a U.S. Senator, Obama has taken seriously the concerns of all Illinoisans,
whether they are currently in Illinois or not. As president, Obama will work to establish a direct dialogue
with Americans abroad.
Other Governmental Services and Benefits:
Americans living abroad have little access to basic
information about U.S. government services and affairs. Barack Obama believes that U.S. embassies and
consulates, which are the main U.S. government contact points for Americans abroad, should develop and
implement concrete plans on how to communicate basic information to Americans living abroad.
Additionally, Obama supports efforts to ensure that U.S. State Department staff members have proper
training to assist Americans abroad in determining their various rights and responsibilities as American
citizens. He welcomes a continued dialogue between the White House, the State Department, and citizens
abroad in an Obama administration.
LEADING ON DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES
Strategy for Ending the War and Achieving Success in Iraq:
In 2002, as Washington lined up for war,
Barack Obama had the judgment and courage to oppose it. Our heroic American troops have found the right
tactics to contain violence, but we still have the wrong strategy. Reducing our troop presence in Iraq will
apply real pressure on the Iraqi government to make necessary political accommodations, while enabling us
to address other challenges, like Afghanistan. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his military
commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The redeployment of our troops will be responsible and
phased, directed by commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. A
residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions and to
protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. If Iraqis take significant steps toward creating
nonsectarian security forces, then American forces will help train those forces. Obama will not build
permanent bases in Iraq. During our redeployment, Obama will launch aggressive initiatives to press for
reconciliation within Iraq, to achieve a new regional compact on stability in the Middle East, and to address
Iraq’s humanitarian crisis.
Reestablish U.S. Moral Leadership:
Obama will restore America’s standing, reputation, and authority in
the world by respecting civil liberties, ending torture, restoring habeas corpus and the rule of law, making
the U.S. electoral processes fair and transparent, and fighting corruption at home.
Prepare the Military to Meet 21
st Century Threats:
Barack Obama will not hesitate to use military force
to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to America. This requires a broader set of capabilities, as
outlined in the Army and Marine Corps’s new counterinsurgency manual. Obama will ensure that our
military becomes more stealthy, agile, and lethal in its ability to capture or kill terrorists. He will recruit,
train, and equip our armed forces to better target terrorists and to help foreign militaries to do the same. This
will include a program to bolster our military’s ability to speak different languages, understand different
cultures, and coordinate complex missions with our civilian agencies.
Strengthen Homeland Security:
As president, Barack Obama will make our homeland more secure. He
will implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations and ensure that the nation is prepared to prevent and
respond to catastrophe. An Obama administration will provide the nation’s first responders with the
equipment, training, and support they need; invest in the resources necessary to improve our emergency
preparedness and planning; allocate our homeland security dollars according to risk; increase the security of
our transit systems, rail lines, and ports; and secure our chemical and nuclear plants, and other critical
infrastructure. In addition, Obama will expand the military and ensure that they are prepared to meet 21
st
century threats.
REBUILDING OUR ALLIANCES
End the Use of Torture and Extraordinary Rendition:
Military and intelligence experts agree that torture
is not an effective means of interrogation, and our using it threatens American troops serving abroad. From
both a moral standpoint and a practical standpoint, torture is wrong. Barack Obama will end the use of
torture without exception. He also will eliminate the practice of extraordinary rendition, where we outsource
our torture to other countries.
Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center:
Guantanamo has become a recruiting tool for our enemies.
The legal framework behind Guantanamo has failed completely, resulting in only one conviction. President
Bush’s own Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, wants to close it. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell
wants to close it. The first step to reclaiming America’s standing in the world has to be closing this facility.
As president, Barack Obama will close the detention facility at Guantanamo. He will reject the Military
Commissions Act, which allowed the U.S. to circumvent the Geneva Convention in the handling of
detainees. He will develop a fair and thorough process based on the Uniform Code of Military Justice to
distinguish between those prisoners who should be prosecuted for their crimes, those who can’t be
prosecuted but who can be held in a manner consistent with the laws of war, and those who should be
released or transferred to their home countries.
Restore Habeas Corpus:
The right of habeas corpus allows prisoners to ask a court to determine whether
they are being lawfully imprisoned. Recently, this right has been denied to those deemed enemy combatants.
Barack Obama strongly supports bipartisan efforts to restore habeas rights. He firmly believes that those
who pose a danger to this country should be swiftly tried and brought to justice, but those who do not should
have sufficient due process to ensure that we are not wrongfully denying them their liberty.
Strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization:
For nearly 50 years, NATO was oriented to fighting
the Cold War. NATO needs to continue its evolution to meet the emerging threats of the 21st century,
including terrorism and weapons proliferation. Barack Obama will close the gap between NATO’s
expanding missions and its lagging capabilities. He will rally members to contribute more troops, increase
NATO’s ability to deploy forces rapidly over long distances and sustain high intensity operations for
extended periods of time. He will work to streamline decision-making processes and give commanders in
the field more flexibility. And he will urge member states to invest more in reconstruction and stabilization.
Build Framework for East Asian Cooperation:
In Asia, the emergence of an economically vibrant, more
politically-engaged China offers new opportunities for prosperity and cooperation. Barack Obama will forge
a new and lasting framework for collective security in Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements,
occasional summits, and ad-hoc arrangements like the six-party talks. As president, he would work to
develop a more effective regional framework with the countries in the region to promote stability and
confront transnational threats.
Combat Global Climate Change:
Climate change is an unprecedented man-made threat to the
environment. As the largest producer of greenhouse gases, America must lead by capping and reducing
greenhouse emissions across the economy, and replacing more of our fossil fuels with clean-burning
renewables and biofuels. Barack Obama will re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCC) – the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate problem. He will also
create a Global Energy Forum of the world’s largest emitters to focus exclusively on global energy and
environmental issues.
ECONOMY
Jumpstart the American Economy:
Barack Obama is advocating a plan to jumpstart the economy, with
two key parts. First, Obama will provide $1,000 dollar emergency energy rebates, which would be delivered
to working families immediately and could be used offset the cost of spiking energy and food prices. Over a
five year period, these rebates would be paid for by a tax on the excessive profits of oil companies. Obama
also has called for an additional $50 billion in stimulus, with funding for state and local government services
and for fast-tracked infrastructure projects.
Support Job Creation:
Barack Obama believes we need to expand federal funding for basic research,
expand the deployment of broadband technology, and make the research and development tax credit
permanent so that businesses can invest in innovation and create high-paying, secure jobs. And Obama will
make long-term investments in education, training, and workforce development so that Americans can
leverage our strengths – our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism – to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in
a world economy.
Raise the Minimum Wage:
Barack Obama believes that people who work full time should not live in
poverty. Before the Democrats took back Congress, the minimum wage had not changed in 10 years. Even
though the minimum wage will rise to $7.25 an hour by 2009, the minimum wage’s real purchasing power
will still be below what it was in 1968. As president, Obama would further raise the minimum wage, index
it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers can earn a
living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs such as food, transportation, and
housing – things so many people take for granted.
Fight for Fair Trade:
At 7 percent of Gross Domestic Product, our trade deficit has never been higher.
Barack Obama will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs.
He will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand
firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that fail to live up to
those important benchmarks. Obama will also pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade
agreements and stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and
nontariff barriers on U.S. exports. Obama will fight for stronger protections for U.S. intellectual property,
and – in the case of China in particular – an end to an artificially devalued currency that puts U.S. companies
at a perpetual disadvantage.
Promote Digital Inclusion:
Getting broadband Internet access into every home and business in urban and
rural America at an affordable rate could give low-income people increased opportunities to start businesses
and engage actively in our communities. As president, Barack Obama will reform the Telephone Universal
Service Program, direct the FCC to better manage the nation’s airwaves, and encourage public-private
partnership to get more low-income communities connected.
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Implement Cap and Trade Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
Barack Obama supports
implementation of an economy-wide cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount
scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. This market mechanism has worked
before and will give all American consumers and businesses the incentives to use their ingenuity to develop
economically effective solutions to climate change. Obama’s cap-and-trade policy will require all pollution
credits to be auctioned. A 100 percent auction ensures that all industries pay for every ton of emissions they
release, rather than giving these valuable emission rights away to companies on the basis of their past
pollution.
Invest In A Clean Energy Economy and Help Create 5 Million New Green Jobs
: Obama will
strategically invest $150 billion over 10 years to accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids,
promote development of commercial scale renewable energy, encourage energy efficiency, invest in low
emissions coal plants, advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, and begin transition to
a new digital electricity grid. The plan will also invest in America’s highly-skilled manufacturing workforce
and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the skills and tools they need to pioneer
the green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world. All together these investments will
help the private sector create 5 million new green jobs, good jobs that cannot be outsourced.
