US expats thinking of giving up their citizenship.

What I hate most are "Awareness" funds. You know, they schedule something to raise awareness of a particular disease, and the money is then used to create more fund drives. None of it actually goes to research or to pay medical bills. The only people who benefit are those who draw a salary from the fund by touting awareness with all their walkathons and marathons and what-have-you's.

Some time ago, I was asked to "round up" my purchase at the grocery store to "raise awareness of breast cancer." The woman looked at me like I was the devil when I told her that everyone was already aware of breast cancer. I'm happy to donate to research or anything of that nature, but awareness? Not so much.

 

Like the thoughtful NFL incentive? Pink shoes, towels, blah, blah. ..And how much of the merchandise sales go to actual research? ...Terrible. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/17/nfl-breast-cancer-pink-merchandise-profits

 

I hate the word "diversity". It is very much overused these days. I'm tired of "awesome" too. There are others, but those two are the worst I think.

 

Douchebagery....that's a word and it is synonymous with the four aforementioned words.

 

Well said Fred.

 

I'm old enough to remember the end of segregation and the beginning of integration. So, when I first heard about "diversity" I asked if segregation was coming back. I'm told it's very different, but I don't see how.

 

My favourite word to hate is "Newest".

Either something is new, or it is not. What is meant is "latest".

Symptomatic of the times, IMO.

 

So, anymore good scoop on US Expats planning on giving up their citizenship?

 

Diverse awareness though empowers one to regard the newest or even, very unique ideas behind American taxes, as nothing more than a little pregnant douchebagery.

English is such a sublime, much coded language...

Like the lady in the lift this morning...I being slightly bent because of the old injury, am forced to lower my head to floor...helps in finding pound coins I may add...but on this occasion...lift doors shut...Could not help with the aid of the old disability but look in one place...and it was not her rear end...But you can guess...Press one she said...this is what lead to the police and security being called...English is a mad language..I'll understand it one day.

 

Don't understand why anyone would think the grass is greener in UK. If it looks greener it's probably astroturf laid over a 'cleaned-up' brownfield site with either old mine shafts or radon gas pockets underneath.

"Smile" they said, "things could be worse."
So I did and they were.

 

So y'all speak different strains of English over there too eh?

 

One here,
http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21587815-loopy-tax-rules-spur-expats-renounce-their-american-citizenship-overtaxed-and-over-there

 

From what I have been able to glean, the number of ex-pats giving up citizenship will top out at somewhere above 3,000 by the end of the year. While this is a tremendous increase percentagewise, it is still a pittance in overall numbers.

If you, like "Lars" above, have lived out of the country for nearly two decades and have no intention of returning, then you probably should give up US citizenship for the country you live in. Many in the past liked the perks of a US passport (and the ability to have burly, minimum wage Marines come save your a$$ whenever the natives got restless) when it didn't cost them much. Now they are being forced to pay for the privilege.

Yes the rate probably is higher than it ought to be, but until recently the US has not been so aggressive in collecting it and frankly I am not sure I want to live somewhere where a average guy has to fill out 12 pages for his taxes. I have never had more than two in my 37 years as an official US taxpayer..

 

More than anyone...you can travel 30 miles in any direction and they speak differently (historically)

 

And hysterically...

 

Didn't see too much of that when I was growing up, talk radio is a different matter however.
My friend did get a bit itchy when I said "oops" though....