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A Northwest 747 is sitting on the runway at Tokyo airport. The stewardess comes on the PA system and says: "Federal regulations prohibit smoking in
the toilets." A true statement, valid if the plane was in Detroit or even in US airspace, but it has ZERO validity on the Tokyo runway. Airline regs perhaps, local Japanese laws maybe, but not US Fed regs in Tokyo!
Why? Different country - no jurisdiction. The same goes for US Federal tax.US Expats pay taxes out of habit, just like the would-be toilet smokers who are scared in Tokyo. Actually if we
don't pay, our Government catches us when we go home or makes trouble when we wish to renew our passports. This is just coercion, it does not really give US actual jurisdiction in overseas areas not falling under US
sovereignty. Does the 1920s Supreme Court decision that double taxation is constitutional still hold water? Did it ever? How can it be overturned? Have we ever tried! Does US jurisdiction in peacetime
not end 150 miles offshore? Is it constitutional for Americans to be treated WORSE by our own government than other OECD protected nationals are?
What to do? |