The Government Is Turning the Entire United States Into A Debt Prison
By Shaun Bradley/theAntiMedia.org September 29, 2016 Share this article:
Since the United States was founded, citizenship has represented a
safe haven from oppressive regimes around the world. By preserving the
principles of small government and free markets, those who were willing
to work hard found success, and America became a magnet for innovation.
But
as the U.S. continues to erode personal and economic freedom, more
people than ever before are handing over their U.S. passports to seek
better opportunities abroad.
The staggering
amount of debt held by the American empire ensures the public will be
working it off for generations to come. The government has already begun
its campaign to make it more difficult to leave the country, and it has
also begun to crack down on the finances of the eight million Americans
living abroad.
Regardless of whether you're a millionaire with multiple
foreign bank accounts or a recent college graduate with a boatload of
debt, the status of being a United States citizen brings with it a
burden that will only grow heavier over time.
Since
2008, the number of individuals giving up their citizenship has
increased by almost 560%, setting new records each of the past three
years. Some of these expats are motivated by the extra tax load paid
when working abroad while others are trying to avoid student loan debt.
Others have just had enough of the encroaching police state.
Every
taxpayer left in the country now owes more than $149,000 of the
national debt, so it's no surprise the tide is beginning to turn. By
hook or by crook, in the coming years, citizens will be fleeced of that
money through higher taxes, savings that are inflated away, and an
overall drop in their standard of living.
Many
can see the writing on the wall and have become determined to protect
themselves from the years of economic repression coming down the pipe.
Draconian
steps have already been taken to slow the rate of expatriation. For
one, the IRS has broadened its reach into foreign bank accounts through
the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
Through
agreements with over 100 nations, the law is able to require all
financial institutions abroad to report the account details of any
American customers they have. With access to this new information, the
IRS can revoke the passports of potential tax evaders and hinder their
ability to travel using yet another additional power the agency was
granted last year.
The Internal Revenue Service
is one of the most powerful agencies of the federal government and has a
track record of persecuting groups for political reasons. The fact that
they have now set their sights are expats shouldn't surprise anyone.
The
Tea Party movement, whatever your views on it, experienced this
first-hand during the 2012 elections. Jenny Beth Martin, national
coordinator of Tea Party Patriots spoke on the targeting scandal:
"The
IRS has demonstrated the most disturbing, illegal and outrageous abuse
of government power. This deliberate targeting and harassment of tea
party groups reaches a new low in illegal government activity and
overreach."
While penalties are being levied against
those with enough money to work around the world, the most impactful
measures are aimed at those just making ends meet. The initial paperwork
for renouncing citizenship used to cost just $450, but it has
skyrocketed to $2,350, making it the most expensive fee of any country
in the world.
It may not seem like much in the
grand scheme of things, but this additional expense directly targets
the young and working class, creating a huge barrier to even starting
the process. As an added bonus, the price increase has raised over $12
million for government coffers in just over a year.
The
$19.5 trillion in debt that has been amassed through decades of
interventionist policies and clandestine operations can only be
maintained by taxing the government's human livestock. After all, the
federal government counts student loans as almost 30% of their net
worth.
If the young and productive workers of the future are allowed to leave, U.S. power and wealth will go with them.
The
Millennial generation has been completely duped by the federal loan
programs, pumped out to any 18-year-old with a pulse. The $1.3 trillion
in outstanding student loans is akin to indentured servitude for those
entering the dismal job market.
And students
themselves aren't the only ones on the chopping block -- 90% of these
loans are co-signed by the parents, attaching the ball and chain further
up the family tree.
For those tempted to jump
ship and disappear into another country, their families will be held
responsible in their stead. It's reminiscent of North Korea, where the
families of defectors are punished.
Noah Brown, president of the Association of Community College Trustees wrote:
"If
you default, your financial life is ruined. You have to deal in cash
for the rest of your life. It used to be death and taxes were the only
certainty. You can throw in student loans now."
Many
are learning the hard way that these loans are unique and can't be
wiped away by simply declaring bankruptcy. Instead of the collateral
being a house or a car, it's future earnings that can be seized.
Those
who find themselves with no way out have been offered a deal with the
devil -- work in the public sector for 10 years and you will be granted
your freedom. This has created a perverse incentive to work directly for
the state, placing fresh cogs in the military, police, and bureaucratic
machines.
The policies seen so far are soft
measures compared to what may be tried in the future as the government
grows and the economy weakens.
A new type of
debt prison is being built in the U.S., and as the inmates realize their
predicament, the rush for the exits could be chaotic -- so long as
people can afford to pay the fee to leave.
Those
who understand the fragile state of our economic and political system
can see that when politicians start building walls, it may be more about
keeping people in than out.
Despite the
brainwashing often conducted in public schools, many are realizing the
future for U.S. citizens may look very different than the past.
The
freedom and opportunity that have been synonymous with U.S. citizenship
are being transformed before our eyes. When America abandoned its core
values and let loose the scourge of oppressive big government, the
countdown to when citizens would pay the price began.
Originally published at theAntimedia.org - reposted with permission.
No comments:
Post a Comment