Expected to pass the House with the provision attached since it is expected to generate almost $1 bil in revenue. There is a new bill in Congress that is expected to pass that would allow the government to suspend your travel outside the country if you own taxes to the IRS. Senate Bill 1813 (Highway trust fund), which was passed by the Senate last week and is now pending in the House of Representatives contains a provision that would allow the IRS to order the State Department to refuse to grant, refuse to renew, revoke or restrict the passport of any US citizen which the IRS certifies owes the IRS $50,000 or more in unpaid taxes. There is no requirement that the tax payer be guilty of or even charged with tax evasion, fraud, or any criminal offense - only that the citizen is alleged to owe the IRS back taxes of $50,000 or more. http://www.thedailyeconomist.com/2012/03/bill-in-congress-could-suspend-your.html
If you think that's bad, states are beginning to suspend drivers licenses for purportedly owing taxes to the state. They can already revoke professional licenses and of course take your bank accounts, your car, house, etc., all without a trial. Wait until we go to a cashless society then it will be total control. How far behind can imprisonment be for people who owe back taxes? But that would require expensive trials. So instead of imprisonment, maybe a stay at a special "camp" for tax debtors could be implemented until the tax debt is paid or worked off by making Nike shoes, Ipads, etc. at wages less than in China which the politicians could then tout as bringing manufacturing jobs back to the good ole U.S.S.A.
only that the citizen is alleged to owe the IRS back taxes of $50,000 or more. This should be named the Turbo Timmay Rule" What did Tim owe - $49,999 ? How do they arrive at 50K? ..... -------------- Is Al Sharpton paying his fair share? . He owes the IRS $2.6 million in income tax, and nearly $900,000 in state tax. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/..._the_red_FFFX2IRlXVlP0sh79dWyxL#ixzz1sGCzwpfC
And Buffett's Birkshire owes a $billion but Warren is fighting it. Oh wait, didn't Warren say he wanted to pay more taxes not less? http://nation.foxnews.com/rush-limbaugh/2012/04/11/limbaugh-buffetts-tax-evasion
So how does revoking a passport work? I get the "will not renew or issue" part, but since you only need to show a passport to the country you are arriving in, not departing from, how do they stop flight from the US (which is what I think they're going for here, is it not?).
There are always alternatives.:eek: http://news.yahoo.com/japanese-island-man-lives-naked-hermit-115603517.html
Why stop there? Lots of people are in default on federally guaranteed student loans. Revoke their passports. Plenty of people owe child support. Why should they be allowed to skip? How about the 100,000+ federal employees who are said to owe back taxes? Do they skate? Why shouldn't their wages be garnished at least? You might begin to get the idea that this is not a serious proposal, more like the idiotic Buffett rule. There is one terrible aspect to the rule however. You are penalized without due process. If someone actually is adjudicated in court to owe taxes, it's one thing. For the IRS to be able to get your passport revoked merely on a claim, is totally another. How it can possibly be constitutional escapes me, but that doesn't seem to be a big consideration with this administration.