Increase Fuel Economy Standards
: Obama will increase fuel economy standards 4 percent per each year
while protecting the financial future of domestic automakers. The plan, which will save nearly a half trillion
gallons of gasoline and 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases, will establish concrete targets for annual
fuel efficiency increases while giving industry the flexibility to meet those targets.
Invest in Developing Advanced Vehicles and Put 1 Million Plug-in Electric Vehicles on the Road by
2015:
As a U.S. senator, Barack Obama has led efforts to jumpstart federal investment in advanced
vehicles, including combined plug-in hybrid/flexible fuel vehicles, which can get over 150 miles per gallon
of gas As president, Obama will continue this leadership by investing in advanced vehicle technology with
a specific focus on R&D in advanced battery technology. The increased federal funding will leverage
private sector funds and support our domestic automakers to bring plug-in hybrids and other advanced
vehicles to American consumers. Obama will also provide a $7,000 tax credit for the purchase of advanced
technology vehicles as well as conversion tax credits.
Require 10 Percent of Electricity to Come from Renewable Sources by 2012
: Barack Obama will
establish a 10 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 10 percent of electricity
consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by
2012. Many states are already well on their way to achieving statewide goals and it’s time for the federal
government to provide leadership for the entire country to support these new industries. This national
requirement will spur significant private sector investment in renewable sources of energy and create
thousands of new American jobs, especially in rural areas. And Obama will also extend the federal
Production Tax Credit (PTC) for 5 years to encourage the production of renewable energy.
Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source–Energy Efficiency:
The Department of Energy
(DOE) projects that demand for electricity will increase by 1.1 percent per year over the next few decades.
Cutting this demand growth through efficiency is both possible and economically sound. Barack Obama
will set an aggressive energy efficiency goal—to reduce electricity demand 15 percent from DOE’s
projected levels by 2020. Implementing this program will save consumers a total of $130 billion, reduce
carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5 billion tons through 2030, and create jobs. A portion of this goal
would be met by setting annual demand reduction targets that utilities would need to meet. The rest would
come from more stringent building and appliance standards.
Paid for by Obama for America
Thanks, Roger.
I am digesting what you’ve provided, but this jumped out at me:
My (adult, developmentally delayed) son has not been entered into any US citizenship claim process. By this Obama statement, I hope my son is one who has been so denied US citizenship. He doesn’t need it and I, as his Parent/Trustee, do not deem that in his best interest.
Is my hope valid, President Obama?
*Calgary411. If your son was born in Canada to a US citizen mother he is a US citizen in the eyes of US law, whether he was ever registered with a US consulate or not. The US government and the IRS may be totally unaware that he is a US citizen, but even though he may not have a US Social Security number and no consulate was ever notified of his birth, he is nevertheless as much a US citizen as if he was born in the shadow of the White House in Washington.
There are times when it is better to let sleeping dogs lie. If you wake them up they might bite you.
A person born abroad illigitemately to a US father currently has much more difficutly in substantiating US citizenship. In order for the illigitimate US father to pass citizenship to a child born abroad there has to be a signed document in which the father commits to financially supporting his illegitimate child. I am personally aware of a US citizens who lives with common-law Brazilian wife in Brazil who has been attempting to confirm US citizenship for their four Brazilian-born children with the US consulate in Brasilia; so far without success.
With DNA technology available today, it would seem to me that such confirmation ought to be relatively straighforward. But this technology did not exist when that law was enacted. I have not discussed in any detail what he has been going through and it has been 8 months since I last heard from him. I suspect that it may be that “signed agreement to support” technicality of the law that is the problem. Sometimes the letter of the law is more important than the spirit of the law.
I am reminded of one of the documents that was abolished after I left Brazil and returned to the US. It was the “Atestado de Vida.” a document which certified that you were alive. In those days retired persons had to appear personally at a bank to collect their Brazilian Social Security retirement benefits. There was no direct deposit and checks were never sent through the mail.
Even though they were standing before the bank teller “in the flesh,” unless they had the Atestado de Vida certifiying that they were still alive, they could not collect their Social Security retirement benefits. That was the law.
Thanks, Roger.
I do know that absurdity. Perhaps Obama did not know of what he spoke.
Unfortunately, the RDSP account for which I am a Holder, identifies my son in my compliant FBARs, so we are prepared never again to cross the US border to visit family. We are, thus, second-class Canadians.
@Roger, I realize that there are those who need to/want to establish inherited US citizenship for their children.
On the other hand, those USduals and ex-US citizens abroad whose children do not qualify for unwanted and unclaimed US citizenship-based tax-chattel status should rejoice everyday.
