With reports that American expatriates abandoned their citizenship in record numbers in the first quarter of 2020, Stephen Green, Bill Whittle, and Scott Ott, answer the questions: “Would you ever dump your U.S. citizenship? What would it take for you to do so?
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35 replies on “Would You Ever? Expatriates Dump U.S. Citizenship in Record Numbers”
And at the end of the day, there is still nowhere better. On this earth anyway.
Although I enjoy traveling outside of the US and have never had a bad experience, I’m always relieved and happy to be back on US soil. It nearly brings tears to my eyes when the Customs official says “Welcome home”!
Before anyone would ever think of renouncing their citizenship, I pray to God that they would stop for just a minute to remember all of their fellow brothers and sisters that gave their lives for this country and what it stands for.
Nothing could make me renounce my American citizenship. It’s like asking how much money would it take to do something illegal that could land me in jail. NO amount of money is worth my freedom. There is no freer country on this planet and no way I would ever give it up.
If/when I decide that the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights have been irreparably dismantled by the Supreme Court would I consider renouncing my citizenship. But there is nowhere to go. So I’ll stick it out and resist until I die.
Well, this hit close to home. I spent nearly 3 decades as an ex pat: a short time in Africa and the rest in the UK and Europe. I used to have panic attacks about never coming home. I was married to a non citizen, with a mortgage, kids, the works. It was where I learned who I was, and that I was AMERICAN. I thought differently, I felt differently, my risk comfort level was different, everything. I took out British citizenship to protect myself and my children: if my husband died, I would have been thrown out in a matter of weeks or months, and I couldn’t risk that damage to my kids: I would definitely have gone home, but it would have taken time: you don’t uproot kids like that. I wanted to do it on MY terms. Anyway, I would die before I gave up my citizenship, tho I also agree with Bill about the reformation of America as intended. America was formed from people who shook the dust from their sandals and went somewhere where they could be US. They just didn’t realise it at the time. It’s the idea, not the land mass. My two sons are dual. I took both down and registered them within a week of birth. Giving them American citizenship was more important to me than anything else. The younger was an American from the get go: he just IS an American. He got married, and about 4 years ago, “came home”. His bride is now going thru the naturalisation process. She is also an American already, always was. My elder son (by a year) is British. He thinks that way, reacts that way, etc, tho he is also a risk taker and is now living in the Emirates with his wife. But it would not take a great leap of imagination for me to see him renouncing his citizenship. Close in age, brought up the same, same life experience: but two different nationalities. It’s in the soul. Sorry for the screed, but having been through this, thought I’d share it.
Sorry to say, but this one was a bit disappointing
why will you ever consider that? (even on a hypothetical level)
If things will go south here, I am staying to fight for my country
a. because it is my duty, and there are people who will not be strong enough to fight, nor to stay under any harsher conditions
b. if each time when things go bad – you will leave, eventually you (we all) will be left with no other place to go, because we just chose the easy way
c. why did you even bother to collect all those guns for?
Finally, I can understand how important individualism is, but it can’t be without any responsibility for your own local community
I would be curious to know what percentage of those who renounced their US citizenship are Leftists, Liberals, and old fashioned Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, or Independents. FWIW, my guess is that a significant majority are Leftists, who are renowned for their hatred for America.
Watch a few episodes of house hunters international and you’ll see that there are many who were born and raised in other countries, became residents or citizens here and wanted to return “home.” However, it did not disclose who gave up their US citizenship.
Also there were many claiming they wanted a “simpler” life, different experiences for their children, etc. The series didn’t go into how many were jaded over the change and returned to the US or positively considered their move a long term success. I can’t imagine renouncing my citizenship— I emphatically won’t.
Well now at least the ex-pats don’t have to worry about being shot to death when jumping over the wall. Then I can think of a number of so called Americans that have threatened to jump over the wall…I’m still waiting for them to become non voters here.
America IS an ideal, the ideal that founded this society. Nothing will make me ever renounce my loyalty to that ideal. Living as I do in the Soviet of Washington with the majority of people sheepfully kneeling before our Lord and Governor and happily living under the ‘leadership’ of our ‘betters’ brightly illustrates the difference between Americans and those with the ‘herd instinct.’ Americanism begins inside each of us and we have to earn it by remaining self-sustaining ‘wild and free’ individuals. In other words, Americans are fully responsible adults. period.
Citizenship? This ‘society’ may have renounced US. But because I see the beauty of this country outside my front room window, and because I know there are many many other honest, self-sustaining, decent Americans out there, I will fight to the death to save what we have, and build a better society for those who deserve it, our children. . . with Liberty and JUSTICE, for ALL.
What a fantastic discussion!! You guys are “spot on.”
Are details known about these ex-pats? Their ethnicity, their destination, their income levels?
I bet you’re right, Scott. The decision to renounce their citizenship was probably financially motivated! They are truly globalists without borders. But, does any country other than America have a Bill of Rights? Not to my knowledge. In that case, we don’t need those abdicators of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I say to those traitors, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”
Bravo Bill! Please keep educating people about how they don’t “own” their property, but are just caretakers of real estate for as long as they pay their overlords. I long to see the day when the people rise up as they did in the movie “V for Vendetta” and vote out the criminals who have been passing abusive laws to strip people of their wealth and usurp their liberties. “The power to tax is the power to destroy” as Montesquieu wrote long ago. That talk show host who shall not be named has been repeating a quote from John F. Kennedy a lot, lately: “Those who make peacefully revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
The only thing that would cause me to renounce my citizenship would be if the country would turn full on socialist/communist. But then again, it still would not happened as I would have died fighting that process long before it happened.
