Posted on 04/16/2012 1:55:48 PM PDT by freedommom
If he were in charge of travel, the Soup Nazi might say, “No Passport for you!” In real life, travel may seem unrelated to taxes, except perhaps for those annoying airport taxes on international destinations. But a bigger tax and travel connection could keep you at home—permanently. A tax law quietly proposed a few months ago—Owe IRS Taxes, Lose Your Passport—is quietly gaining momentum. Now more people have noticed. If you owe the IRS? You’re not going anywhere if this law passes. In America, we love to tinker with our tax laws. Congress is always introducing one bill or another to tweak an already bloated and increasingly dysfunctional tax system. It’s curious how ingredients go into the sausage, often making strange legislative bedfellows. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) proposed that if you owe the IRS more then $50,000, you shouldn’t get a passport. See Sen. Orrin Hatch’s Memo to Reporters and Editors. Now this ‘we-need-the-money’ provision has morphed into Senate Bill 1813, introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). It was introduced in November and passed by the Senate on March 14 “to reauthorize Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs, and for other purposes.” At best, there seems a titular connection between this provision and highway safety. Nevertheless, the law would authorize the federal government to prevent Americans from leaving the country if they owe back taxes. It was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who proposed allowing the State Department to revoke, deny or limit passports for anyone the IRS certifies as having “a seriously delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of $50,000.” Does this apply in all cases? Mercifully no. You could travel if your tax debt is being paid in a timely manner or in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian reasons.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
This amendment to give power to the IRS to revoke your passport will damage the already weak travel industry. This amendment affects all people, people will be scared to travel, they will be worried that the IRS will suddenly send a letter in the mail, put a lien on your assets and revoke your passport. The IRS does not give notice of tax liens. The IRS will not give you notice of the revocation of your passport, it will just happen without you knowing it. You could be stranded somewhere and not able to return to the USA. Small businesses could also lose business when their employees are not able to travel.
What really worries me is that the IRS is free to make any charges of debt owed that they want at any time, and it’s the taxpayer’s burden to prove innocence. These proceedings are time consuming and very costly. Does this proposed law make any allowance for recompense for those who have been falsely accused of having delinquent taxes?
My guess is that this law will turn into a weapon before the ink is even dry on Obama’s signature.
The IRS is tyranny as is the whole idea of an “Income tax” which is a product of the “Regressive Progressive Era”
It’s a beautiful day in the land of the free...
The former USSR, E. Germany, E. Berlin, N. Korea, Cuba have all tried to keep their citizens from leaving.
Seeing as our vile POS in the White Hut loves the government policies of the aforementioned crap countries this makes perfect sense.
One more reason to read what Thomas Jefferson said about our fall back plan should government grow beyond its constitutional limit.
sounds like the USSR
The Amerikan government holding it’s citizens hostage.
Time to invest in a small air craft or in hiking boots and a border states map.
Yeah, that border fence doesn’t sound like such a good idea anymore.
You know, from time to time, I’ve entertained leaving the US, but I’ve never seriously considered it until I read this.
Right out of the Soviet Union.
Problem is, where do I go??
Most Americans cannot fathom how unethical and downright scary the IRS is when they say you owe them.
It is next to impossible to fight them. They will make your life a living hell on earth.
I am in this hell right now. Add that I have to deal with lawyers during all this makes me feel like Job and I have a lot in common.
I have spent a few nights scared and crying to be truthful. I don’t wish this on anyone....except maybe Obama and his linebacker wife.
Why am I not surprised?
TS
Yet another good reason to support the FairTax.
Passport control has a long an infamous history.
This has other implications because if Obamacare is ruled Constitutional, and if severe restrictions start limiting what doctors and other medical professionals can earn are put into place, you can bet the Administration is going to start putting restrictions on who gets to leave the “Land of the Free”.
If too many professionals start seeking a better life in foreign climes, there will not be enough staff to keep Obamacare running. Of course this goes for other professionals as well.
They might even be able to justify it under that new EO Obama signed last month, but this would make it much easier. All they would have to do is have the IRS file some kind of tax lien, or just a “hold for audit” note on a passport application, and bingo!
Put the suitcases away and get back to work.
The tax on incomes destroyed financial privacy, now the tax grubbers are going to use it to destroy the unalienable right to travel.
Saying a prayer for you.
I wonder how many of those tax cheats in Obamalamadingdong’s regime won’t be able to travel now.
So sorry for your problem I will pray you.
Good! I believe that those who do not pay taxes are arrogant liberals who are used to skirting around rules.
Thank you very much. I know that prayer has helped me through my life, so of course it will help me through this.
Not good.
Anytime we give the government more power or they take more power, it is a very bad thing. No matter what the reason.
The government will use this power grab as a means to punish and control right thinking Americans.
Mark my words.
(it is very easy for the IRS to tell you or anyone they owe what they don’t think they owe...believe me)
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