Day: November 10, 2011

Guest post: Reactions to the Globe and Mail article on renunciations of US citizenship in Toronto

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This guest post comes from a new blog called Renounce US Citizenship:  Be Free (used with permission):

McKenna Globe Article – Comments on the comments

Yesterday I posted about Barrie McKenna’s article about American citizens in Canada renouncing  U. S. citizenship. As good as the article was the number of comments was astounding. Incredibly 730 comments were posted in 24 hours. The comments were incredibly illuminating – recommend them to you. There is clear anger at the U.S. government. One of the most interesting comments came from the U.S.

“Bart Hall –Kansas USA

8:58 AM on November 9, 2011

It is far worse than even the article indicates, and reflects a profoundly disturbing trend—the fervent desire to have US law apply not only within US territory, but to any US citizen, anywhere. To my knowledge this is utterly unprecedented at any time or place in history.

Not only are the US attempting to apply their somewhat draconian tax regimes around the world, they’re in the course of doing the exact same thing with their idiotic drug laws. You know, because they work so well at home.

Something has gone desperately wrong in Washington. My 6G-grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence. I am closely related to three Presidents. And my family has brought forth officers (and plenty of enlisted) for the defence of this land in every single generation since 1701.

The desperate hunger for ever-greater power and revenue in Washington must be stopped. They have already begun to turn that hunger onto Americans at home—the TSA are now setting up roadblocks on assorted American highways, and if you do not allow them to search your vehicle you will not be allowed to proceed.

“Fourth Amendment rights? You ain’t got no stinkin’ Fourth Amendment Rights.” Americans: are you paying attention? Hello? Anybody home?”

There is something clearly wrong inside the United States. By leaving people are voting with their feet.  Lawyer Phil Hodgen comments on the Vancouver back log to expatriate.  Mr. Hodgen writes:

“Canary, meet coal mine

At the moment the number of people leaving might be small, and their actions dismissed in a hand-wavy fashion.  But they should not be dismissed.  Their actions are an indicator of something gone awry.

The United States has been built on immigration.  Out-migration tells us something isn’t working.  (Hah.  Tell that to the State of California. “Oh, no. Everything is fine!”  Same thought.)  When people vote with their feet — and are willing to pay a staggering tax to do so — they are sending a message.

I don’t think anyone is listening.  And this, unfortunately, is to the greater harm of the United States.”

http://hodgen.com/vancouver-consulate-backlog-for-expatriation/

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Bah Humbug: A suggestion for the US Federal Christmas Tree Tax

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Unpopularity has scuttled the extra-constitutional, extra-judicial Christmas tree tax (see below video for a sample).  Now the Department of Agriculture had proposed this tax, and of course they went about it in a completely wrong way.  First, they should have the IRS collect it.  Second, they should only impose it on US citizens living outside the borders of the United States, and recent immigrants, for example, people who have come from India in the last 10 years.  That way it only hits those who don’t have representation in Congress or small persecuted minority groups.  Then, a line should be added to the 1040NR form asking, “Did you have a foreign Christmas tree this year at any time during the year?”  In the explanations of this line, it should say that if the answer to the question is yes, then each person filing must fill out a disclosure form DA-FCT1025365NR for the Department of Agriculture which must be received by the 30th of June on the year that the foreign Christmas tree was used.  It should be mentioned that non-wilful failure to disclose whether one had a Christmas tree could result in a $10,000 fine per infringement, per tree (so that if two spouses filing jointly or separately would each have to make a disclosure).  Wilful failure of disclosure can result in prison sentences and huge fines that are so stupendous that it requires the implicit waiver of the 8th amendment, let’s say as much as 300% of your personal wealth.  Finally, this disclosure must be retroactive for the last six years.