Posted on 05/21/2012 6:25:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Just as a reminder, remember when Eliz. Taylor, a naturalized American citizen from England, renounced her American citizenship? (Don’t know the reason...perhaps financial, too). Then she went before Congress and got her American citizenship back when it suited her. She was never banned from returning to the US and making movies while no longer a citizen. Laws have to be the same for everyone...movie stars and entrepeneurs. Also, recall Sean Connery moved to France to avoid Britain’s high taxes. In Britain you are allowed to return to Britain for a set number of days each year before they conclude you live there and impose taxes. Maybe that’s the way they should proceed with the law here, so people can retain their citizenship, and meet with family for a set number of days, but avoid unfair taxation.
You’re right, of course. What I should have said was that we’ve hit a huge mud-puddle on the way down to rock-bottom, nanny state Marxism and total economic collapse.
We let people in to visit places like Disneyworld, attend colleges and take US jobs all the time. We don't have to let anyone in, but we do, so why single out people who decided they would rather be citizens elsewhere but still be able to visit? Or are we just going to be vindictive?
Singling out one billionaire is another version of singling out Warren Buffett or going after "the 1%." Most of the people who would be affected would be ordinary people, many of them retired, who chose to live in another country and are being harassed by the IRS to the point where they decided their only way out was to give up their citizenship.
What I find quite interesting is, of all the places int he world, Eduardo chooses to reside in — SINGAPORE.
Singapore, admittedly is a prosperous, stable, clean, peaceful, orderly and business friendly, competitive English speaking country with one of the most competitive work forces in the world.
However, IT IS NOT FREE. At least not as free as the country Eduardo left (the good old USA ).
It is practically ruled by one party, the press cannot criticize the ruling party without being fined to the point of ruination, and rules are so strict that you risk a fine for trivial things like forgetting to flush the toilet in a public bathroom ( yes, they have the bathroom police ).
Who would want to live in a big brother country like that?
Eduardo should have considered Switzerland instead.
In short, the man is without integrity, shame or conscience. What he most clearly is not, is in any sense a statesman.
William Flax
I doubt Saverin has any concerns about flushing public toilets. But on some of your points, consider this:
1. We have statist Republicans and statist Democrats, not exactly the same but “statist” is the operative word.
2. Our press chooses not to criticize the ruling party, so who needs fines to keep them in line, which they do voluntarily.
3. We have food police, DOEd swat teams, smoking police, land use police, hate crime police, travel police, and so on.
4. I’m not saying we are yet as UN-free as Singapore, but we are not getting any of the benefits you list for Singapore in exchange for the loss of freedom, not that those are necessairly worth the loss.
The “good old USA” is disappearing so for people of means, Singapore may not look too bad.
Coming right up for more ordinary people if Obama wins the next election. You want to move wherever to escape Obamageddon? You will need permission to leave after the state has determined that it has extracted sufficient blood from you.
Personally, I'd rather see Upchuck and Dimbulb Junior tilt at this windmill to occupy their time than get on to something which has actual chances of passing.
OK, I get your point... but does it not bother you that a kid would get canned for spraying graffiti on cars?
The 1994 conviction of 18-year-old American citizen Michael P. Fay for vandalizing cars using spray paint, and the sentence of six strokes of the cane imposed on him, provoked much controversy with both condemnation and support from Americans.
Following a request by then president Bill Clinton for clemency, President Ong Teng Cheong commuted Fay’s caning sentence from six to four strokes.
In 2010, a Swiss national, Oliver Fricker, pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing into a Mass Rapid Transit depot and spray-painting a train with an accomplice, and was sentenced to five months’ jail and three strokes of the cane. On appeal, the High Court increased his total jail term to seven months.
Needless to say, Singapore has no graffiti, but still....
I have no objection to corporal punishment, provided it does not inflict permanent physical damage. The proper severity of the punishment is highly subjective and we could argue about the difference between 4 and 6 strokes. I also believe in restitution. If someone steals or damages private or public property, they are responsible for its restoration.
But given where we may differ on the crime and the punishment, that has little to do with freedom. Freedom is not the ability to commit crimes and escape responsibility and punishment. Defacing property is a crime. Trespassing is a crime. Both disrespect my freedom to enjoy my property, or in the public sense, disrespect the public property I help fund through taxes and must then repair or replace with additional taxes.
Singapore is not for me because of the lack of political freedom, but they are not doing everything wrong either.
“Don’t hate the ex-patriots. Hate the government which makes their actions necessary.”
You’re right. Reasonable people don’t mind paying reasonable taxes. When the powers-that-be demand too much, and then use the funds for imbecilic things, it would be stupid to stay and continue playing the game. Tom Coburn’s report on how tax money is spent is sobering.
I have a better solution. Abolish the capital gains tax.
RE: I have a better solution. Abolish the capital gains tax.
Well, you got that right. Singapore DOES NOT have a capitals gains tax.
Amazing how everyone keep ignoring the fact that Severin moved to Singapore in 2009, and took on citizenship there. New reports make it sound like he left just before the IPO. He is deeply embedded over there and had invested in numerous companies.
Nope. I find that much better then sticking the young adult (not kid!) in jail. I see no value in putting people who are not a danger to the public in jail. However they do need some sort of punishment. It would be best if they could directly recompense those they had harmed but since we began this legal fiction that the offense is against the state rather then the actual victim of the crime then a few strokes with a cane is appropriate.
The Tree of Liberty is very dry, and needs a thorough “watering”...
If you take Schumer at his word, it is unconstitutional.
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