Sign up via the form below for our newsletter bulletins, which include current news and information of interest to our clients (and readers).   Note: We do not rent or sell our newsletter subscription list to anyone.

How You Lost Your Freedom:

Some Interesting Points & Information you Should be Aware of...........The Hidden Agenda and New Policies of a Democracy that Seems to have Forgotten Itself. 

John Schroder - Author of The Ascot Advisory News Letter Bulletin and Numerous Expatriate  Articles

I will be the first to admit it, this sounds like the comments of a "lunatic".  The fact is though, as a US Citizen, you are  losing more and more of your rights and your freedom with each passing day.  The sad part is, most people do not even think so.  In addition, it is all being done non-violently, without one single gun being fired.  How? Well, all in the name of protecting you and society of course.   

More than a couple of years ago, in the name of combating "money laundering & Drug Trafficking", a policy was instituted that said any cash transaction of US$ 10,000 had to be reported to the Treasury Department.  Within the just the last few years, without any public notice, that figured was reduced down to US$ 3,000 (I know....I know.....the customs form at the airport still says $10,000).......Money Order and Travelers Check purchases over $ 999.99 (one thousand dollars) are also reported to a special data base maintained by the nice folks at the Treasury Department.  Don't believe it?  Try and purchase American Express Travelers Checks without ID.  Sure, you have to fill out that little stub or form to indicate who owns the Travelers Checks should they be lost or stolen.  What I am talking about is, being asked for a Driver's License or other ID to verify what you just wrote.  I didn't believe it either, until an American Express employee told me it is required company policy, and that the information is passed on Uncle Sam.  Suppose I am buying the Travelers Checks for my aunt Edna?  A thousand dollars?  Why does the government need to know I am buying just $1,000 worth of Travelers Checks, and that I am going on vacation?  Please help me out with this, I'm a little slow to understand........... 

Recently the US$ 100 bill or note was redesigned.  Next came the Fifty Dollar bill, then the Twenty. The logic was to combat counterfeiting of US currency.  Fair enough....I buy that.  Every country wants to protect it's currency and prevent fake money from being passed around.  But why were the bills redesigned, so they could be accurately "picked up" and counted by airport x-ray or metal detection equipment?  What does that have to do with counterfeit money?  Why does the government feel it has to have a way to automatically detect how much money you are leaving with?  If you want to take $50,000 in cash, fly to Israel, and throw it into the Red Sea ~ What is that anyone's business?  (especially if it is money you already paid tax on) 

A few years back, in my former life as an officer for a very large and very well known US banking institution, my boss called me into his office.  He proceeded to let me know that all of the officers and managers of the bank were required to watch a video (will popcorn be provided, or should I bring my own?).  That didn't bother me.  Not only was I required to watch the video, but I had to sign a release form saying that I watched the video, and that I fully understood it.  That didn't bother me either.  As it turns out, the video was about "suspicious banking transactions" and "money laundering". 
No problem.  The reason the bank created the video, was to prove to the Treasury Department that they were in compliance with the new Treasury Department regulations.  Those regulations basically stated that the Treasury Department was now going to hold each and every bank employee liable (and of course the bank also) for any transaction they touched, or signed off on, that was discovered to be related to "money laundering".  The regulations also mentioned the words "criminal" and "possible incarceration, and or monetary fines" with regards to the bank and it's employees. Now  that is something that really bothered me.  I asked my boss, "Do you mean to tell me, that because I authorized a wire transfer or check request for a client that had sufficient money in their account to do so.........and it was discovered two years later, that this client was laundering money,,,,,and even though he wasn't laundering money through our bank......that I can go to jail"?  Yes.  "This doesn't bother you?.......I mean the fact the government is basically saying you have to do their job.....or in the least pro-actively spy on your fellow citizens for them"? He shrugged his shoulders.  I started thinking about why I live in a country like this.  Had I been living under a totalitarian government, say for example Germany under Nazi control, or in the former Soviet Union, I can buy it.  I wouldn't like it, but you sort of expect such things to come with the territory.  But in the United States?  The "leader" of human rights, democracy, freedom and justice?  Threats of jail time unless you "report" on your fellow citizens?   

My hands are getting itchy, so we should stop discussing money for a moment.  Let us talk about other property, such as a home or a car.  In Virginia (home of Thomas Jefferson) and other states, it has been declared that the US constitution does not guarantee the rights of property.  It guarantees your rights, as a human being, but your "stuff" and everything you own is up for grabs.  How so?  Well, this is the legal opinion passed down from our friends, the judges, who claim it is perfectly OK for the government to take away your car, your home, and of course your money - if your property is involved in a "drug transaction".  Let us illustrate this.  Mike is 19 years old, and Grandma Johnson's favorite grand-son.  He wants to go the upcoming concert with his buddies next friday night.  Grandma Johnson loves to see her favorite grand-son out enjoying himself and allows him to borrow her car.  While stopped at a traffic light, on the way out of town, a un-savory looking guy walks up to the car window and asks the "fellas" if they want "something for the road".  Mike is a good kid, straight "A" student, doesn't do drugs.  His friend Jerry is of course another story altogether.  Jerry buys some "stuff".  Unknown to him, the guy he just bought from is an under-cover cop.  Aside from being taken down to the police station, and all that entails, Grandma Johnson finds out her car has been impounded.  She lost her car to the government because Jerry was sitting inside her car at the time.  You don't believe this is the "new" law?  Check it out.  

