Congressman Goes On Berating Rant At Ousted IRS Commissioner And Gets A Standing Ovation businessinsider.com/mike-kelly-ran… – Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) May 19, 2013
All U.S. citizens everywhere should watch this video of Mike Kelly and Steve Miller. I predict that (as the Carpenters sang):
“We’ve only just begun!”
IRS doesn't know as #americansabroad do that power to tax ruins lives and should not be used for improper purposes taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2…—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) May 14, 2013
Other than the power to prosecute, the taxing authority is the most awesome power the government has. It can ruin people and companies. When wielded for political purposes, it is a violation of the basic contract the American people have with their government. The abuse admitted by Ms. Lerner can’t be dismissed in a casual apology on a casual Friday as no big deal. It’s a very big and bad deal.
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Washington Post editorial, Playing Politics With Tax Records:
A bedrock principle of U.S. democracy is that the coercive powers of government are never used for partisan purpose. The law is blind to political viewpoint, and so are its enforcers, most especially the FBI and the IRS. Any violation of this principle threatens the trust and the voluntary cooperation of citizens upon which this democracy depends.
So it was appalling to learn Friday that the IRS had improperly targeted conservative groups for scrutiny. It was almost as disturbing that President Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew have not personally apologized to the American people and promised a full investigation.
The problem is that this is exactly what you would expect of the United States of today.
On May 7, 2013 Toronto Globe and Mail editor-in-chief interviewed former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore. Mr. Gore has just published his most recent “The Future – Six Drivers of Global Change“. Although I haven’t had time to read the book, the interview was fascinating. Most of the discussion focused on climate change – he made a believer of me.
From time to time I have turned my mind to the question of what is “patriotism”. “Patriotism” is NOT blind loyalty to a government. “Patriotism” is NOT blind obedience to a government. ”Patriotism” is NOT the mindless retention of U.S. citizenship.
CBC ask u to pass "investigative tips" about those using #offshore trusts to investigations@cbc.ca isaacbrocksociety.ca/2013/04/04/can… – What a world!—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) April 04, 2013
The Prophetic George Orwell – Winston Smith – 1948
George Orwell’s “1984″ is a book that I reread every ten years. The more times I read the book, the more prophetic I see that it was.
Here are the final few paragraphs of George Orwell’s 1984
On March 24, 2013 it was announced that Cyprus will indeed confiscate deposits in private bank accounts to save Cyprus. In other words, the saves will pay for the sins of the debtors.
Cyprus reaches last-minute deal but can’t save second-largest bank thestar.com/news/world/201… – One more attack on the savers—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) March 25, 2013
Making the virtue of “saving” pay for the sin of “borrowing”
Cyprus confiscates money in savings accounts – who could have known? sovereignman.com/finance/this-c…—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) March 18, 2013
Second Thoughts in Europe as Fear Spreads in Cyprus nyti.ms/15WtkcM—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) March 19, 2013
Confiscation of assets is a direct attack on the principle of saving!
If you haven’t heard by now, Cyprus has announced the direct confiscation of money in its citizens bank accounts. The announcement was made on a Saturday when the banks were closed. The banks remain closed for a bank “holiday” and the only issue is how and what percent of people’s “after tax” savings will be confiscated from them. As one commentator has suggested Cyprus appears to employing a (contextually) clever “divide and conquer” technique – turning citizens against each other. Those with fewer savings will have less stolen from them and those with more savings will have more stolen from them. What could be more just than that?
“A Government of laws and not of men”
Growing up in the United States I remember hearing this phrase “time after time”. I don’t recall ever:
- thinking about it
- asking about
I just accepted it. Surely (like all great ideas) it must have been invented in the United States and it has been attributed to John Adams.
It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so. Will Rogers
The Obama administration is giving the world more reason why no sovereign nation should allow a U.S. citizen inside its borders. A drone attack on that U.S. citizen will be an attack on that country!
US government lays out legal case for deadly drone strikes against US citizens natpo.st/Xf3iMQ – If #FATCA and #FBAR weren't enough—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) February 05, 2013
Pete Yost of the Associated Press reports that:
An internal Justice Department memo says it is legal for the government to kill U.S. citizens abroad if it believes they are senior al-Qaeda leaders continually engaged in operations aimed at killing Americans.
The document, reported Monday by NBC News, provides a legal rationale behind the Obama administration’s use of drone strikes against al-Qaeda suspects.
The 16-page document says it is lawful to target al-Qaeda linked U.S. citizens if they pose an “imminent” threat of violent attack against Americans, and that delaying action against such people would create an unacceptably high risk. Such circumstances may necessitate expanding the concept of imminent threat, the memo says.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - Ed. note: William Olenick has been active in Republicans Abroad in Switzerland, where he is a longtime resident. He sent the following email letter to friends 28 January; we reprint it in full as part of our coverage of the ongoing problems for US citizens in Switzerland.
