I have just started reading this book but it is giving my insight into American Homelanders and the desire for citizenship based taxation. Many of the claims cited in the book from the late 1800s are quite similar to those Prof. Kirsch and Co. make today.
http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/economic-history/making-modern-american-fiscal-state-law-politics-and-rise-progressive-taxation-18771929
Here is an excerpt.
Brillinat @JackieBugnion comment on Rober Wood post "Dear Mr. President, Why I'm Leaving America" http://t.co/ZwTdG60ncL – Not abt #FATCA
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) August 17, 2014
The above tweet references a comment by Jackie Bugnion to a fascinating Robert Wood post.
This post already has approximately 50,000 views and some very intelligent comments. For those who are inclined, it is an opportunity to help shape the “narrative”.
But, there is a lesson. The comments from the Homelanders demonstrate how difficult it is for them to understand this. I conclude from their comments that this should NOT be framed as an issue of “taxation” but as an issue of “life control” or perhaps “forced citizenship”.
Human beings can only understand what is in their range of experience. “Homelanders” (by definition) cannot imagine or understand life outside the Homeland.
@CBCAllInADay interviews law Professor Michael Kirsch about his reasons for supporting taxation of #Americansabroad http://t.co/FcVL4QJIXa
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) August 16, 2014
Notre Dame law professor Michael Kirsch defended citizenship-based taxation at the May 2, 2014 ACA Conference on citizenship-based taxation.
Here is a very recent interview with him. Listen carefully to his rationale.
Are you a Canada-U.S. dual citizen? @cbcallinaday is following a new law that affects you: http://t.co/Gt1lfV3LuC
— Susan Burgess (@susanmburgess) August 15, 2014
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Friday August 15, 2014
The facts on FATCA
As of Canada Day, Canadian banks are required to start getting into compliance with a U.S. law called FATCA, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. It requires them to hand over the account information of clients with ties to the U.S., such as people with Canada-U.S. dual citizenship. That information goes to the Canada Revenue Agency, for release to U.S. tax authorities.
It’s a lot to absorb for dual citizens, so we’ve done several interviews this summer on the legislation and the arguments for and against it. And in case you missed any of them, you can get caught up by listening to a FATCA primer by a tax law expert, an interview with an Ottawa dual citizen who’s affected, a defence of the U.S. model of citizenship-based taxation, and our latest: the legal case against Canada’s acceptance of FATCA.
Are you affected by FATCA? Get in touch with us and tell us your story. We’ll continue to follow the issue in the months to come.
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The above paragraph links to Alan Neal’s radio interviews with Allison Christians, our own White Kat as well as Prof. Michael Kirsch and one of our lawyers, David Gruber.
The site is inviting comments on this story here. . No comments have been posted yet – time for Brocker SWAT! (See below — send to email allinaday@cbc.ca — not in Comments to the CBC article.)
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Important NOTE (inserted here by Calgary411) re contacting CBC — not by comment at the story but by email:
I put my comments in comments at the CBC page and they are still in moderation (all day long). I finally figured out that really where they tell us to communicate our stories is to them by email to allinaday@cbc.ca, per:
Are you affected by FATCA? Get in touch with us* and tell us your story. We’ll continue to follow the issue in the months to come.
i.e., links to email address, allinaday@cbc.ca
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY.
Here is a list of international Certifying Acceptance Agents for the IRS. In particular the IRS site mentions some of the big FATCA compliance firms:
National / International CPA Firms *
Deloitte and Touche, LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
KPMG LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
BDO
For a list of Canadian IRS agents, see this list.
No free country in the world actually allows the agents of the revenue service of a foreign country operate within its borders. To do so would be to admit the loss of sovereignty. But certifying agents of the IRS are doing work for the IRS.
Today, in the mail, I received two cards from ‘Joe’ a grateful Canadian. One was addressed to me and one addressed to Ginny c/o myself. Inside he writes:
Dear Ms. Hillis/Ms. Deegan
I read the recent article in the Toronto Star. I feel exactly the same way you do and I am so glad you are taking up this cause. I think many supporters may not want to comment online because of the Patriot Act, so please accept my thanks for your time and energy; it’s a large undertaking.
You are a true champion for Canadian Sovereignty!
Yours Truly
‘Joe’
Ginny and I thank ‘Joe’ and every other Canadian who supports us, but who may be afraid to comment online or send cards/letters. I hope that ‘Joe’ represents at least 10 more people who are like-minded.
Here is a correspondance between “the knower” and me in the comment section of the Financial Post article, Canadian government faces constitutional challenge over FATCA deal. Perhaps “the knower” just needs to hear more about what’s really going on. I think that’s true of most Canadians. Once they understand what’s going on and that we are not making this stuff up, they’ll be on our side.
One of the commonest responses by those who have never studied the issue of US personhood is,”If you don’t want to pay your taxes, then renounce your citizenship.” Well, just off the top of my head here are some reasons that people may be reluctant to renounce United States citizenship: Continue reading
I reproduce the late honourable Jim Flaherty’s letter to the editors of major US papers from September 2011. My comments will be indented and in italic type:
Canada and the United States are neighbours and have long been the closest of friends. We share a common border and we share many common values.
In other words, the United States has jeopardized the friendship by threatening FATCA’s economic sanctions against Canada, an ally and a friend. We have seen that some leaders in the USA think that the USA should use FATCA sanctions against Russia in the recent dispute over Ukraine. Flaherty recognized already that FATCA was economic warfare against an ally.
Statement of Claim against the Canadian Attorney General of Canada
This is a great text. Everyone in Canada should read it.
