From: Linn Stanton <lstanton@sten.lehman.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 94 07:04:06 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Leaving the Country
In-Reply-To: <199407201118.AA03940@panix.com>
Message-ID: <9407211404.AA24126@sten.lehman.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


frissell@panix.com (Duncan Frissell) <199407201118.AA03940@panix.com>writes:
  > unemployed," you can move easily and your assets can be fairly easily
  > converted to cash.  You might lose on your real property (depending on when
  > you bought) but that has always been the downside of property.

This is a problem. The capital gains / alternative minimum tax hit is gruesome.

  > I know you like the Bay Area (as do I) but the net is there in Switzerland
  > and the interface improves from year to year.  If you want to do things
  > strictly legally, expatriate, secure a second citizenship, renounce your US
  > citizenship, wait ten years, and you'll be able to visit the US for up to
  > 180 days a year.  You could take this step given your situation but I know
  > it can be a big one.  Consider though if your US citizenship is worth so
  > many $thousands/year plus a hefty chunk if you die (extropians isn't the
  > same without you).

I agree of the inheritance tax question, but there is still a problem. The only
stock markets that I know well enough to be comfortable investing in are in the
US. That will not magically change just because I get citizenship somewhere
else, and that still leaves me liable for US tracking and taxes.

  > When the IRS knocked on the gate of Heinlein's place at 5000 Bonny Doone
  > Road (or was that 26000?) above Santa Cruz, he told them to get lost and
  > write to his attorney.

The forfeiture laws were weaker then.

  > It is possible to reprogram yourself to disobedience.  I am not particularly
  > a "tough guy."  On a day-to-day basis I'm reasonably chicken.  But their
  > culture of oppression infuriates me more than anything.  I can use that fury
  > to turn down the job of self-jailer that they offer to each of us.

That's not really it. I have no moral problems with tax evasion, just pragmatic
ones.

  > We are still in the Rev 0.99a Alpha testing stage.  The interface is a bit
  > rough and since it's a Windows app we do have "General Protection Fault"
  > problems.  When you're out on the "bleeding edge" of technology, you
  > sometimes bleed.

I respect your efforts in this area, and don't want to give the impression that
I do not take your advice seriously. However, it is too bleeding edge for someone
with a family, IMHO.