Liberty and justice for all United States persons abroad

The Isaac Brock Society

Posted on by Posted in Issues regarding US persons abroad 55 Comments

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/PaulLetter050714.pdf

“To be clear, I certainly do not condone tax cheats, but I can’t support a law that endangers regular foreign investment and punishes every American in pursuit of a few tax cheats,” he wrote. “Most importantly, I cannot support a bulk collection tax treaty that has complete disregard for the important protections provided to every American by the Fourth Amendment.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/05/07/rand-paul-fights-tax-treaties-citing-privacy-concerns/

Bucking pressure from businesses and fellow lawmakers, Sen. Rand Paul says he will continue to oppose tax treaties that would let the Internal Revenue Service gather more information about Americans’ overseas financial accounts.

The move dims the outlook for a planned Senate vote on the treaties, while highlighting the Kentucky Republican’s contrarian streak. The treaties – including a significant one with Switzerland – enjoy widespread support among lawmakers of both parties. But Mr. Paul, who is preparing a 2016 presidential bid, believes they would encourage government snooping and erode Americans’ privacy rights.

 

 

55 thoughts on “Rand Paul re-iterates his intention to FILIBUSTER all tax treaties that may be used to implement FATCA”

  1. @Canadian Cop

    All I know about Canadian politics I learned on IBS 🙂

    So I don’t totally understand your comment but get the gist

    As I was ranting about the US govt my daughter asked, “wasn’t Obama supposed to be better?”

    Sigh. Supposed to be indeed. So much for hope and change. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

  2. Pay attention is right. You summarize it all so well, Deckard. That countries so willingly give up their sovereignty and shred hard-wrought constitutionality (US or other country) is so unbelievable.

    Always brings to mind:

    WAKE UP !! – Nobody cares about you !! (George Carlin) “The American Dream”:

  3. My accidental American husband never reads this message board. When I tell him we are NOT going to vote Conservative at least for a while he gives me a strange look like maybe I’ve taken leave of my senses.

    Then when I stress to him that what the Conservatives are doing could mean he never becomes President of his company (something he is in line to do within the next 5 to 7 years) he suddenly starts to pay attention.

    He’s entrapped in his US citizenship because he lost it as a minor and then the US laws changed and they reclaimed him without his knowledge or consent. Minors are not allowed to relinquish with a past relinquishment date. They have to renounce which comes with high compliance costs and the possibility that he could be blocked from entering the US to do business which is not an option we can consider.

    As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter how loony the NDP is on every other subject. Our livelihood is at stake and it’s all because of the Conservative party we have supported all our lives. They earned the right to LOSE OUR VOTE.

    We have become single issue voters for now that’s how big a mistake the Conservatives have made.

  4. Re voting NDP. Exactly how many here feel about Rand Paul. Vote on the issues, not the party. The main issue for me in America is the taxation if USP’s abroad. Although troublesome, their decision to allow themselves the ability to shoot the crap out of each other is of lesser concern to me,

  6. I can’t stand this anymore.
    PLEASE stop with the partisan politics. The 3 party system in this country is a ONE PARTY system with some ethical individuals in all parties who have a conscience. I think I’m going to stop posting and reading all this well written nonsense because people here don’t get it.

    Someone please notify me when one of our submissions causes one of our slimy leaders to start crying and hysterically screaming “You are right, how could we be so heartless and mean? Oh please forgive us and remember to vote because your vote matters and our forefathers fought so we could have the freedom to vote and live as free people.

    BAH!

  8. Cheers: I thought you were moving to Russia.

    You can post from there. Maybe Russian banks won’t comply because the US is imposing the sanctions even if they do.

