Don't let the border slam you on the way out...
Adios, Edouardo
Don't let the border slam you on the way out...
I spend my day helping people come to, or stay in, the United States. (I also watch a lot of old Law and Order re-runs, but only between clients.) Some Americans tend to have a negative view about immigration, even though they make sure to define it as “illegal immigration.” That’s actually an interesting distinction, particularly when there is no current ‘legal’ way to immigrate that doesn’t take years unless, of course, you are a human rights activist from China in which case you can shame the United States into letting you in.
It is therefore strange for me to see someone who, having benefitted from living and working in this country for over a decade, decides to renounce the one thing that most of my clients would pay a king’s ransom for: United States citizenship. Interestingly enough, Edoardo Saverin has renounced his citizenship so that he could keep his own king’s ransom, billions of dollars that fell into his lap as a result of his involvement with Facebook.
Saverin was sympathetically portrayed in the movie “The Social Network” as the abused and abandoned friend of Mark Zuckerburg. He has apparently parlayed that story into billions, and was unwilling to part with a few million in taxes that he would have owed to the U.S. government.
So, Saverin gave up the red white and blue, all the while embracing his native land of Brazil (and his new favorite country-of-the-heart Singapore, where they are much more lenient about taxes.)
That might be legal in tax circles. However, it is neither ethical, nor is it wise if he ever wants to come back to visit his friend Mark in California. That’s because the immigration laws ban anyone who has renounced their citizenship to avoid paying taxes from coming back to the United States, at least not on a permanent basis. Savarin must realize this, because he’s now playing word games and trying to prove that money wasn’t his actual motive.
Too late. Uncle Sam just ‘un-friended’ him.
Goodbye, good riddance and now let's change tax laws so that anyone who has made their money here pays their taxes. Seize this guy's bank accounts (if he has any in this country) to make sure all taxes are paid. Then boot him out of the Country.— lport
Edoardo Saverin is a rich dude. He made his billions on of all things- a web design. Too bad Julia is not as smart.
Now he is even smarter. He packs up and goes to a country where he pays no taxes, at least not on those billions.
You see, the rich can easily do these things. I wish I was rich like Edoardo.— PlumberJoe- Plumber, it is not just being rich. It is being rich and arrogant and incredibly greedy.
Yes, of course, goodbye and good riddance to an ungrateful SnOB.
And of course a change in tax laws is in order.
All good points, Chris.— Magistra - Lookit, Magistra, you and lport want to slam this guy, take his money and show no mercy. Typical liberals.
Just think about all the intellectual stimulation from faceBook. It makes 900 million people happy. Can you do that????
That is one helluva web design, is it not, Christine? There you go, picking on web designers, again. Do you know of any Immigration Attorney that can make 900 million people happy.— PlumberJoe - "Just think about all the intellectual stimulation from faceBook."
You should send this joke to Comedy Central.— Magistra - Magistra, I have often said there is no such thing as justice. Zuckerberg, now worth $19 billion, STOLE the original faceBook concept. Bill Gates, worth $40 billion (or whatever) stole the original operating system design.
I have got my eyes peeled. Hold onto your design if I am nearby. I am certain that the screech in Sarah Palin's voice is not hers, but that she stole it from an Owl. ( guess it would tick you off if I said Obama stole the presidency with phoney promises.
And you would say, but all politicians do that. And I would say, lock them up. Have a nice day. Don't steal too much, not unless it will be worth Billions.— PlumberJoe - PJ: I don't want this guy's money. I want him to pay whatever he owes from money he was fortunate to make in the USA. Then, get rid of him. You ignore this, and as usual, get hung up on political issues unrelated to the question Chris created. By the way, the only one who stole the Presidency was your hero George Bush (with the help of the Supremes). Despite my feelings, I moved on from there as you should with your Obama feelings. And, how does it feel to be a minority now in the USA?— lport
- hi lport, I deliberately ignored the money matter because the answer is self obvious. He is a bad boy. But as a lawyer you know, wishing and hissing won't do it. It is the law that governs. Change the law.
Enjoy your day. We should deliberate again on something where we disagree.— PlumberJoe - ps, I was always a minority. Fewer men than women. — PlumberJoe
- Iport's reckless comment about Bush stealing the election is ignorant and proven to be demonstrably false. This ex-FB guy is not an admirable fellow. I want him to pay what he legitimately owes - and nothing more, nothing less. He should not be forced to pay some departure fee over and above his legit tax bill, but he should not be given a free pass if he ever wants to regain US citizenship. Here's the Wall Street Journal's take on Saverin. Note the role that PA's empty suit - Buckethead Bobby Casey - plays in it: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303360504577410323735219362.html?mod=djemEditorialPage_h— Thoughtful&concernedvoter
Wow! A bunch of wingers angry about Uncle Sam not collecting tax dollars.
Don't let Grover Norquist find out your un-screen names.
He's so powerful that Republican politicians pledge to him -- above and beyond their pledge to uphold the Constitution -- and that is power.
Maybe Christine can quickly emigrate or nether-asylum y'all.- ncl, lport is not a right sided guy, Magistra claims moderation. They want the bucks from this two-faced (book) Brazilian. And I, a true blue conservative, don't.
So, as is most often the case, you are full of soup, soup being a euphemism.— PlumberJoe - Plumber, before my comment, even if you include Magistra, the winger-to-normal people's comments was 6-to-4.
- ncl, I don't follow your gripe. I point out that there is mixed feelings. The right, unlike the left, is open to independent thought.
Please, please have a sense of humor or buy one from eBay, yet another palace for multi-billionaire owners.— PlumberJoe - Plumber,why don't you want this billionaire to pay his fair share of income tax on money he made in this country? I never took you for a strict libertarian.— Magistra
Email Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com Reach Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com.