Every time you travel in and out of the country, your passport is recorded and logged.  This information is kept in a data base system.  Part of the argument is, they need to do this so they can can catch the "terrorists"........You know, the terrorists from the Middle East all carrying US passports.  By the way, the next generation passports (which are already available from some countries) have a computer chip in them.  All you need to do is pass through a metal detector type of "doorway", and all of your information is automatically logged an recorded.  Isn't that great.....no more waiting in long lines at immigration.  But.......if it's a free country, why does the government need to know every time I come and go? Just asking........... 

The nice folks at the US Commerce Department (I think it's the Commerce Department, maybe it's the Bureau of Indian Affairs.....I forget) have been talking about a way to eliminate all paper and coin currency.  Isn't that nice.  You get a card, with a computer chip on it.  Your paycheck is direct deposited to your "account", you can go shopping with your card (and your purchases are debited), you can pay your bills.........even your taxes.  No more money, no more hassles, no more problems.  But......If the IRS wants to mess with you now, all they have to send some forms to the bank in order to have your accounts frozen (they do not even have to tell you about it first).  Well, how hard will it be to push a little button on a computer system and wipe out the account balances on your "government issued computer chip card thingy"?  If they is no cash anymore, and your whole life is basically on that card, what do you do?   Just asking........... 

There are plenty of other things going on as well.  As an example, the "Expatriation Tax", which basically says you have to give half of your net worth to the government if you want to leave.  In addition, if the tax authorities believe you are leaving for tax advantages, they "retain the right" to tax you up to ten years after you leave ~ even though you are no longer a citizen.  Most people of course are not that stupid to tell the government anything.  They just go on vacation, and never come back (and they make sure to take their money with them).  So, the US is still a "free" country, but like the mafia, it would seem even if you want to say "happy trails", they are not going to make it easy (and they still want your money no matter what). 

What is all this about? Why are "drugs" all of a sudden a major problem, and why isn't say alcoholism or gambling a problem also?  Is there something else going on that you are not being told?  Is the "war on drugs" a smoke-screen for another agenda?  Consider this........... 

The Bible makes mention of alcohol (wine), prostitution and gambling.  As such, we can then make a deduction that such things have been around for over 2,000 years.  We know that tobacco was a major crop for some of southern "Thirteen American Colonies", so we can deduct that "smoking" has been around for at least 200 years.  I recall seeing a black & white film on television a few years ago called "Refer Madness". The film was about "middle-class" marijuana smoking.  Based on the clothing and furniture, based on the fact it was black & white (and the sort of "feel" to the movie), and based on the fact it was a movie with "sound", I peg it about 1938 to 1940, maybe even earlier.  So, if it is true that art imitates life, we can say that marijuana has been around in the US for at least 60 years.  The 60's and early 70's were periods in time when the use of "hard drugs" such as heroin, LSD, and other "substances" were fairly well known by the general public.  so based on that, such things have "been around" for at least 30 years.   So, I ask you, "why is there all of a sudden a  "war on drugs" now?  Why are your liberties being taken away now, at this point in time, to combat drug use or drug trafficking (and the related "money laundering argument")?   Well, consider this..... 

The 1920's were a period in American history that was chronicled by "speak-easies", boot-leg liquor, and immense profits from the sale of an illegal substance.  Since there were no credit cards back then, we are talking about lots and lots of cash.  The government knew all about it, and the government also knew that an incredible amount of un-taxed money was moving around.  So, why didn't the government do then, what they are doing now?  I know......I know.......they didn't have the technology that they have today.  Fine, so why didn't the judges say that private or personal property was not covered under the constitution then........and seize all homes, cars, furniture, whatever....that was involved in the sale or distribution of illegal liquor?  Why didn't they make the banks report any cash transactions or "suspicious" transactions of $1,000 or more (I am taking a guess , but $ 1,000 in 1925 must have been equivalent to $10,000 today, if not more)?  .......And threaten bank employees with jail time, if they failed to "snoop"?. 

I do not use drugs.  I do not know of anyone that uses drugs (or at least they don't do it in front of me). To the best of my knowledge, none of our clients are involved in drugs or money laundering.  In fact, I would say that this can be said for the large majority of the population.  How many people are involved in the distribution of drugs or money laundering anyway? Would you guess that 4 Million US citizens are involved with such things?  Based on the latest US census figures, that would be about 1% of the population, maybe less.  Lets say it is 4 Million.  That's a lot of people, but on the whole a very small percentage of the population.  So, civil liberties are be taken away, and the government "monitoring" of everyone's life increased in order to fight the "war on drugs" and  the " 1% ".  You buy that? No? Me either. 

I will tell you what I do think.  I think most people are honest, law-abiding citizens.  I think if you add up your social security tax (which you cannot opt out of paying, even if you agree to waive benefits), FICA, government excise tax on gasoline, capital gains tax, and tax on interest and dividends ~ you are already paying up to 50% in income taxes.  I think most people feel as if they are working harder than ever, and are falling behind because the government is taking more than they are giving back.  I think most people feel that they will never see a social security check, if they are 20 years or more from retirement.  I think the US government is taking more and more liberties away, and that they have forgotten why a group of men risked the possibility of being hanged or shot for treason by signing a "Declaration of Independence" over 200 years ago, (with the hopes of escaping from what they thought was unfair legal treatment, high taxes, and a government that didn't care about them).   

I thinks something is going on, and it's not good.  I think the new agenda is about increased control and taxes.......not drugs.  I also think the government is scared.  Scared because the people that don't like what they see are in fact "checking out" of the "High Tax Hotel" in droves, and they ain't coming back. (Please read What is an Expatriate).