If you do not want to “rent” your home from the government, you probably would want to avoid Texas. The property taxes as a percentage of the value of the house are about the highest in the country. However, they have no income tax. New Jersey is higher AND they have an income tax! Id don’t much dream of having no taxes, but every once in a while I image what it would be like not to have an income tax, a sales tax or a property tax.
I always put “rent payment” on the reminder line for my property tax checks.
I loved this show. I thought the comments from all three of you were great. I got chills from hearing people as dedicated to this Country as I feel. I did agree with Bill, that if another country opened up somewhere with the idea of our Forefathers, that might get me to go, especially if Hillary or someone like her were to gain control of this country. But the idea of America is in my DNA and I love this place. My heart breaks when I see people giving up their freedoms when so many died for this beautiful place.
Bill, I don’t know what it’s like now (not that I actually knew then), but when I was a young lad in Brooklyn in the lite fifties, My Welsh immigrant friend’s father proclaimed New Zealand to be the freest country in the world.
Many foreign banks won’t let an American open an account. Just one American with a bank account forces the bank to submit reams of paperwork to the IRS. It’s just not worth the headache so they tell Americans “No Thanks. Take your business elsewhere.”
Hi guys, Heidi here formerly of Allenspark, Colorado. I saw recently that Stephen Green is from there as well. Unfortunately we have a governor there, Putrid Polis who is hell bent on destroying the state. A number of my friends are moving to Wyoming and other red states as they see the writing on the wall. Others are moving to Australia and Italy. I am in Ireland where some of my ancestors were born. I love the Irish, the milder climate and the general lack of stress. I would never, ever give up my citizenship and I agree with Bill the USA is the greatest idea on earth. I have my “Don’t Tread On Me” flag in the front yard. I don’t think I’d move back. My friends in Colorado are older than I (I’m 70) and what would I go back to? I have family in Illinois and California but they’re older too. I still have my firearms waiting, just in case. But, I would be back in a pinch to defend our unalienable rights. Sorry this is long, so good bye for now.
My first thought is … good riddance, as they could not have been “actual” citizens anyway, for to give up that citizenship, they could not have really understood the founding principles and ideals, or at the very least did not embrace them. To surrender U.S. citizenship in order to dodge taxes is shallow beyond reckoning, and suggests that the person was likely more of a globalist, apologist or some form of socialist anyway … but then I repeat myself.
My second though was that if the Socialists were to ever gain the upper hand here in a BIG way, then that might make me look elsewhere to find that which has been lost here. But where would that be, where could I then go to regain that which was lost here. No, leaving even then would not be the answer, as there really is no other place to go, except perhaps Texas, as a base from which the battle to re-win America could be fought!
I don’t wanna leave where I am now. I’d just like to see the 2nd Republic of Texas established.
Bill,
YES!!!!!!
The main reason people will give up citizenship is because the U.S. does not allow dual citizenship. If you now live overseas and want to own property in whatever country you live in you need to be a citizen of that country. It is not that these people renounce the U.S. as much as the U.S. does not support their own citizens the same way other countries do. The people doing this for some political reason or renouncing the country is very small.
No you don’t have to give up citizenship if you own foreign property. I own property in Ireland and am a legal resident but an American citizenship. Hope that clears it up.
PS, The US does allow dual citizenship
Try that anywhere in Asia, India, Australia and a host of countries. Dual citizenship is normally only granted to those who have special reasons like born outside the U.S. to one U.S. Parent and the other a Foreign National and is given on a case by case basis and only granted in special circumstances but not to U.S. Citizens who marry out of the country and want citizenship in that country as well. I have worked most of my life out of the country and know many Ex-Pats in these situations. Avoiding taxes may apply to some but most who give up citizenship have made a life and family outside the U.S. and frankly they have been given little to no choice as they cannot even take their family to the U.S. without a Visa they rarely get.
Yes it does…. because while born in the Midwest, I now am a dual citizen. They used to not allow dual citizenship but that changed a couple of decades back. Now you can hold dual citizenship depending on the other country’s rules, but for many, if not most the only way you will lose your citizenship is if you walk into the Consulate and renounce it. For a long time you could hold dual until you were 18/21 and then you had to choose. That is no longer the case.
Sorry, something else occurred to me. If you are born abroad to a US citizen, you are entitled to citizenship. However, unless you reside in the US for at least 5 years after the age of 18, any children will not be entitled to citizenship in the US. This is an immediate problem in my own family. I think it’s right. Otherwise there would be how many thousands of “americans” who had almost zero connection to the country floating around out there.
“If you swim around in the cesspool long enough, you begin to think it’s water.” – Scott Ott
I added this to my quote collection.
I’m loyal to my life – I hold nothing higher than that.
Lest you think that means that I am selfish, quite the contrary. Many people and things are of vital importance to me, precisely because without them my life wouldn’t be worth living. That necessarily includes nearly every one of my fellow men, who contribute to my own life in innumerable ways. I pursue my own rational self-interest and that encompasses much apart from my immediate self.
What it means in the context of this topic is that I remain an American because there is no better way to continue a flourishing life. As Bill said, there would have to be somewhere else better than here in which to live to make me rescind my citizenship. As Scott said, America would have to leave me.
Sadly, it seems that for a long time America has been packing her bags. She’s even been cheating on me, sleeping with turncoats and foreigners. I sincerely hope and work toward regaining her fidelity but at this time believe it won’t happen before I die.
I bet some of them are people in deep trouble because they are friends of Adam Schiff, Peter Strzok, Comey, Clapper, Brennan etc whose names are redacted in the documents we are seeing. I.e. The unjailed members of the Awan family. They can run but they can’t hide.
“Trafalmadorian” – Oh, I had to look that one up. Learn something every time I listen. 😁
Bill giving up his citizenship to become a Trafalmadorian? So it goes…