  10. Now Chears:
    Sometimes it is worthwhile to know what others are thinking and we really have to realize that IBS is a society made up of like minded and like threatened individuals from all political spectrums.
    That much is very clear from all the posting.
    I , for one, enjoy your posts as I do others. I do not agree with everybody but I empathize with everyone because we are all in this lifeboat together and if we do not pull together our little boat sinks in that big bad ocean called GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
    Is it not clear by this point to all of us that the decisions made in Washington and Ottawa have an eerie likeness? Methods, rhetoric and especially just where the ‘advisors’ come from?
    When our leaders all go off to G8-7 or G20 decisions are made THERE and at Turtle Island in NY. NOT here in Canada or the US.
    THAT is the reality. And some, and by no means all, posts reflect that.
    What we have here is a rich cross section of our Canadian society and I for one find that as represented here, that society is one I am completely comfortable with. In every walk of life we find those who are not politically savvy nor informed and many cannot be blamed for that.
    With the high level of taxation on all fronts from Income to Property and GST inbetween most of us have no time to involve ourselves in politics beyond listening to really uninformed talking heads on TV and heading to the polls thinking we know who we are voting for.
    We counted ourselves among those very informed, looking at the issues, listening to the campaign promises, delving into the backgrounds of the candidates and yet we voted what we thought was the best for our area and our country only to find out we absolutely did not know what we were voting for at all. At least at the Ottawa level.
    Because when it comes right down to it the banks run things and our politicians take their orders not from us, those who ‘elected’ them, but from either the bankers or the OECD or the TPP.
    Now that is an eye opener education for many of us with many facing financial ruin and in real jeopardy. If nothing else, Chears, IBS is an education all in itself and the people here are fine people I think, you and I included!
    And the process we now find ourselves engaged in may be a long one but it is a worthwhile one for us , our Countries and our futures as a free people no matter what country we come from.
    But for those of us in Canada, this is an enriching and galvanizing place and I will never stop thanking Petros for starting it or Blaze or Calgary411 and I love the information and encouragement I get from posts like those above, or Canadian Cop ( how wonderful he is with his posts) and AnneFrank, who I would like to hug with her amendment proposal and all of her posts are wonderful and thought provoking. As yours are, too.
    And all of our Brockers who are fully engaged and ready to bear witness in Ottawa, some at great expense in time and effort, to what a horror FATCA and the IGA really are to all of us, not to mention the God Sends like Allison Christians, John Richardson and Stephen Kish.
    God Bless them all. You too, Chears. Have a good weekend and I hope to see you back with us soon.

  11. I think moving to Russia might just be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
    Is Canada not worth fighting for? I think it is.
    Might as well fight from Canada for Canada anyhow. OECD plans to make borders obsolete in September anyhow.

  13. I agree with Em, FuriousAC. Well and heartfelt stated.

    Where would I be without this Isaac Brock rowboat? The persons I have “met” on this site and at MapleSandbox, those speaking out for what they believe in and trying to change what we feel is wrong and unjust (yes, that includes Chears too) are persons I will ever respect — I think more than most others during my lifetime (and there are a lot that I have respected). I am each day in awe of the good that comes out of the bad. I couldn’t have visualized any of this in my wildest imaginings.

  14. I think this website is a great example of Canadian unity. We are all different political backgrounds but you never see us fighting over politics. We the Canadian people deserve a government that is worthy of us. We’re a classy group. The government should hang their heads in shame over what they are doing to us … one day they will but then it will be too late for them.

  15. i for one am totaly greatful for all the great people here on IBS. you have all helped keep my sanity in this insane situation.

    while there are times i may read something here and disagree with what is said i just keep reminding myself that the make up of this website covers the whole spectrum of political and whatever else there is.

    we are a united group only in the defeat of FATCA and am so much looking forward to the day that i no longer have come here to gather inspiration or information as to what is going on in this fight.

    i like to think of “us” as a rag tag, grassroots group of people that can inspire each other to going futher or doing something we would not normaly do.

    i know some of the IBS vetrans here have gone so far beyond their comfort zones it makes me want to dig a little deeper and write just one more letter or talk to one more person about this FATCA thing.

    we are all in this together no matter what our politicl beliefs are and we are in this to the end as well!!!

  16. @OMG, “I think this website is a great example of Canadian unity. ”

    Hey, its not just Canadian. 😉

  17. My apologies George. This website is a great example of world unity.

    The US government can’t manage to unite it’s own people but through FATCA has united people all over the world against the US. Now if only our governments had the same courage the people do.

  18. @OMG, those that left the US and those that relinquished US citizenship are a very different breed than a typical homelander. It takes raw courage to leave, ditto to relinquish. Thats the force that has been united together.

    Homelanders like to say don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

    I say to the homelander, don’t let an imprint form on the couch you are sitting in.

  20. I have no idea. She is new. However, at one point a Privacy Commissioner said on CBC Radio she would go to Federal Court if the Privacy Act or PIPEDA was violated.

    It may have been Ontario Morning or on the news but i am not able to find it. Unfortunately, the Implementation Act overrides all other laws, including privacy, so I don’t know exactly what she will do.

    Administrators: If you remove my comment above, you may want to move these comments too so people see the discussions.

    I wish George was in Canada.

    As for me, I’m FATCAed out. I’m done for the day.

    All,

    Go to this thread for discussion on the Privacy Commissioner: http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/05/07/canadian-bankers-association-appears-before-senate-national-finance-committee-on-fatca/

  22. I note that Sen Rand Paul is bravely blocking treaties with Switzerland and Luxembourg. However, it says in all there are 5 treaties he is against. What are the other 3 countries?

  24. Three cheers for Rand Paul! *Great* comment, Deckard! Enjoyed meeting you last week! And, Blaze, I love your “I don’t care if someone is right wing, left wing or turkey wing”. I feel the same way.

    I’m just catching up on all the posts and comments because I just finished and emailed my brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Feels good!

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