We’ve made a new appointment for some filming. Assuming nothing major happens in Europe that they have to go to first, I should have news soon!

I spend a lot of time both in my job as an American Studies teacher and in informal situations trying to explain Americans and present a more nuanced view than that typical “ugly American.”

I don’t really want to get in this argument with you. As far as I know, this was not an executive order; it was a law, and laws are passed by Congress and signed by the President. It doesn’t surprise me, though, if there wasn’t a debate. Who would vote against something intended to “catch tax cheats”? That would be political suicide.

Obama Administration had bypassed Congress to impose the new tax law called FATCA. No. Congress did not write this law. And there was no debate in Congress before the implementation of FATCA.

I already did, though I’m still waiting for the CLN.

Yes, I just don’t believe that this was intentional victimization; I think it was just a mistake, but the Democrats can’t afford to admit such a mistake after trumpeting FATCA as being a way to catch tax cheats.

Some of the current Republican candidates do support ending or rewriting FATCA, but I’m very skeptical it’ll happen, either with a Republican or a Democratic majority. The problem is that it’s the kind of thing that a politician will bargain away because it doesn’t affect them if we overseas Americans are angry at them. Not enough of us vote, or vote in one particular state, to affect an election. They’ll trade it for something else that matters more to their local constituents. Also, it’ll be too easy for politicians to accuse other politicians of being soft on tax cheats.

I think the best chance that overseas Americans have to change this will be the court cases that are starting. Eventually, if it’s shown that how we are treated is unconstitutional, FATCA will end. I’m not holding my breath.

Thank you for talking about your support for Obama. Too many Americans who are suffering from the unintended consequences of FATCA (I’m talking, of course, about “regular” expats, as opposed to those who really DO hide enormous assets in offshore accounts) assume that Obama – and the entire Democratic party – actually set out to make us victims. We need a solution and I don’t know what it is, but it certainly will not come from one of the current crop of Republican candidates…