I only fear that the US will someday retrospectively reclassify and reclaim some of these children, so that even if their US status parents have renounced now, the children already born abroad, outside the US, will be held fast, in bondage – because their parent had been a US citizen. I worry that some parents will need to legally attest to their child’s non-status and prove that they (the parent) did not live in the US for long enough to pass on the burden, or else it will leave their children to perhaps be held to an impossible standard – to prove a negative – that they are not US taxable persons, and that their US status parent did not reside there for any, or sufficient years for them to qualify.
After we die, how would our children prove that their parent/s were not US resident for long enough to pass the taxable burden to them under the US laws of the time? How do you document and prove your parent’s US non-residence, retrospectively, in a way that cannot be challenged?
@badger, what would be the motivation for the US to do this, to retroactively apply FBAR penalties to those citizens? If every US person on the planet was to establish themselves as US persons and do their taxes, my guess is that the government would certainly spend more that it would take in on an ongoing basis. Why do you think the US government let it slide for so many decades? It’s the element of surprise today that makes citizenship based taxation and FBAR’s profitable.
@bubblebustin,
Why indeed? I don’t want to give the US credit for excellent long-term planning re citizenship-based taxation and FBARs. Or, perhaps they had smarter congressmen than those of this era.
Democrats Abroad and Republicans Abroad Facebook pages have virtually zero comments. Both sites are obviously manufactured by the campaigns.
@bubblebustin; as to why the US might end up including more, rather than less, people in the FBAR’n’FATCA Fundraiser: they have done nothing to try and resolve the historic and bureaucratic contradictions in the way they define and enforce the inheritance and loss of US citizenship, which has resulted in anxiety, fear and confusion experienced by those on this site who have been trying to clarify and document their previous loss of status under the changeable and retroactive US citizenship (and citizenship-based tax) laws of the past. The net as they draw it is too broad, but yet they don’t make any effort to clarify or assist.
Witness all those posts on this theme at IBS and the efforts to obtain retrospective CLNs. The US continues to foist the burden of resolving any conflicts onto the shoulders of even those who lost US citizenship long ago under the US’s own restrictive and punitive laws of the time.
That is why I think that if they are that desperate to claim more taxable persons, they may well pursue our children as they become adults. It is always the way of the powerful and the bureaucratic to foist the burden of proof onto the individual and the weak.
My point was that any more rejigging of the rules to make US citizenship transmission easier to claim by children of those adults who currently have the status, might include a retroactive element – as some of the previous changes did. If you look at the methods of transmission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_nationality_law, in this particular example;
A person born on or after November 14, 1986, is a U.S. citizen if all
of the following are true (different rules apply if child was born
out-of-wedlock):[8]
I can see grounds for possible challenges and change re the out-of-wedlock instance and the number of years of US residence of the US parent – because there are different rules depending on the year of the parent’s birth (ex. before 1986 vs. after).
Groups like ACA and others want to make transmission easier in certain circumstances. My fear is that the unintended consequences could be to include some of our children who are (thankfully) currently not eligible for the inherited taxable status. If FATCA goes further and requires banks to establish the birthplace and citizenship of parents as well as of the actual account holder, some will be in the position of establishing that they did NOT inherit the US status from a US born parent. Similar to the questionnaire in some other threads here re Swiss banks – and the burden of just a mere marital relationship with a US/dual spouse. How would offspring prove that their US status parent did not live in the US for the requisite 5 years, two of which were after the age of 14? There are lots of forms that ask for the birthplace of parents – under FATCA, could they not just do the same?
Even if the US doesn’t pursue this in a proactive attempt to corral all those who may have inherited US taxable status, it may just define and apply the burden of proof so broadly that it nets those who don’t technically qualify, but who may nevertheless be forced to document why they don’t meet the criteria. They don’t care about unintended consequences.
Also, I have spoken to someone trying to come into compliance, whose tax advisor asked specifically about the citizenship of their children, and whether the children qualified for US inherited status even though the children were born outside the US.
@badger, I see your point, that the net could be made so wide that the onus will be on the individual to prove that they aren’t a US person, that difficult to prove negative. It depends on whether US personhood is seen as the glass half empty or half full; in the eyes of the beholder. With awareness of the tax element it’s hard to see the glass anything more than empty for the vast majority of US persons abroad, but then I could be wrong. I think that most Americans everywhere would agree that US citizenship should not be imposed on those who don’t want for it, specifically those receiving it by descent. It would make for an interesting story, wouldn’t it?