About that "No taxation without representation" thingy.

[Cyrano]

That was one of the major reasons that we're celebrating a bunch of wealthy white land owners declaring their independence from Great Britain, and convincing all the (white) peasants to go along with them.

So here we are on July 4th, -- 246 years later. We won and England is no longer fucking us. But they've been replaced by a malignant Republican Party and a nightmare Supreme Court.

Guess I'll go watch a fireworks display to celebrate, ... I don't know, ... seeing some bright, flares light up the night sky?

I wish the future of our country were that bright, exciting and inspirational.

(On edit: This post isn't about taxes. It's about our freedoms.)

[wcmagumba]

1. I won't be celebrating...hung a coat hanger on my door in my very red senior sixplex...nt

[Cyrano]

3. Yep, I get the coat hanger

It doesn't matter why an oppressive government must be opposed. Today it might be because women have to resort to hangars for a dangerous abortion. Tomorrow it might be for any other horrible order or demand that comes into their demented minds.

Whatever the reason, marching with signs isn't going to cut it. They threw away the "rule book" long ago.Time for us to understand what we're up against and act accordingly.

[DFW]

2. I'm still very much affected by the "without representation" phrase

Americans abroad number about 9 million by the last count I saw, and about 6 million of us can vote. But we get hit with having to file tax returns on two countries, just like the citizens of exactly ONE other nation on earth: Eritrea. ALL other countries recognize residence-based taxation. That means that any holes or ambiguities in the double-taxation treaty between the USA and the country of residence of an American Abroad go to the detriment of the US citizen. Most of my income is being taxed at 67+% because of this.

But do the Americans Abroad have any representation anywhere (other than token representation at the party convention every four years)? Nope. At a population of about 9 million, we land right about in the middle of the fifty states, but no one wants to rectify the situation. It's more convenient for some politician to get up on the floor of the Senate of the House and whine about some nameless "billionayah" living tax-free on a yacht harbored in Monte Carlo, and use that as an excuse to ignore the other nine million of us who are NOT in that situation.

We don't make nearly as good fodder for blogposts, you see. We may pay more than our "fayah shayah," but unfortunately, our politicians "don't cayah." If there weren't so many Republicans among us, I'd seriously consider starting a movement for recognition as a political entity. With a population of nine million, we'd have a decent number of seats in the House and two Senators. Since American living abroad tend to be more educated and enlightened than Americans in many of the fifty states, I'd bet those two Senators would be Democrats.

Oops. No wonder no one wants to listen to us. Never mind.

[MichMan]

4. Many people pay non resident income taxes to cities they don't live in

just because their employer is located there. Why is that permitted?

Nobody is very concerned about taxation without representation then.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. Meanwhile, here are the tax rates in the UK

Band Taxable income Tax rate
Personal Allowance Up to £12,570 0%
Basic rate £12,571 to £50,270 20%
Higher rate £50,271 to £150,000 40%
Additional rate over £150,000 45%


Much more info:
https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates

[gulliver]

6. This seems to have a class identification angle that has been proven invalid and unpopular

There are reasons to take the Fourth of July (as with most things human) with a grain of salt and some historical perspective. I don't recall hearing about peasants being gulled by the wealthy in the American Revolution, for example. Sure, the average folks fight the wars. That's a commonplace and a reason to have democracy. But if we really want to witness peasants being gulled, look no further than China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nazi Germany, and the old Soviet Union. The "wealthy" have nothing on the "zealous" when it comes to gulling and atrocity.

[Cyrano]

7. Couldn't agree more

What's annoying me is that this OP wasn't about taxes, even though I used that as an example in the headline.