When we were told in the past “It’s the law,” I drew a comparison of Rosa Parks.
Now, Douglas Goldstein, CFP (Certified Financial Planner) is doing the same. He asks: Would Rosa Parks File Her FATCA Forms or Move To The Back of the Bus?
Mr. Goldstein writes:
America’s greatness is her policy of equality to all and nondiscrimination. Rosa Parks is famous for her stance on refusing to give into racial discrimination. Who will be the Rosa Parks and stand up against America’s policy of geographic discrimination?
Mr. Goldstein, that is exactly what many of us are doing through Maple Sandbox, Issac Brock Society, American Citizens Abroad (ACA), Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO) and others.
He points out what many of us know:
America’s legal system works on the presumption of innocence… unless you happen to live abroad. FATCA assumes unless you file its forms (in addition to the FBAR required) you’re a tax evader.
He asks another question:
Doesn’t the government have better things to do than bully its citizens?
The answer to that is apparently not.
His final question is a repeat of the first:
Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus to fight racial discrimination. What American will fight geographic discrimination and fiscal imperialism?
I do not consider myself American, although the United States of Arrogance wants to claim otherwise. I will continue to fight US fiscal imperialism in Canada through political, legal and other channels. I hope people around the world are prepared to do the same in their countries.
But, it may take someone who is a US citizen to actually take action in US courts before anything changes like it did for Rosa Parks.
The case of Rosa Parks is a fitting analogy for the US’ treatment of expats. However, there is one big difference — expats can’t even get on the bus in the first place.
Expats receive no public services or benefits from the homeland, to include the bus services that Rosa Parks was using.
Yet, expats are expected to pay double taxes and file double the amount of forms that are required from homelanders.
Meanwhile, the homelanders get to use all the stuff expats are not able to use because they aren’t even there to use it.
That is not even second class citizenship, but rather third or fourth class at best.