Then of course, there is the new state religion...
Posted on 03/02/2013 8:31:25 PM PST by Baynative
London-based American lawyers, who specialise in tax and immigration, report a threefold increase over the last five years in the number of American citizens who are giving up their citizenship - a process known as “renunciation”.
Across the world 1,781 Americans renounced their citizenship in 2011 compared with just 231 in 2008, when US tax laws changed, although it remains unknown how many are adopting British rather than any other nationality.
Many decide to give up their American citizenship after tiring of the lengthy US tax return process, which requires them to pay tax on their total income regardless of where they live.
“There’s no question that the number of people renouncing their US citizenship is increasing,” said Diane Gelon, a US tax and immigration lawyer based in London.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
To "alexw" it's not about luck either - it's about his bragging rights to have abandoned the U.S.
Don't you think it's very weird for someone to come to FR, almost every day, and brag about how he's left the U.S. while at the same time holding on to his U.S. citizenship?
Many of us "old timers" are still emotionally and patriotically bonded to being Americans. We are waiting for America to return to us. I fear that as the next two generations pass on, the memory will fade and the People will truly become the Sheeple and have no sense of the Freedoms and substance they have lost.
Like ethylene glycol (antifreeze).
I recently got an email from an associate who asked, "Are you SOMEBODY?"HE went on to make several points about things that are slipping away from us and how people often say, "somebody should do something". The moral of his writing is that we have largely become a population of people waiting for someone else to act on our behalf. It's ironic since so many of us speak negatively about those who do little and expect someone else to take care of them.
While the internet has given us a great tool for communication and mobilization, the truth is most folks just use it to forward messages or jokes in the passive assumption that someone down the line may come up with the energy or an idea with which to fight back. Oddly, the majority is letting the minority succeed in taking our country away. We are letting lawlessness prevail and we are giving up our freedom.
I have a friend a few years older than me who frankly says, "I'm not going to be around long enough to worry about it. Let them wallow in the slop they're creating."
Which, of course, is irrelevant for US citizens living in the UK, which is what this article discusses because the UK is a higher-tax country than the US. US citizens are eligible to claim a foreign tax credit against their domestic tax liabilities, which avoids the issue of double taxation.
Worldwide taxation prevents US citizens from mooching off the benefits of US citizenship while evading taxation as tax exiles. However, I'm reasonably sure that no US resident of the UK is there as a tax exile.
LOL.
You're welcome.
“HE went on to make several points”
So is he doing anything?
Including DEFENSE. The Philippines spends almost nothing on its own defense, preferring to ask the US taxpayer to defend its borders from regional threats. Yeah, great model there. Some things are worth spending money on, but why bother when there's someone in the neighborhood willing to bail you out?
Along with the "somebody" you mentioned, this is the real crux. The minority has no moral values or ethics and is willing to break any law and convention in order to have its way. The majority has a respect for what the rule of law means and also has as stronger moral conscience. This makes one unwilling to get down in the trenches and fight fire with fire. War truly is hell because, in order to win, the good guys must be willing to be every bit as bad as the bad guys - there is no such thing as a moral high ground in war or street fighting.
Sad, but true in my case too. God blessed Texas!
Victor Davis Hanson addressed that in his Friday column, "Recessional for a retiring power", to wit:
In our relief from the vast costs and burdens of maintaining the postwar global order, though, we might at least acknowledge the truth, past and present: Just as the world was a far better place after 1945 because of an engaged United States, so it will probably become a much worse place owing to an increasingly absent America.
Then of course, there is the new state religion...
“The decline of America will effect every human on Earth.”
I agree. However, I am concerned with the speed and manner of the decline. The global statists, enemies domestic and foreign, want a gradual, imperceptible decline that arouses relatively few from their stupor. The educational system, the media, the welfare state and the entertainment industry are doing a magnificent job keeping the public soft, happy and stupid.
If America is truly the last bastion of liberty and the hope of the world, more people need to wake up and take action. But for this to happen, the decline must be precipitous, painful and dramatic. Unfortunately, too many people only respond to a forced choice at the last moment, at which time it may be too late.
“Don’t you think it’s very weird for someone to come to FR, almost every day, and brag about how he’s left the U.S.”
_______________________________________
I am not bragging about anything. I love America as it was founded, but not the America that now consist of takers, and wannabe Communist. Are you ready to start a civil war?
I consider myself fortunate to be able to choose my own life.
I do recognize the “dogs in a manger” on here. That is their right, but I do not let them bother me.
I do note that over the last five years, your type has dried up considerably.
I now get many more that question us expats on how THEY can do the same.
” The Philippines spends almost nothing on its own defense, preferring to ask the US taxpayer to defend its borders”
__________________________________________________________
I think you are confusing past and present.
The US left the Philippines years ago after closing the Subic bay base. It was a big mistake on the part of the Philippines, as they asked the US to pull out.
The US is now working on increasing presence here to counter China and its expansionist plans in the Pacific, as seen by their attempt to claim the Spratly Islands.
They are not coming here to protect the country.
The Philippine army is quite busy as it is, fighting muzies on Mindanao.
US presence here now consist of a US ship that grounded on a delicate coral reef. They will now have to break up the ship to move it.
This email was widely distributed as it was addressing local property rights issues and proposed tax increases - and yes he's doing a lot. We both give as much time and money as we can in following the liberal mantra of "Think globally, act locally".
In the last two years we have defeated a proposal to create a Local Improvement District (LID) for the purpose assessing property owners in order to build traffic roundabouts. We forced the County into dropping it ICLEI membership and we are entering a lawsuit against a locally imposed land grab that is instituting 150 foot buffer zones along all bodies of water, wetlands and navigable waterways in our county. This is a big fight because our county on the eastern shore of Washington's Puget Sound is surrounded by water and national parks. We are out numbered by liberals who win most elections easily and usually don't need the 3 to 7 percent of fraudulent votes they produce. But, we keep fighting for the sake of our grandkids.
Funny you should mention that. Since the immigration(amnesty) debate has ramped up I have been trying to make the idea of having the proposed back ground checks for green card applicants include cross checking voter registration roles.
I explain that it appears our congress is leaning toward finding a way to forgive illegal entry into the country. However, I don't feel we should over look felony vote fraud perpetuated while living here illegally and that if someone has illegally voted they should get the boot.
I have sent repeated emails and faxes and left countless messages on congressional lines as well as talking to dozens of office staffers - PARTICULARLY those of McCain and Graham.
I have done the same in an effort to contact every conservative talk show host I can find contact information for. I have been doing this since before Christmas. I do it constantly. I send faxes when I get up in the morning and I make at least four or five calls a day.
Yet, I have never heard the idea mentioned. NOT ONCE. Not by a single politician. Not by any talk show hosts that I listen to a lot. Not by Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Freedom Works, Tea Party.org or Town Hall - all have heard from me.
To your point - for liberals vote fraud is a strategy, NOT a crime. And I don't see anyone on the right willing to say so.
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